Final Exam Discussion

Final Discussion Question #1

Which one of these two African American authors, Frederick Douglass, in Narrative of the Life, or Harriet Jacobs, in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, most clearly, most definitively, most movingly portrays the experience of a former slave? It is up to you to decide, so please defend your answer well.

1. Read Douglass, Narrative of the Life (Links to an external site.) and/or listen Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.

1. Read Jacobs, Incidents in the Life (Links to an external site.) and/or listen Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Herself.

Final Discussion Question #2

The poetry of Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman has been described as being emotionally opposite to each other. Dickinson’s poetry seems at times colder and more critical; whereas Whitman’s poetry conversely seems warm and expansive. First of all, do you agree? If so, then, develop for me a case that one of them or both are representative of American literature. Make your case and defend it.

2. Read Dickinson Poem (320) There’s a certain slant of light (Links to an external site.), (372) After great pain, a formal feeling comes (Links to an external site.), & (764) My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun (Links to an external site.) and/or listen There’s a certain slant of light (Links to an external site.), After great pain, a formal feeling comes (Links to an external site.),My Life had stood-a Loaded Gun

250 words with 5-7 paragraphs for each essay.