Write a research paper that provides a historical and gendered analysis of a movie of your choosing. The paper should be written in Times New Roman 12 point font, 1 inch margins. You should have a separate title sheet that includes the title of your paper, name, date, and class. The last page should be your completed annotated bibliography. (see next paragraph) The movie you choose must be a historical film that deals with the 17th, 18th, or 19th CENTURY. Only 2 people can write on the same movie. I will post a discussion and first come, first serve. You will be required to do additional research selecting one secondary source, meaning a book on the history of the time period in which the movie was set, or at least a 30-40 page academic article. It would be best to find a secondary source that talks about American Studies or United States History. Don′t worry about buying a book. I realize we are all limited right now, so find an ebook available on the HCC library. You also need two primary sources about the time period, meaning an oral history interview, newspaper, government document, court record, or other first-hand account from the time period. When picking a movie, you should consider that you will be expected to write about issues of the 19th century in your analysis. This means you should select a film that will lend itself easily to a discussion of 17th to the 19th century United States. If you do a google search for ″historical movies about US history″ then you should be able to find some good suggestions of relevant films. Keep in mind that this a U.S. History course BEFORE 1877, so whatever movie you select needs to be set in the U.S. and the Nineteenth Century or earlier. Historical analysis Consider the historical context during which the movie is set. You should discuss what life was like for Americans in the 18th and 19th century; what were the expectations of men, women, children; and how does that relate to the events that occurred in the film. You can also discuss the things that you think are accurate/inaccurate based on what you know about American History. Consider the historical context during which the movie was made. For example, if a movie was made in 2003. You should discuss how the status of Americans in the early 2000′s might have influenced the storyline and overall message being made by the film. Describe life or events that occurred in the early 2000s that likely influenced the film. In discussing these issues you might want to investigate who the director was, who the screenwriter was, the actors, and did their politics or identity influence the way the film was made. Gendered analysis Explain the gendered role of men and/or women in the film. Even if the movie is not overtly about gender issues, you should ask yourself some of the following questions: How did being a woman or being a man impact the life of the character(s) in the film? How was gender socially constructed during the time period of the film (i.e. what was the ideal of being a woman or the ideal of being a man)? What is the gender identity of the character(s)? Does that matter in their actions or in the way others react towards them?
