Literature

Question #1:

Select three to five poems from Jill McDonough’s Habeas Corpus and write an essay in which you analyze these sonnets. On what aspects of the convicted person’s story does McDonough focus and why? What larger question(s) or issues do these poems raise about the punishment of death penalty?

Poems chosen: 

1. October 22,1659: Mary dyer Boston Massachusetts

2. June 1,1660: Mary dyer Boston Massachusetts

3. July 7, 1865: Mary Eugenia Surratt old arsenal prison, district of Columbia

In your paper, you need to explain how these poems relate to an idea (or ideas) put forth in one of the theoretical text we have read this semester (e.g. by Brooks, Davis, Franklin, Dickens or Beaumont and Tocqueville). Where and how does capital punishment fit in the larger framework of criminal justice?

Relative poem: 

1. Charles Dickens's "Philadelphia, and its Solitary Prison," Ch. 7 in American Notes (1842)   

For example, you can examine how the poems illustrate or dramatize certain aspect of the purpose or implementation of death penalty as presented by Foucault. How do the poems further your understanding of the relationship between crime and punishment? What issues concerning the philosophy or practice of capital punishment do they bring to light and/or problematize? Do the poems show us something that is not addressed by Foucault?

    Remember that you need to have a unifying thesis, so in making your selection    

    think about the overall point you want to make about these poems. It has to be  

    clear—by the time the reader finishes reading your essay, but hopefully after  

    reading the introduction—why you picked these particular poems.

     NOTE: You can include revised parts of your group’s Wiki or your own DB post  

in your paper, but make sure that they are significantly reworked; otherwise

they will show up as self-plagiarism in Turnitin.

 Guidelines and Topics:

• The Assignments section in Blackboard includes a folder titled Writing Guides which contains several documents that you should find useful: two sample literary papers (they do not have citations, but otherwise serve as decent models); “Tips for Quoting and Citing” (a shortened version is reproduced below, p. 3); “Words To Introduce Quotations”

Write a 4-5-page essay (approx. 1000-1250 words, double-spaced, 12 pt. type, 1-inch margin, no extra space between paragraphs) on one of the following topics:

Capital Punishment in Historical Perspective

Question #1:

Select three to five poems from Jill McDonough’s Habeas Corpus and write an essay in which you analyze these sonnets. On what aspects of the convicted person’s story does McDonough focus and why? What larger question(s) or issues do these poems raise about the punishment of death penalty?

In your paper, you need to explain how these poems relate to an idea (or                   ideas) put forth in one of the theoretical text we have read this semester (e.g. by Brooks, Davis, Franklin, Dickens or Beaumont and Tocqueville). Where and how does capital punishment fit in the larger framework of criminal justice?

For example, you can examine how the poems illustrate or dramatize certain aspect of the purpose or implementation of death penalty as presented by Foucault. How do the poems further your understanding of the relationship between crime and punishment? What issues concerning the philosophy or practice of capital punishment do they bring to light and/or problematize? Do the poems show us something that is not addressed by Foucault?

    Remember that you need to have a unifying thesis, so in making your selection    

    think about the overall point you want to make about these poems. It has to be  

    clear—by the time the reader finishes reading your essay, but hopefully after  

    reading the introduction—why you picked these particular poems.

     NOTE: You can include revised parts of your group’s Wiki or your own DB post  

in your paper, but make sure that they are significantly reworked; otherwise

they will show up as self-plagiarism in Turnitin.

 Guidelines and Topics:

• The Assignments section in Blackboard includes a folder titled Writing Guides which contains several documents that you should find useful: two sample literary papers (they do not have citations, but otherwise serve as decent models); “Tips for Quoting and Citing” (a shortened version is reproduced below, p. 3); “Words To Introduce Quotations”

Write a 4-5-page essay (approx. 1000-1250 words, double-spaced, 12 pt. type, 1-inch margin, no extra space between paragraphs) on one of the following topics:

Capital Punishment in Historical Perspective

Question #1:

Select three to five poems from Jill McDonough’s Habeas Corpus and write an essay in which you analyze these sonnets. On what aspects of the convicted person’s story does McDonough focus and why? What larger question(s) or issues do these poems raise about the punishment of death penalty?

In your paper, you need to explain how these poems relate to an idea (or                   ideas) put forth in one of the theoretical text we have read this semester (e.g. by Brooks, Davis, Franklin, Dickens or Beaumont and Tocqueville). Where and how does capital punishment fit in the larger framework of criminal justice?

For example, you can examine how the poems illustrate or dramatize certain aspect of the purpose or implementation of death penalty as presented by Foucault. How do the poems further your understanding of the relationship between crime and punishment? What issues concerning the philosophy or practice of capital punishment do they bring to light and/or problematize? Do the poems show us something that is not addressed by Foucault?

    Remember that you need to have a unifying thesis, so in making your selection    

    think about the overall point you want to make about these poems. It has to be  

    clear—by the time the reader finishes reading your essay, but hopefully after  

    reading the introduction—why you picked these particular poems.

     TIPS FOR WRITING PAPERS

Any successful paper will include the following:

I Introduction:

     II Body:

A) A carefully and thoroughly developed argument that is sustained throughout the essay.  The central idea presented in the essay is thoroughly explained, and the connections and relationships between ideas and textual analysis are made clear.  Each paragraph of the essay explores one idea and in doing so moves the argument forward.

B) All your arguments should be supported by careful textual analysis.  Quoted passages from texts are explained thoroughly and connected to the larger argument.

C) Internal and external citations, formatted in the MLA style.

D) Careful attention to grammar, spelling, and punctuation.  Papers are proofread not just for grammatical problems, but also for sentence style and clarity.

Using Quotations in Your Papers

Why use quotations?

Quotations are the evidence you use to make your point.  Without evidence, an argument is a flimsy statement of one person’s opinion.  With evidence, an argument is grounded in facts and given shape.  Evidence is the critical link that helps you prove your points.

When do I use quotations?

Use quotations when you want to make a point about the text/individual you are writing about, and what that text or person says is helpful in showing your reader what you mean.

How do I use quotations?

A quotation must always form part of your own sentence.  It cannot stand alone.  You therefore must (a) introduce the quotation, telling the reader what it is he/she is about to read, (b) include only that part of the quote that is important to your argument (use … to shorten quotations, if necessary, and (c) follow the quoted material with a few sentences explaining what is significant about the quotation you have chosen in terms of your main point, or argument.

For example, if I want to argue that Ghandi thought modern (Western) civilization was bad specifically because of its promotion of material greed, I might do the following:

Ghandi sees modern civilization as a threat to the Indian people because it promotes an endless cycle of selfish want.  He says, “The railways, machineries and the corresponding increase of indulgent habits are the true badges of slavery of the Indian people” (118).  He sees such modern technologies as the railway and machines as enslaving because they require money and labor to build, solely so that such things might exist. In Ghandi’s mind, such things are not only unnecessary, they are unhelpful to a people.  Happiness, he asserts, is “largely a mental condition” (123). As such, it is unnecessary to acquire material goods.

(Note that in the sentences with quoted material I use an introductory phrase like “He says,” or “he asserts” to introduce the quote. The quote is therefore part of my own sentence. Note also that after the quotation I place the citation outside of the quotation marks and place the period following the citation.)TIPS FOR WRITING PAPERS

Any successful paper will include the following:

I Introduction:

     II Body:

A) A carefully and thoroughly developed argument that is sustained throughout the essay.  The central idea presented in the essay is thoroughly explained, and the connections and relationships between ideas and textual analysis are made clear.  Each paragraph of the essay explores one idea and in doing so moves the argument forward.

B) All your arguments should be supported by careful textual analysis.  Quoted passages from texts are explained thoroughly and connected to the larger argument.

C) Internal and external citations, formatted in the MLA style.

D) Careful attention to grammar, spelling, and punctuation.  Papers are proofread not just for grammatical problems, but also for sentence style and clarity.

Using Quotations in Your Papers

Why use quotations?

Quotations are the evidence you use to make your point.  Without evidence, an argument is a flimsy statement of one person’s opinion.  With evidence, an argument is grounded in facts and given shape.  Evidence is the critical link that helps you prove your points.

When do I use quotations?

Use quotations when you want to make a point about the text/individual you are writing about, and what that text or person says is helpful in showing your reader what you mean.

How do I use quotations?

A quotation must always form part of your own sentence.  It cannot stand alone.  You therefore must (a) introduce the quotation, telling the reader what it is he/she is about to read, (b) include only that part of the quote that is important to your argument (use … to shorten quotations, if necessary, and (c) follow the quoted material with a few sentences explaining what is significant about the quotation you have chosen in terms of your main point, or argument.

For example, if I want to argue that Ghandi thought modern (Western) civilization was bad specifically because of its promotion of material greed, I might do the following:

Ghandi sees modern civilization as a threat to the Indian people because it promotes an endless cycle of selfish want.  He says, “The railways, machineries and the corresponding increase of indulgent habits are the true badges of slavery of the Indian people” (118).  He sees such modern technologies as the railway and machines as enslaving because they require money and labor to build, solely so that such things might exist. In Ghandi’s mind, such things are not only unnecessary, they are unhelpful to a people.  Happiness, he asserts, is “largely a mental condition” (123). As such, it is unnecessary to acquire material goods.

(Note that in the sentences with quoted material I use an introductory phrase like “He says,” or “he asserts” to introduce the quote. The quote is therefore part of my own sentence. Note also that after the quotation I place the citation outside of the quotation marks and place the period following the citation.)