English 2235 / Spring 2007

Essay #1

"Canon" can be simply defined as "an authorized or accepted list of books." A more specific definition might be "a list of literary works considered to be permanently established as being of the highest quality." And, as I've said in class, conversations about "canon formation" in American literature continue to take place in books, academic journals, and classrooms across the country. The two beginning questions are always (1) Who gets in? and (2) Who decides who gets in? Other considerations then include:

• Should the canon reflect "the best of what's been thought and said"? (Note the dual emphasis on the best ideas and the best expression of those ideas.)
• Should works be included in the canon if they illustrate some item of importance to the historical, cultural, social, political, intellectual, etc. background/context of American life and literature, even if they are not of "high literary quality"?
• Should works in the canon reflect "universal truths or themes" that cut across various boundaries (such as race, ethnicity, class, gender, age, religious or spiritual belief, sexual orientation, etc.)?
• Should works be included in the canon so that a diverse body of writers is represented to reflect the diversity of the reading public?

Obviously, issues of multiculturalism and politics soon arise. Indeed, A Handbook to Literature (9th edition, 2003) offers this information about "canon": "More recently, the idea of a general literary canon has received attention from a critical viewpoint, and the process of canon-formation has been interpreted as the work of one part of society to make its own labors central and to reduce the work of others to marginal or trivial status outside the canon. For instance, the 'traditional' romantic canon (Blake, Coleridge, Wordsworth, Byron, Shelley, Keats) excludes the many publishing women writers of the age. The canon controversy has been one of the most formative influences on the study of literature in the second half of the twentieth century" (77). So these debates take place not only in American literature but also in British literature as well.

To take on these questions and to contribute to this academic conversation, I want you to pick one (1) of the writers whom I have referred to as "relative newcomers" to the canon: Charles W. Chesnutt, Abraham Cahan, John M. Oskison, or Sui Sin Far. Then, I want you to write an argumentative essay in which you justify whether or not that writer should be included in the canon. Put another way, the question your paper should attempt to answer might be, "Based on this particular text, should this particular writer be included in the canon?" If it helps you, rather than write to a wider audience of academics, you might consider your audience to be either textbook publishers considering a new edition or me as I consider whether or not to include this writer on next year's reading list. And finally, in your discussion, use at least two (2) of the other writers who might be considered more "permanent members" in the American literature canon: Mark Twain, Sarah Orne Jewett, Stephen Crane, Henry James, and Kate Chopin. Use them for reference, as examples to define or illustrate, or as comparisons. (However, other research is not required or recommended; work closely with the primary texts we've read.)

As you think about and plan your essay, in addition to the issues raised in the above questions, perhaps also consider (1) ideas that we touched on in class, including our beginning "evaluations" of these writers, such as where they are strong and weak, what their texts have and don't have, how they compare to other writers, etc., and (2) the elements of fiction, such as plot, characters, characterization, setting, point of view, voice, tone, style, symbolism, and theme. Of course, you shouldn't include all of these things in your essay; they are simply offered so that you consider everything before selecting specific main ideas to write about.

Evaluation:

Your essay will be evaluated based on (1) the clarity of your central argument and main ideas, (2) the strength and clarity of your evidence and explanations, (3) the clarity of your organization and the smoothness of your transitions, and (4) your use of language -- reasonable "correctness" in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and mechanics. In other words, your ideas and how you present and explain them are most important; "grammar" is only taken into account to the degree that it detracts from your presentation. Making unusual connections, offering rigorous analysis, shedding new lights on the texts, showing imaginative thinking, or sparking controversy are all encouraged. Keep in mind that you are able to use the NAAL and your notes as you write your essay; not only should you go beyond the ideas we talked about in class, but you should also be careful that you are accurate in your use of authors' names, quotations, and factual details from the texts.

Formatting:

Your essay should be at least three (3) pages long but no longer than four (4) pages -- double-spaced and word-processed -- with 1.0" margins on all four sides and a 12-point "normal" font (e.g., Arial or Times New Roman). Follow MLA style as closely as possible. For instance, no title page is needed: simply put your name, my name, the course, and the date in the upper-left-hand corner of the first page (also double-spaced). As for page numbers, use the header function (in the "View" drop-down menu) and put your last name and page number in the upper-right-hand corner of each page. Finally, a works-cited page will not be necessary, since we will all be working with texts from the same anthology; however, in-text parenthetical citations are encouraged, especially after quotations and other very specific references.

Schedule:

• Writing Day (no classes): Friday, March 2, 2007
• First Complete Draft Due / Peer Review: Monday, March 5, 2007 -- at least 3 pages / bring 4 copies
• Final Draft Due: Monday, March 12, 2007

For Your Future Reading:

• Harold Bloom, The Western Canon: The Books and School of the Ages (1994)
• Andrew Delbanco, Required Reading (1997)
• David Denby, Great Books (1996)
• Leslie Fiedler and Houston Baker, eds. English Literature: Opening Up the Canon: Selected Papers from the English Institute (1981)
• Paul Lauter, Canons and Contexts (1991)
• Paul Lauter, Reconstructing American Literature (1983)
• Elaine Showalter, ed., The New Feminist Criticism: Essays on Women, Literature, and Theory (1985)