here is the exact prompt for the essay:
How does one represent an empire? To what end? Choose any two texts from this semester’s readings and use them to identify how and why empire is represented there (e.g. focus on a representational or rhetorical strategy or mode or genre, or something else).
Generally speaking, there are only two ways to proceed here: 1) you can argue that two apparently different things (a poem and a novel; a text authored by a man and a text authored by a woman; something from the beginning of the eighteenth century and something from the end; etc.) are actually significantly similar; or 2) you can argue that two apparently similar things (two essays; two letters; two texts about slavery; two works by the same author; etc.) are actually significantly different. There is no point arguing that two different things are different or that two similar things are the same ––we already know that. In either case, what’s “different” or “similar” will depend on terms you set in the essay, so define your terms carefully.
You should also argue your case on the basis of the kind of analysis of textual details (otherwise known as “close reading”). You can identify the style and content, or the formal and thematic aspects, of a text and to begin to interpret them in relation to one another. This kind of analysis of the two texts you’ll write about should serve as the main evidence for your paper.
Also cite with chicago style please.
The two readings from class that I chose are Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe and Jonathon Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels (both shared in pdf form). I don’t have a totally defined thesis, but I basically want the essay to discuss how despite both works being travel/adventures narratives written within 10 years of each other, they define empire through different lenses. For Defoe’s novel its more thorugh the individual perspective, while in Swift’s its through the protagonist’s interactions with various foreign groups. (This is amongst other differences obviously).
I’ll add a few notes below about the two novels and how I see empire represented in them, but basically I want some focus on how they are similar, most of the paper to be about how they differ with textual evidence, representing a strong thesis statement responding to the prompt throughout.
Gulliver’s travels
-Satirizes various aspects of imperial society, including politics, exploration, and cultural assimilation, using allegory and fantasy to critique empires
-Critiques imperial policies and practices through fantastical settings and exaggerated scenarios, revealing the absurdities and injustices inherent in imperial endeavors
-Satirizes the consequences of imperial conquest, including cultural misunderstandings, abuses of power, and the dehumanization of others
-Uses satire, irony, and parody to critique imperial ideologies, institutions, and behaviors, offering a critical perspective on the motives and methods of empires
Robinson crusoe
-Focuses on the individual’s conquest and domination over nature, showcasing the theme of imperial ambition at a personal level
-Demonstrates the desire for power and control over the environment, resources, and individuals, reflecting the expansionist ambitions of empires
-Explores themes of conquest, colonization, and the subjugation of nature and indigenous peoples in the pursuit of empire
-Utilizes a narrative of survival, exploration, and individual agency to depict the challenges and triumphs of empire-building
Thanks!
