American Literature I, fall 2007
Term paper
Due in class Dec. 14

The advantage of a survey course like this one is that we are able to sample a wide variety of writings; the simultaneous disadvantage is that our ability to consider book-length works is limited. While we will read two (shorter) books together, the autobiographies of Benjamin Franklin and Frederick Douglass, we are leaving a number of fascinating works untouched. Your job in this essay, then, is to read an American novel or autobiography from before the Civil War, and to argue for its inclusion in this course – that it is too interesting and important to leave out, and should become part of the syllabus. Some issues you may want to deal with in this essay in order to make your argument: 1) What are the work’s major characters, plot, setting, themes, and so on? 2) What should we know about the work’s author and historical context? 3) What have critics said about this work? 4) How does the book fit in the context of the rest of our reading this semester? How does it complement those works, and what gaps does it fill? These questions need not be addressed in this order, or in exactly even proportions, but I will be especially interested in the connections you draw between this novel or autobiography and the other readings. I am entirely open to your arguments and will incorporate suggestions from the most persuasive term papers the next time I teach this course!

This essay should be 8-10 pages long, typed, double-spaced, with normal margins and font (Times New Roman is standard). Be sure to give your essay a title, and don’t forget to number the pages. There is no required number of sources, but bringing in historical and critical information where appropriate may help you make your case. All sources (including the primary text) must be documented in MLA style.

I’m happy to help you choose a novel, revise drafts, work with MLA style, etc., and the writing center is also a good resource. I will also expect an update on your progress at midterm. However, do not expect me to issue reminders throughout the semester; it is up to you to schedule your time in order to complete the project.

Possible term paper subjects:

Brown, Charles Brockden. Edgar Huntly.

Very, very strange, and therefore very, very fascinating, Edgar Huntly exposes the animal in humanity.

Child, Lydia Maria. Hobomok.

In writing this novel of a white woman who marries an Indian man, Child attempts a sympathetic portrayal of Native Americans and a novel to rival those of Europe.

Cooper, James Fenimore. The Last of the Mohicans.

You may feel that this one starts slowly, but keep reading for more excitement. Here’s your chance to read “the only book [B.F. Pierce’s] father ever read” and find out how Hawkeye from M*A*S*H got his name.

Equiano, Olaudah. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or, Gustavus Vassa, the African.

A slave narrative made all the more interesting by its departures from more common expectations of the genre, this book may make an interesting comparison with that of Frederick Douglass (which we’ll read in class).

Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter.

As an element of cultural literacy, everyone should be familiar with The Scarlet Letter. If you haven’t read it already, this is a good opportunity. If you have, I’d like it better if you chose something else.

Jacobs, Harriet. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl.

Borrowing elements from the genre of the sentimental novel, Jacobs’s work directly appeals to her female readers in exposing the evils of slavery. Although long considered to be fiction, documentation has proved this (sometimes astonishing) story to be true.

Lewis, Meriwether and William Clark. The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

A fascinating look into both the American environment and the interactions of individuals on this famous journey (the return trip is particularly interesting). The full journals run to thousands of pages; Gary E. Moulton’s abridgement is a good one.

Melville, Herman. Moby-Dick.

Arguably the greatest American novel, Moby-Dick is a long work, but well worth the undertaking. Your efforts will be rewarded. Don’t skip the whaling sections!

Rowson, Susanna. Charlotte Temple.

A kind of Oprah book club novel of its day, this tragic romance was the most popular novel in America until Uncle Tom’s Cabin; many readers made pilgrimages to a grave in Trinity Churchyard in New York City supposedly belonging to the real Charlotte Temple.

Stowe, Harriet Beecher. Uncle Tom’s Cabin.

President Lincoln, on meeting Stowe, is reported to have said, “So you're the little woman who wrote the book that started this Great War!” The novel interested many in the cause of abolition, but many of its depictions of African Americans remain troublesome today.

This list should give you plenty to work with, but if you’re interested in working on another novel that would fulfill the requirements of the assignment, check it out with me in advance.