Gregory Eiselein

Paper #3: Hurston and Hansbery

This assignment asks you to focus on and explain the importance of one element in Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God or in Lorraine Hansbery's A Raisin in the Sun.

Lorraine Hansbery

The Basic Assignment. Choose one of the following four topics for your essay.

1. What role do male characters play in Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God? In what ways are these men important to the novel's ideas or themes?
2. What role do female characters play in Lorraine Hansbery's A Raisin in the Sun? In what ways are these women important to the play's ideas or themes?
3. What role does the African American community play in Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God? In what ways is the African American community (as represented in the novel) important to the novel's ideas or themes?
4. What role does the white community play in Lorraine Hansbery's A Raisin in the Sun? In what ways is the white community (as represented in the play) important to the play's ideas or themes?

What I'm Looking For. When I'm reading these papers, I'll be asking myself the following questions:

• Does the paper choose one of the four topics and answer both questions in the selected topic?
• Does it make a specific and interesting claim (or claims) about the text examined?
• Does it explain in a clear and persuasive manner its interpretation of the selected text?
• Does it support that interpretation with well-chosen direct references to the text? Are those passages clearly identified?
• Is it organized clearly enough so that anyone in this class could read the paper and follow the argument?

Workshop. On Tuesday, March 2, we will a part of the class period to an in-class writing w paper3.html paper3.html orkshop on this paper. Please bring a typed, complete rough-draft of your essay to class.

Documentation and Outside Research. To support your views, you need to refer directly to the texts you are examining. I am assuming that you will be using the books/editions listed on our syllabus. If this is the case and it's clear which text you're citing, simply refer to the page number when quoting from the text.

"Sh paper3.html e felt far away from things and lonely" (74).

If it's not clear whom you are citing, refer to the author and page number: (Hurston 74). If you use different editions, please provide a list of works cited which specifies the exact editions from which you are quoting.

Length: Three to five typed, double-spaced pages

Zora Neale Hurston

Due Date: Tuesday, March 9

Revisions. After I return your papers (on March 16 probably), please read my comments. If at that point, you would like to revise your paper, please do so. Revisions will be due on March 30. A revision does not automatically receive a better grade. The revision must be substantially improved. It must demonstrate significant change in ideas and focus, arrangement and organization, or evidence and development. Simply correcting typos or making editing corrections will not change the grade.

Revisions that don't meet these criteria (arriving by the deadline, offering substantial change, providing a summary of changes, and enclosing the original version) will be returned unread.

Let's Talk. If you have questions or concerns about your paper or you just want someone to bounce some ideas off of, please drop by the office to talk with me. I enjoy talking with students about their work, so please don't hesitate to drop by. I'll be in my office during my office hours (Tu Th 10:30-11:20, Fri 9:00-10:00). If those times don't fit with your schedule, I would be happy to set up some other time to meet with you.