Using any three of the four novels (Ruth Hall, Democracy, Puddn’head Wilson, or The Awakening), please Choose ONE of the following questions, and answer it. Remember that, in addition to our standard evaluation criteria (thesis, argument, organization, style and tone, and grammar), we also said evidence would be a very important criterion for judging your answers. In fact, each argument should be substantiated by at least three specific examples from each work you choose to discuss. Examine how the theme of “societal expectations” contributes to the meaning of each of your three chosen texts. State your synthesized “conclusion” in your underlined thesis, and then explicate each work in such a way as to “prove” your general conclusion with your argument and quotations from each work. Examine how the theme of “class and/or gender” contributes to the meaning of each of your three chosen texts. State your synthesized “conclusion” in your underlined thesis, and then explicate each work in such a way as to “prove” your general conclusion with your argument and quotations from each work. Examine how the theme of “feminism” contributes to the meaning of each of your three chosen texts. State your synthesized “conclusion” in your underlined thesis, and then explicate each work in such a way as to “prove” your general conclusion with your argument and quotations from each work. Examine how the theme of “power” contributes to the meaning of each of your three chosen texts. State your synthesized “conclusion” in your underlined thesis, and then explicate each work in such a way as to “prove” your general conclusion with your argument and quotations from each work.
