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Discuss the relationship between Heart of Darkness and Things Fall Apart (or writer set one).

Paper Assignment

task:

Write a thoughtful essay that reveals accurate and insightful understandings and analysis of our coursework in response to one of the prompts below. Your paper should focus on at least one core work and should reference at least two supplemental works. The essay should include an engaging introduction, a clear thesis statement, supporting statements appropriate to the thesis, accurate and appropriate textual evidence, clear explanations, and a conclusion that leaves an impression on the reader.

specifics:

• Observe MLA format.

• Write 6-8 pages double-spaced.

• Smoothly incorporate at least 5 passages from the ‘core work(s)’ you select.

prompts:

1. In Critical theory Today: A User Friendly Guide, Lois Tyson writes that “because they are ways of seeing the world, critical theories compete with one another for dominance in education and cultural communities” (3). How do post-colonial works and post-colonial theory work to compete with popularly canonized works of literature in American culture AND what are the implications of this?

2. Lois Tyson argues that literary theories “not only can show us our world and ourselves through new and valuable lenses but also can strengthen our ability to think logically, creatively, and with a good deal of insight” (2). Take on two different literary lenses in responding to Tyson’s claim.

3. Discuss the metaphor of ‘the center’ and ‘the empire,’ presented in The Empire Writes Back, as related to post-colonialism. How does a core work of your choice ‘write back’ to ‘the empire’ and to what effect?

4. Inspired by Franz Fanon, French existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre coins the phrase “nervous conditions” and describes it as “a psychological state of mind that the colonized were generally susceptible to” as the colonizer “has the power to seize the mind of the one he exploited to the point of a ‘nervous breakdown’” (Stockton Project 1). Choose a core work and discuss the illustration and significance of “nervous conditions” in either the colonizer, colonized, or both.

5. You may propose a thesis statement to Dr. Sovis that falls outside of the provided prompts. This must be approved by the end of class on Thursday, June 14.

Core works (choose at least one):

Heart of Darkness (Conrad)

Things Fall Apart (Achebe)

Nervous Conditions (Dangarembga) Supplemental works (choose at least two):

Critical Theory Today: A User Friendly Guide (Tyson)

introduction to The Empire Writes Back (Ashcroft, et al)

pages 205-208 of How Europe Underdeveloped Africa (Rodney)

“Out of Africa” (Phillips)

introduction to Nervous Conditions (Appiah)

Due Dates:

• __6.10_______________—Paper Proposal Due

• __6.13_______________—Rough Draft

• __6.21_______________—Polished Paper Due

Tips:

1. Participate fully in all process writing activities. (AKA: meet due dates above in full).

2. Be sure that your thesis is arguable and ‘says something new’ about the topic or issue you are tackling. The thesis must pass the ‘so what?’ test.

3. See me during office hours to discuss your work.

4. Visit the Writing Center for additional support during any stage of the writing process. Be sure to take this assignment sheet and all other process materials to your appointment.

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