Describe the piece and the author in one section; in another section, discuss why you believe the piece should be recognized as an example of American Literature.

American Literary Canon. The canon roughly refers to notable and accepted works of literature that best represent the talent and personalities of an era (in other words, what ‘the powers-that-be’ deem important and assign in classes). However, in the last century, the American literary canon has been challenged for many reasons, namely, the lack of diversity amongst these “approved writers.” For instance, an American Literature anthology in 1950 may have contained Walt Whitman but not Red Jacket—a Native American activist. While some critics praise the change to be more inclusive, others believe the classics will always be the classics—as in, what has always been viewed as the iconic writing of a time period should remain so. It’s important for us, then, in a survey course to question why is it these texts survive NOW? What is it about them that sustains over time and still speaks to readers? Is it because the text is simply enjoyable to read? Or does it teach us (illustrate for us) something about a past era, an aspect of humanity, household roles, the definition of freedom? If you’re suddenly concerned that you can’t answer for a whole generation why one text is more significant than another, trust your instincts. You are not only the student: you are the reader. Your reading of a text is as unique as the text itself. You may see something in an Anne Bradstreet poem that another student–a whole person with their own life experiences–does not; you may find bitter truth in Jonathan Edwards’s “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” because you have grown up in situations that personify his theology; you may balk at the treatment of those accused of witchcraft in Cotton Mather’s “The Wonders of the Invisible World” or the terrible circumstances of the pearl divers in Bartoleme de las Casas’s “Devastation of the Indies.” However, you may also find inspiration in the vision of nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson or the poet, Cullen Bryant, or the wit of Benjamin Franklin or the prowess and demand for democracy in Thomas Jefferson. In many ways, a reading of text and its influence belong to the individual. It is how these writers succeeded in the beginning—it is why they are still enduring. It is your task to discover this for yourself. While you may not care for many of the excerpts, stories, essays, poems, etc. that we read in class, there will be a few that do “speak to you.” A prominent Southern writer, Flannery O’Connor, wrote: “No matter what form the dragon may take, it is of this mysterious passage past him, or into his jaws, that stories of any depth will always be concerned to tell, and this being the case, it requires considerable courage at any time, in any country, not to turn away from the storyteller.” O’Connor also wrote, roughly: ‘I don’t what I think until I write what say.’ So … find your story of “depth” or the writer ‘who braves the path of the dragon’ and write about your experience reading his or her work and defend why it should still be a part of the canon for the years to come. Keep in mind, it doesn’t have to be as dramatic as O’Connor suggests—not every piece of literature sustains because it offers a grand revelation. You know, it could just be really funny or beautiful. Brainstorming / Getting Started Support Need help generating content? Consider answering some of the following questions as you brainstorm: General—perhaps information to include in an introduction: What is this essay/poem/story about? Who is the author of the piece? How does the author’s personality and/or background influence the writing? What time period was it first published? Does the writing include references to major historical moments? If so, do you think these references to actual events/conditions are fair? Do they fit what you imagined them to be? What are some of the characteristics of the writing? Specific—your reactions to the reading, core of your thesis, substance of body paragraphs: What are some thoughts you had while reading? Were there elements of the text you connected to? How/why? Did something trigger a memory and/or association? Do you feel this selection represents your idea of “America”? Do you feel this selection represents the general viewpoint of “America” to the mass U.S. population? What are some “timeless” aspects of the piece? What do you like about the reading? What do you dislike about the reading? Do you feel like anything is mis-portrayed or unfairly represented in the reading? Other methods of organization or different ways to express the prompt are as follows, but are not limited to: GENERAL (Expository and Reflective): Straightforward: Describe the piece and the author in one section; in another section, discuss why you believe the piece should be recognized as an example of American Literature. Consider Flannery O’Connor’s quote and discuss why one should not turn away from your “storyteller.” No matter what form the dragon may take, it is of this mysterious passage past him, or into his jaws, that stories of any depth will always be concerned to tell, and this being the case, it requires considerable courage at any time, in any country, not to turn away from the storyteller. Next, discuss the experiences and thoughts you had while reading the selection. Last note: In short, this assignment is a demonstration of what a text means to you—it is YOUR space. This is where you show you’ve connected with a text (whether positively or negatively) and what YOU think about it, especially how it relates to a core reading selection in this survey course. It is both a summary and a reflective exercise. You, however, also have the options to further explore argument or creative devices in these essays. My advice: exercise the opportunity of variety. Write some responses “expository,” some “creative” or some “argumentative.”