Why did it seem so important to address this question at the time? In what way(s) was it portrayed through the lives of the characters? Does it speak to something in your experience? How does the author work with language/symbols/metaphors?

Assignment Question

This longer critical paper of 7-10 pages requires that you write a more complex and lengthy reaction to two or more texts which you have found particularly interesting. You are expected to use secondary criticism on those texts to ground your analysis. 2. EXAMINE A SIGNIFICANT QUESTION RAISED BY A LITERARY PERIOD IN AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERATURE. Consider a pertinent question addressed by a period studied in class, for example the Harlem Renaissance, The Reconstruction, Protest, Modern Times etc. What question would this be and how was it portrayed in a story/chapter/book from that period? Why did it seem so important to address this question at the time? In what way(s) was it portrayed through the lives of the characters? Does it speak to something in your experience? How does the author work with language/symbols/metaphors? Focus on The Harlem Renaissance and The Reconstruction of the Renaissance.

The readings we focused on for these two periods are:

1. ) Charles W. Chestnutt, ‘The Goophered Grapevine’ and ‘The Wife of His Youth.”
2. ) Booker T. Washington, Up from Slavery (The Struggle for an Education and The Atlanta Exposition Address)
3. ) W.E.B. DuBois, from The Souls of Black Folk
4. ) Alain Locke, The New Negro (beginnings of The Renaissance)
5. ) Jessie Redmon Fauset, Plum Bun.
6. ) Nella Larsen, Passing. Part One All reading can be found online or on google book!

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