Imagine that Voltaire has been transported by time machine to contemporary America and is at work on a new philosophical tale. Summarize the plot of his new book in three-four pages. Then write one-two pages in which you explain or analyze the significance of the tale you’ve just summarized.  

OR 

 You should be familiar with these poems from class discussion. Your task now is to do some historical research—e.g., into Wordsworth’s life, Romantic-era ideas about nature, the “charters” that seem to matter in “London,” or the social conditions in Pushkin’s Russia, etc. Once you’ve done this research, you should write a brief essay in which you discuss your findings and how they’ve changed your understanding of the poem. Imagine you’re explaining the poem to a friend: what historical information would he (or she) need to really get what the poem is about? 

English2327: Writing Assignment One

Assignment: Imagine that Voltaire has been transported by time machine to contemporary

America and is at work on a new philosophical tale. Summarize the plot of his new book in

three-four pages. Then write one-two pages in which you explain or analyze the significance of

the tale you’ve just summarized.

You have a lot of latitude in how you approach this topic, but keep in mind that part of what

you’re trying to do is show—at least indirectly—your understanding of Candide. Thus, it would

probably be a good idea to assume that Voltaire is still a satirist and a free-thinker…. What

people and/or institutions might he think worthy of attack? Why?

If you are an international student, you may have Voltaire transported to and writing about

your country. Just keep in mind that you may need to provide a little more explanatory

information. I have some sense, for example, of how Washington, D.C. works, but I won’t know

as much about the capital of your country.

Research/Documentation Requirements: You are not required to do research for this paper. If

you choose to do research, you should use quality sources and document scrupulously (using

MLA format).

Length and Format:

➢ Your essay should be about 4-5 pages (1,000-1300 words).
➢ Use a readable font such as 12 pt. Times Roman and leave 1-inch margins.

➢ Once you’re done single-space the plot summary section, and double-
space the analysis section in the file you’re going to upload.

➢ Note: It is important that you submit an attached Word document; do not type (or

paste) your response into the Text Submission box.

Grading: The grading rubric is available from the assignment link and reproduced on p. 2

below. I will also provide written comments.

Weight: This assignment will count 25% of your term grade.

Due Date: See the syllabus or calendar or click on the assignment link in Blackboard.

———

If you’re feeling stuck, think about how SparkNotes work… There is a plot summary of a

literary work (e.g., Candide) and then some analysis. What you’re doing is something like this—

except that you have to come up with the plot for a new work and know what significance that

plot might have. ☺

English2327: Writing Project Two

Important—Be sure to read this assignment sheet in its entirety.

There is information

on page 2 that applies to both options.

Assignment: In your first paper, I asked you to focus on fiction and think about how plot is essential to

the creation of meaning. For your second paper, I would like you to focus on poetry and the complex

relationship between cultural context and literary language.

You may complete this assignment by doing ONE of the following two options:

A) Option One—more or less traditional historical research. Specifically, I would like you to focus on

one of the following:

 Wordsworth’s “Tintern Abbey” or

 Blake’s “London” or

 Pushkin’s “The Bronze Horseman”

You should be familiar with these poems from class discussion. Your task now is to do some historical

research—e.g., into Wordsworth’s life, Romantic-era ideas about nature, the “charters” that seem to

matter in “London,” or the social conditions in Pushkin’s Russia, etc. Once you’ve done this research,

you should write a brief essay in which you discuss your findings and how they’ve changed your

understanding of the poem. Imagine you’re explaining the poem to a friend: what historical information

would he (or she) need to really get what the poem is about?

Very important: I would like you to set your paper up as what teachers sometimes call an I-search

paper. That is, instead of trying for an impersonal thesis statement and making dogmatic research or

interpretive claims, cast your paper as a first-person narrative. The idea is to learn and talk about

learning honestly, not impersonate a professor. Your paper should probably have three parts:

 a first section in which you discuss your reactions to the poem and issues or problems that

caught your attention;

 a second section recounting your research (i.e., what you looked up, what sources you used, your

judgment about the quality of the material you found, etc.);

 a third section in which you discuss how your research changed (or didn’t) your understanding of

the poem.

Note: You should not try to do each section in one paragraph.

If you’re not familiar with the I-search paper, click on this link to learn more:

http://subjectguides.grcc.edu/c.php?g=257596&p=1721219

http://subjectguides.grcc.edu/c.php?g=257596&p=1721219

B) Option Two—the Jurassic Park option. Imagine that a wealthy but eccentric English professor is

soliciting proposals for a Wordsworth (or Blake or Pushkin) Theme Park. Then write a prospectus

describing what such a park would include or look like. The aim of the assignment of course is to

show that you know something about the poet you choose—and you’ll need to do some research to

deepen your understanding of the poet you select and the Romantic era—but you may include

pretty much whatever you want in your park.

By way of perhaps piquing your interest, I’m including two links here. They’re designed to get you

thinking… 

The first is to a site about the Rural Cemetery Movement. In case you didn’t know it, the modern

notion of what a cemetery should be has its origins in the Romantic era:

https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/03/our-first-public-parks-the-forgotten-history-

of-cemeteries/71818/

The second link is to an article that lists some of the strangest theme parks in the world:

http://www.businessinsider.com/weird-amusement-park-attractions-2013-8?op=1

While your prospectus should focus mainly on what will be in your theme park (and why), the end of the

document would provide a good opportunity to reflect on what sort of cultural work theme parks do.

(As a general matter, your prospectus will probably be a bit more essayistic than a real prospectus.

Here’s the first prospectus for Disney: http://boingboing.net/2014/05/20/disneylandprospectus.html)

_________________

Length and format: Regardless of which option you choose, you should plan on writing at least 1,200

words (about 4 pages). You may set your document up as you wish, but do make sure that it’s readable.

With option two, you may want to include images, cost projections, etc.

Research and Documentation: You need to use at least three (3) academic sources to develop your

paper. Use MLA format for documentation. If you’re not sure about when or how to cite sources, you

may want to visit the Purdue University OWL (https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/ ) or the Wesleyan

Academic Success Center on the first floor of the library.

Weight: This assignment will count 25% of your term grade.

Grading: I will use one of the two rubrics associated with this assignment—there is one for each

option—to evaluate your submission. The rubrics are available from the assignment link and

reproduced below. I will also provide written comments

Due Date: See the syllabus or calendar or click on the assignment link in Blackboard.

Note: It is important that you submit an attached Word document; do not type (or paste) your response

into the Text Submission box.

https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/03/our-first-public-parks-the-forgotten-history-of-cemeteries/71818/

https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/03/our-first-public-parks-the-forgotten-history-of-cemeteries/71818/

http://www.businessinsider.com/weird-amusement-park-attractions-2013-8?op=1

Disneyland’s original prospectus revealed!

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/

Below you will find the grading rubrics associated with this assignment.

Rubric for I-Search paper:

Rubric for Theme Park Plan