Thursday, September 16

Hello, below is a copy of the out of class essay 1 assignment that was distributed in class yesterday. See you tomorrow.



English 20, Section 7
Fall 2010
Catherine Fraga, Instructor

Out of Class Essay Assignment #1—200 points possible

Assigned: Wednesday September 15
OPTIONAL Rough Draft due (typed): no later than Friday, October 1
Final Draft Due: Wednesday October 6

Let’s take a closer look at the issue of conformity/non-conformity.

The most interesting, focused and articulate essays I receive from students are ones where the students select their own specific topic and are genuinely intrigued by the topic.

The following prompts allow for a wealth of flexibility and choice. Your focus will be on art, literature or film. You will select one prompt only.

Focus: the 1950s (or a time period of your choice)—Voices against Conformity

Premise: Many in the 1950s worked diligently for the comfort and conformity displayed on such TV shows as Father Knows Best and Leave it to Beaver. But regardless of the affluence of the new American middle class, there was still poverty, racism and alienation in America rarely depicted on TV.

Dozens of people rejected societal norms through their artwork, creativity and lifestyle. They used words, art, film and music to rebel against the cookie-cutter mentality of the established power structure and mass-marketed culture.

Prompt One:
Many writers during this time period (referred to as the Beat Generation) adamantly refused to submit to the conformity of the 1950s. (these writers included Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Diane Di Prima, Sloan Wilson, J.D. Salinger, William Burroughs, and others) Select two writers from this era and write an essay in which you provide the following:

• a brief history of the country’s mood;
• background and details about the writers and his/her work;
• the impact of these writers’ work on readers and critics at that time;
• how the work challenged the status quo; and
• the repercussions/influences of the writing today.

Your essay will be both informative and analytical: your thesis will prove the value and influence of the writing, or not, on people’s lives, then and now.


Prompt Two:
Many artists during this time period adamantly refused to submit to the conformity of the 1950s. (these artists included Willem De Kooning, Hans Hoffman, Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, Clement Greenberg, and others) Select two artists from this era and write an essay in which you provide:

• a brief history of the country’s mood;
• background and details about the artists and his/her work;
• the impact of these artists’ work on viewers and critics at that time;
• how the work challenged the status quo; and
• the repercussions/influences of the artists’ work today.

Your essay will be both informative and analytical: your thesis will prove the art’s value and influence, or not, on people’s lives, then and now.

Prompt Three:
According to an Internet article on Conformity in U.S. History: “While the 1950s silver screen lit up mostly with the typical Hollywood fare of Westerns and romances, a handful of films shocked audiences by uncovering the dark side of America’s youth.”

Many filmmakers of this time period adamantly refused to submit to the conformity of the 1950s. (these films include The Wild One; Blackboard Jungle; Rebel without a Cause, etc) Select a minimum of two films from this era and write an essay in which you provide:

• a brief history of the country’s mood;
• background and details about the films and their themes;
• the impact of this work on viewers and critics at that time;
• how the work challenged the status quo;
• and the repercussions and influence of the films today.

Your essay will be both informative and analytical: your thesis will prove the films’ value and influence, or not, on people’s lives, then and now.

OTHER WAYS “INTO” AN ESSAY ON CONFORMITY/NONCORMITY:

1. you may want to focus on non conformity in a different era; for example, the 1960s (hippie movement, free love, etc.) might garner some interest in a particular area of film, literature, music, art, or?

2. you may want to focus on non conformity in a different AREA not mentioned above…such as political, sexual, or?


Things to Consider:

This is NOT an essay in which you write an in depth analysis of the literature, film, music or art of the time period you are focused on. To do that, you would need to carefully read, view, listen or view the works at great length.

Instead, you are conducting research to discover the mood of the country and the status quo during a particular time period—background about two non conforming artists/writers/filmmakers/musicians—why and how their work was considered non conformist—and how their work influenced those living then…and now.

Your thesis might read something like this:

Although 1950s America appeared to be almost unrealistically content, many artists at this time successfully combated the blissful charade by using innovative methods and themes in their work.