African American Literature, ENG 390

Assignments Fall 2005

Thursday, 22 September 2005

• Begin with your own question or one of these below and develop your critical reading for Thursday.
• Beyond the fact that his narrative is autobiography and that he began his life in slavery, is Booker T. Washington’s autobiography similar to a slave narrative?
• BTW famously encouraged southern African Americans to “cast down your bucket where you are” (152). Is this admonition logically related to other elements of BTW’s philosophy of life as represented in his autobiography?
• BTW often uses phrases like “mere books” or “mere book learning” (86-87). Do you agree with BTW’s general assessment of classical forms of education?

Thursday, 15 September 2005

• Begin with your own question at issue related to Jacobs, or refine and respond to one of the following questions. Write your critical reading on your chosen question.
• Does Jacobs depiction of women differ from Frederick Douglas?
• Is the meaning of freedom different in Jacobs than it is in Douglas?
• Is Jacobs decision to take a lover an expression of free will?
• Is Christianity an asset to Jacobs in her quest for freedom?