ENGL 300
Masculinities in Literature & Culture, Spring 2006
Paper #1 Assignment
Pick one of the options below, and compose a 1,000-1,500
word paper in response to that topic. Be sure that you keep your paper focused on your topic, and
that you refer to, quote, and cite the literature often -- but no
bloc quotations! Also, no plot summary (where you
retell the work you're discussing). Assume that we've all read the
literature, and get right in to your discussion.
The paper should be uniform and professional:
- typed/computer printed in readably dark ink, double-spaced, on
one side of the page only
- font no bigger than 12-point Times or Palatino font through the whole paper
- 1" margins all around,
- pages numbered at upper-right after the first
page
- include no images (unless you obtain my prior permission)
- use cover sheet (no photos or drawings!) including on different lines your name, paper
title, and the course # and section # in the same font and font size listed above
- an electronic copy submitted to turnitin.com by 9 p.m. of the due date OR I WILL NOT READ YOUR PAPER.
Citation of the literature should appear in MLA style--see me if you are not familiar with MLA style. You
may use outside sources, but I do not require you to -- if you do
use outside sources, cite them in MLA style and include a works cited
page in MLA format.
PROOFREAD YOUR PAPERS BEFORE SUBMITTING THEM. PAPERS WITH BASIC
ERRORS WILL BE RETURNED UNREAD, UNGRADED, AND COUNTED LATE. Make sure you refer to works by their correct genre (essay, play, story, novel), and keep them distinct. Take
advantage of the SU Writing Center in the Guerreri Center for help.
(For extra help, see my Writing Tips page.)
»» OPTIONS (pick only one of the following):
OPTION 1: discuss the problems that occur when masculinity is
presented as only a binary opposite to femininity in any work
we've covered. When does masculinity run
into problems by presenting itself primarily as feminine's opposite? What kind of problems, and for whom? With what results?
OPTION 2: discuss masculinity as a phenomena of
self-representation or performance from Euripides' Bacchae to Wilde's The
Picture of Dorian Gray. In what ways have these works shown
masculinity as an act, a presentation of a certain sense of self to the
rest of the world? How much does masculinity depend on a receptive and
interpretive gaze or audience?
OPTION 3: discuss masculinity as related to notions of
either ethnicity or morality in any works we've
read. How is that connection made? Based on what logic? With what results, and for whom?
Paper Due to my office Wednesday March 29 by 4 p.m. Do
not e-mail me your paper; I accept only hard copies
turned in on time. If you want to discuss your paper or topics with
me, please make an appointment for an office visit (344 Holloway).
Remember that failure to turn in either of the long papers will fail you
from the course.
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