Select one of the topics below and write an essay of at least 2,000 words. All papers must be typed, double-spaced, with standard margins and fonts. You are required to use at least four secondary sources for this paper. Any secondary sources should be authoritative: recognized scholars in the field, published in academic journals, by university presses or other reputable publishers. It is your responsibility to make sure that your sources are authoritative. (Wikipedia is NOT an acceptable source.) All sources, both primary and secondary, should be cited according to MLA form. If you are not familiar with MLA form, get a handout from the Writing Center, consult a style manual, or go to the mla.org website.
TOPIC 1. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the term “coming of age” can be defined as “a time when someone matures emotionally, or in some other way.” There is an entire subgenre of fiction known as the coming-of-age novel as represented by works as diverse as The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger and The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. Analyze The Bell Jar as a coming-of-age novel. What was Esther’s emotional journey in the novel? What were some of the complications she faced on that journey? Be specific in your discussion. Quote from the novel as needed.
TOPIC 2. Many critics consider Sylvia Plath to be the preeminent member of the Confessionalism school of poetry, highly subjective poetry that uses the poet’s autobiography as the basis of his or her work. Using the poems that we have read this semester, analyze the evolution of Plath as an artist to become the quintessential confessional poet. Be specific in your discussion. Quote from the poetry as needed.
TOPIC 3: There have been famous couples throughout literary history from Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning to Mary and Percy Bysshe Shelley to Joan Didion and John Gregory Dunne. Discuss Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes as a literary couple. How did their marriage — and the breakup of the marriage — affect Plath on a personal and artistic level? Be specific in your references to Plath’s prose and poetry. Quote from the work as needed.
PLAGIARISM: Plagiarism is the intentional or unintentional appropriation of an author’s words, phrasing, or ideas. If you are paraphrasing or summarizing, you must be sure to cite the source, and make sure that you use your own words and phrasing, not those of the author. It is your responsibility to avoid plagiarism. Plagiarized papers, even if the plagiarism is unintentional, will receive a zero, and any plagiarism judged to be intentional will result in both academic and disciplinary charges. Hunter College’s policies regarding plagiarism are spelled out in the Undergraduate Catalogue.
