Essay: Research Paper Prompt
Using Zora Neale Hurston’s novel Their Eyes Were Watching God and her essay “How it feels to be colored me,” describe how Hurston uses literature to create a black identity for African Americans. More specifically, how does Hurston create Janie’s voice as a representation of black women? Explain and analyze significant passages from each text (i.e., the novel and the essay) to show the formation and existence of identity.
By choosing one of the following three ways Hurston uses the novel and essay to create voice, you can narrow your research and dig deeper into the significance (i.e., the stakes) of Hurston’s novel and her characters.
Show how Hurston uses African American folklore to create an identity for Black American culture.
Show how Hurston employs the symbols in the novel to create an identity for black women.
Show how Hurston employs language (i.e., syntax and noted silences) to create an identity for Janie and all black Americans. In other words, this choice asks you to look at the narration–the difference between 1st and 3rd person and the vernacular.
Helpful hints:
You’ll notice that the prompt asks you to research things you’ve already considered in previous assignments–activate the background knowledge you learned from doing those assignments. Don’t reinvent the wheel; start with what you already know.
Utilize our embedded tutor, Cae, and our embedded librarian, Jewell, for assistance.
Essay Guidelines:
Minimum 2500 words (i.e., 8 to 10 pages).
MLA format with a Works Cited page that is not included in the minimum page requirement.
Must use textual evidence from both Their Eyes Were Watching God and “How it feels to be colored me.”
You must have both Hurston’s novel and her essay on your Works Cited list
Minimum TWO outside secondary sources found only from Cerro Coso’s library databasesLinks to an external site. such as JSTOR, Academic Search Complete, Gale Literature, etc.
No outside internet sources are allowed (i.e., Google Scholar, etc.)—only sources from our library databases.
No emailed essays are accepted. You must upload it to Canvas in the correct assignment.
Because of the condensed nature of this course, feedback will ONLY be given on first drafts, provided they are submitted on time.
No evidence of AI (i.e., ChatGPT or otherwise) is allowed in your essay. If AI is detected, you will earn a zero on this assignment and will not be permitted to revise.
