Introduction
Some Realists literature may seem rather drab and predictable at
times, but many Realists managed to make names for themselves by being anything
BUT.
W.E.B. Du Bois, H.L. Mencken, and Ambrose Bierce had a fresh take
on a wide range of issues, some of which are still very much with us today.
Their sometimes shocking public statements were meant to shake Americans out of
their complacency and to get their audience to look at controversial topics of
the day from a fresh perspective.
This project is designed to make you are aware of the
ideas they expressed and the methods they employed. One bit of background may
be helpful. Some authors, but certainly not all, relied upon
irony and
satire for the effect they were trying to achieve. As with modern figures
such as Dave Letterman and Jay Leno, humor often is at the core of satire. As
you'll see, the humor sometimes had a pretty bitter nature, and not all of
these authors even tried to make their statements humorous.
So, the essential question is as follows:
Who were W.E.B. du Bois, H.L. Mencken, and Ambrose Bierce, and what did they say that still
has the power to amuse, to provoke or perhaps to shock, even today?
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The Task
You are to consult the resources listed below and discover something about
the lives of these influential writers. Then, look through the many
quotations from these men and find one from each that causes you to react
strongly in one way or another.
Your reactions may vary widely. You may agree or disagree. You
may find the statements funny or sad, thought-provoking or anger-provoking. Be
sure to find some to which you genuinely can react, though.
The assignment is to write a personal essay in which you include
your reactions to at least one quotation from each author. Your paper will, of
course, begin with an introduction and end with a conclusion. The main topic
will be your reaction to the quotations, but don't forget to consider why
you think you reacted as you did. This may include experiences you have had or
even philosophical attitudes you hold about the nature of mankind and the
nature of life. You might even consider why these two men's writing seemed
designed to provoke the reader and cause such a strong reaction.
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The Process
Consult the Resources section below and
look through as many of the quotations as time will allow. Settle on one or two
quotations from each writer, being sure to jot them down for future
reference.
Then, give the matter some serious thought. Delve into your
attitudes about what you've read and try to see the real reasons that a
given statement has caused this specific reaction in you.
The final step is to write a clear expression of your findings in
the form of a personal essay. Remember that in a personal essay, "I"
and "me" are perfectly acceptable.
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Resources
W.E.B. du Bois
--W.E.B. du Bois
--
A Search for du Bois Quotations at Bartleby.Com
--The Souls of Black Folk
H. L. Mencken
--The Mencken Society Home Page
--Henry Louis Mencken Quotes
--Mencken Quotes Page
Ambrose Bierce
--The Ambrose Bierce Appreciation Society
--The Devil's Dictionary
(NOTE: The Devil's Dictionary is a collection of words for which Bierce made up
his own definitions. Click on a letter for a list of words; scroll over the words for
his definitions.
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Evaluation
Papers for this class generally are evaluated wholistically. That
means that your grade comes from the general impression your paper makes. While
a separate grade for writing mechanics usually won't be given, an abundance
of mechanical errors does give the impression that a writer has not been
thorough about the preparation of the paper.
The most important element, though, is the depth of thought and
understanding you exhibit in your paper. Remember that the basic guideline is
to write briefly--get lots of information into the least
possible space.
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Conclusion
This project can have some surprising outcomes! I hope it was interesting
and beneficial.
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Designed by Michael Byers
Orange High School
Hillsborough, NC
Last updated June, 2008.
Based on a template from
The WebQuestPage