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College Writing I
The link to my lecture on writing argument essays is at the very bottom of this screen. Scroll all the way down, and you will see it. When you finish reading it, email me at the gmail address below, and tell me what your topic for the essay will be. You will earn 10 points for the email if I receive it before Sunday, November 28 at 6:00 p.m.

Native American Literature - fiction test - turn in or email by Thanksgiving
Choose ONE of the questions below, and write a thoughtful and original essay that demonstrates your familiarity with the text or texts, with the issues the stories deal with, and with the writer him or herself. Do not forget that using quotes carefully and discussing them thoroughly is a key part of writing an essay about literature. Proofread carefully before submitting. Send it as an MS Word attachment to the email address below, or slide it under the door of my office, M-202.

1. Louise Erdrich's own family has been through a great deal in the last twenty years, so we can easily understand why family is such a key aspect of her fiction. Write an essay on how two of the three stories we read ("The Red Convertible," "The Bingo Van," and "Saint Marie") compare in their treatment of family issues?

2. Gerald Vizenor's "The Trickster of Liberty" uses a wide variety of surreal, absurdist, or somewhat fantastical images. Discuss two or three of these in detail, and explain what they signify in your judgment. Be sure to consider, too, what you think Vizenor's point is in telling a story that is so different from most of the other fiction we have read.

3. Using quotes from both writers, compare and contrast Sherman Alexie (book) and David Seals (handout) in terms of both their styles and their messages.

4. In your judgment, which writer seems more realistic, N. Scott Momaday or James Welch? Demonstrate why you chose the writer you did using quotes from both writers.