Modernism and Perspective Essay: The Collage Project

Dr. Luke A. Powers, Spring 2008

ENGL 2120 Survey of American Literature II

Due Date April 23^rd, 2008

Choose one of the following or propose an essay assignment (for instructor’s approval):

1)      Create a visual (or sound) collage using a variety of images that ultimately point to a single theme (American Dream, Reality vs. Imagination, Motherhood, Ideal Beauty, Childbirth, Immigration, Stereotyping).  In your essay to accompany the collage, describe the collage in detail (indicating images and sources—include MLA works cited documentation), analyze the meaning of particular images and synthesize the meaning of the collage as a whole.  In short, write an 800-1000 word essay that describes and explains the collage to someone who would not necessarily have access to viewing the collage.  Also, indicate why your theme is important to a contemporary audience and what message(s) your collage sends to a modern, multicultural and diverse audience.

2)      Search for connections between the poems in The Spoon River Anthology.  Write an 800-1000 word essay in which you explore the connections between characters, perspectives, themes, images, place, social class, etc.  Analyze how the different characters’ perspectives produce different realities.  Synthesize how themes such as love, identity, class, loneliness, power, gender are projected through various poems in various forms and attitudes.   Use spoonriveranthology.net as a primary source and incorporate secondary sources as needed (using MLA documentation).