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English 231.01 Summer I 2020

Assignment One

Write a minimum five paragraph, four page essay on The Narrative of Frederick Douglass, American Slave by developing one of the following topics:

1. How does Douglass understand the dynamics of oppression? In what ways is his analysis of the kinds of oppression practiced in slave times still relevant to understanding slavery’s continuing legacy of racism? Use specific examples from the text and apply his insights to current issues.

 

2. Use the Frederick Douglass story to illustrate the key elements found in Joseph Campbell’s account of the Universal Hero Archetype. Make specific references to my handout and/or lecture. Provide specific examples from the text.

 

3. What are the key arguments Douglass makes in attacking the institution of slavery? Who is his intended audience and how does that audience shape his appeal? What kinds of “common ground” does he use to make his appeal for the abolition of slavery effective?

 

Your essay should have an introduction with a clear thesis, body paragraphs with topic sentences and supporting evidence, and a conclusion summing up your points and leaving the reader with a final thought. You should support your points with relevant quotations from the text. Include proper MLA citation for any materials cited. For example:

Zeitler, Michael. “Archetype, Myth, and Culture: The Symbolic Structure of the Human Psyche.”                         Humanities in the Ancient and Pre-Modern World: An Africana Emphasis. Wendell Jackson, ED. Pearson Publications, 1999. 701-02.

 

Due Date: Friday, June 12

 

 

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