• Realism/Modernism/Postmodernism:  Write an essay in which you offer a definition of Realism, Modernism, and Postmodernism as they relate to American fiction.  For each of the terms, provide an example from our readings and show in some detail how it meets the “rules” for that literary movement.  Also, discuss the relationship between that particular “ism” and the time period in which it was written.
• Twentieth-Century Poetry:  Write an essay in which you discuss the work of three of the poets we have studied in class.  You should choose one poet from each of the following groups:

Group One:  Frost, Williams, Cummings
Group Two:  Brooks, Ginsberg, Plath
Group Three:  Laviera, Soto, Cervantes

• You may substitute for one of the above poets with a poet from one of the exploration weeks so long as that poet is contemporaneous with the poet being replaced.  For example, if we read Gertrude Stein during our second exploration week, you could substitute her for the poets in Group One.  Your essay should include an introduction, a conclusion, and a fairly detailed treatment of each poet’s work.  In talking about the poets’ work, you should give equal attention to subject and style.  Your essay should have a thesis that relates the three poets to one another in some way.
• Historical and Cultural Context:  Write an essay in which you discuss the relationship between a group of works and the historical and cultural context in which they were written.  Your essay should focus on one historical.  You should generalize about the time period and then relate the time to a group of three works you choose to write about.  In talking about the time period, you should use the Timeline; in-class lectures, presentations and discussions; and any outside information you may have available to you (remember to properly cite any information or ideas not your own).  In talking about the works in question, you should be attempting to explain how the context of a work is reflected in the work, itself.
• Cultural Critique:  Write an essay in which you discuss the development of cultural critique as a literary subject in American literature.  Your essay should focus on one topic of cultural critique (class structure, race relations, boundary-crossing, gender relations, intolerance of difference, etc.) and should discuss the method of treatment of the issue across the time period covered by the course (1860-present).  Use at least three authors from three different time periods (late 19th century, early 20th century, mid-20th century, late 20th century) as examples of the changes in the ways authors have treated this issue over time.

Academic Projects (You must choose at least one project from this category.)

Academic Seminar Paper (300 points)
Standard Academic Paper (200 points)
Biographical Context Essay (100 points)
Annotated Bibliography of Scholarly Sources (100 points)
Annotated Bibliography of Web Sites (100 points)

Oral Projects (You must choose at least one project from this category.)

Historical Presentation (100 points)
Dramatic Interpretation (100 points)
Class Discussion (100 points)

Examinations

Midterm Examination (100 points)
Final Examination (200 points)

Interpretive Projects

Reading Journal (100 points, repeatable)
Electronic Discussion (100 points, repeatable)
Paper (100 points, repeatable)
Creative Interpretation (100 points, repeatable)
Multiperspective (200 points, may count as academic)