Essay #1

The due date for Essay #1 is Friday, February 8

Your first essay for World Literature II asks you to compare and contrast two of the works we've read so far. Choose ONE of the options below:

1) Compare/contrast OROONOKO's travels with those of MARY ROWLANDSON. In comparing and contrasting (you don't have to do both, necessarily), consider how the texts reflect the culture(s) the author encounters. What is revealed? What is purposely left out? Also, consider how the text reveals information about the author's own culture. The online essay "Travel Narratives" by Jerry Bentley from the University of Hawai'i has some interesting information about travel narratives that might help you develop your ideas.

2) Compare/contrast OROONOKO or CANDIDE with THE LOVE SUICIDES OF AMIJIMA. How do both texts balance conflicts of the heart with a sense of duty? How is love represented in the texts? Is it genuine?

3) Compare/contrast CANDIDE with the MARY ROWLANDSON narrative. In what ways does Voltaire mock the kind of story that Rowlandson tells?

As you can see, I'm not "giving" you a thesis. You have to develop one on your own. The questions above are prompts to get you thinking about the two works you've selected.

YOU SHOULD NOT do any other outside research for this paper. The ideas in the essay must be original and your own.

When you quote from the text, make sure to use MLA format. The OWL at Purdue has an online guide for you to use if you no longer own your old composition textbook.

Your paper should be 4-6 pages long, typed in Times New Roman, double-spaced with 1 inch margins all around, and creatively titled. No cover pages, please. Staple or paper clip your essays.

I'll be available for conferencing during office hours or by appointment. Please come by! Or, visit the English Center on the 3rd floor of the Haley Center for assistance with your paper.