Suggested Essay Topics for American Lit: 1865-Present by Allen Loibner-Waitkus

REQUIREMENTS SUGGESTED TOPICS

AMERICAN LITERATURE:

Essay Requirements

For your final essay, you will write an essay containing at least ONE THOUSAND WORDS focusing on one of the works covered for this class (or a work I have approved of in advance).

In addition, your essay should:

1. Contain a total of four or more sources—the text of the work you are writing about and at least three secondary sources to help support your thesis—used in your essay and included on your works-cited page;

2. Be written and formatted in MLA style;

3. Be your original work (not plagiarized or AI generated);

4. Be submitted as a Microsoft Word document or a PDF—no Google Docs;

5. Be submitted on or before 11:59 p.m. on the date indicated on the calendar; and

6. Include a works-cited page in MLA style. (ANY ESSAY THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE A WORKS-CITED PAGE WILL NOT BE GRADED AND WILL RECEIVE A 0% F.)

For years, I forced students to come up with their own topics, but to make things easier for you, I have included several suggested topics on the following pages. You do not have to choose one of these topics in part or in whole. You can develop your own topic or alter one of my topics as you wish.

I have included some suggested readings. The suggested readings contains some of the best books written about the authors and works covered in this class, as well as several books on writing that may help you complete your essay.

As always, if you have any questions or need help with anything, text me.

—Professor Loibner-Waitkus

“[Because I could not stop for Death - ]”

1. The Personification of Death

Analyze how Dickinson personifies Death in the poem. How does this depiction compare with more traditional or cultural representations of death?

2. Structure and Eternity

Examine the structure of the poem and its relationship to the theme of eternity. How does Dickinson use rhythm, stanza breaks, and progression to portray the passage from life to afterlife?

3. Tone and Mood: A Gentle Journey or Chilling Ride?

Explore the tone of the poem. Is the speaker comforted or disturbed by Death’s presence? How does Dickinson create emotional ambiguity through diction and imagery?

4. Symbolism of the Carriage Ride

Discuss the symbolic significance of the carriage ride in the poem. What does each stage of the journey represent in terms of life, death, and the afterlife?

5. Immortality as a Companion

Consider the presence of “Immortality” in the carriage. How does this character affect the interpretation of the poem’s message about death and what comes after?

6. Time and Timelessness

Analyze how Dickinson plays with the concepts of time and timelessness. How does the poem’s final stanza reframe our understanding of the events described earlier?

7. Gender and Death

Explore how gender may influence the portrayal of the speaker and Death. What might it mean that a female narrator is escorted by a male figure (Death)? How does this dynamic affect the interpretation of the poem?

8. Religious and Spiritual Undertones

Evaluate the religious or spiritual implications in the poem. Does Dickinson present death as a religious experience, or does she challenge traditional religious views of death and the afterlife?

9. Emily Dickinson’s Personal Views on Death

Using biographical and historical context, analyze how Dickinson’s personal experiences and beliefs may have shaped her portrayal of death in this poem.

10. Comparison with Other Works

Compare “[Because I could not stop for Death - ]” with another Dickinson poem that explores death (e.g., “I heard a Fly buzz—when I died”). How do the tone, imagery, and themes compare and contrast?

“An

Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge”

1. The Manipulation of Time and Reality

Analyze how Bierce uses nonlinear structure and shifting perspectives to manipulate the reader’s sense of time and reality. What effect does this have on the story’s themes and impact?

2. The Psychology of a Condemned Man

Examine the internal experiences of Peyton Farquhar as he faces death. How does Bierce explore the mind’s capacity for denial, fantasy, or hope in the face of execution?

3. War, Illusion, and Heroism

Discuss how “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” critiques romanticized views of war and heroism. How does Farquhar’s idealism contrast with the brutal reality of the Civil War?

4. Narrative Perspective and Reader Deception

Evaluate how Bierce uses point of view and unreliable narration to deceive the reader. What narrative techniques contribute to the twist ending, and how do they affect the reader’s interpretation of the story?

5. Themes of Fate and Free Will

Explore the tension between fate and free will in the story. To what extent is Farquhar in control of his destiny, and how does the story comment on the illusion of agency?

6. Symbolism of the Bridge and the River

Analyze the symbolic significance of the bridge and the river in the story. How do these elements reflect the boundary between life and death, reality and illusion?

7. The Role of Irony in Bierce’s Narrative

Discuss the role of irony in the story’s structure and resolution. How does Bierce use irony to underscore the themes of deception, delusion, and the harsh truths of war?

“The

Storm”

1. Sexuality and Female Desire

Examine how “The Storm” portrays female sexuality and desire. How does Chopin challenge or subvert 19th-century norms regarding women’s roles in marriage and society?

2. The Storm as Symbol

Analyze the storm itself as a central symbol in the story. How does Chopin use the weather to mirror emotional intensity, passion, and transformation?

3. Morality and Infidelity

Discuss Chopin’s treatment of infidelity in “The Storm.” Does the story moralize or condemn the affair? What might Chopin be suggesting about the complexities of marriage and personal fulfillment?

4. Setting and Its Influence

Explore how the setting—both physical and temporal—shapes the events and mood of the story. How does the confinement of domestic space contrast with the freedom experienced during the storm?

5. Feminist Themes in “The Storm”

Analyze “The Storm” as a feminist text. In what ways does the story critique traditional gender roles and expectations? How does it align with or diverge from other feminist literature of the time?

6. Narrative Style and Perspective

Discuss the use of third-person omniscient narration in “The Storm.” How does this narrative style influence the reader’s understanding of each character’s motivations and emotional states?

7. The Role of Nature in Emotional Expression

Evaluate how nature functions as more than a backdrop in the story. How does Chopin use natural elements—rain, wind, lightning—to externalize inner emotions and desires?

8. Comparing Chopin’s Treatment of Marriage

Compare “The Storm” with another work by Kate Chopin (such as “The Story of an Hour” or “At the ’Cadian Ball”). How does Chopin’s portrayal of marriage evolve or remain consistent across these stories?

1. The Descent into Madness

“The Yellow Wallpaper”

Analyze the narrator’s psychological transformation throughout the story. How does Gilman depict the line between sanity and insanity, and what factors contribute to the narrator’s mental deterioration?

2. Gender Roles and Patriarchal Oppression

Examine how “The Yellow Wallpaper” critiques 19th-century gender roles. How does the story portray the limitations placed on women—intellectually, physically, and emotionally—by patriarchal authority?

3. The Rest Cure and Medical Misogyny

Discuss the role of medicine and the “rest cure” in the story. How does Gilman use the narrator’s treatment to expose the dangers of medical practices shaped by gender bias?

4. Symbolism of the Wallpaper

Explore the symbolic function of the yellow wallpaper itself. What does it represent in terms of the narrator’s psyche, societal constraints, and feminine identity?

5. Narrative Voice and Unreliable Narration

Analyze the use of first-person narration in the story. How does the unreliable narrator shape the reader’s experience and deepen the themes of mental illness and confinement?

6. Space, Confinement, and Power

Consider the significance of physical space in the story, particularly the nursery room. How does Gilman use the theme of confinement—both spatial and psychological—to reflect power dynamics between genders?

7. Marriage as Imprisonment

Examine the portrayal of marriage in the story. How does Gilman critique the institution through the narrator’s relationship with her husband, John?

8. Feminist Literary Theory and the “Madwoman in the Attic”

Apply feminist literary theory to “The Yellow Wallpaper.” In what ways does the story align with or anticipate the “madwoman in the attic” trope in feminist literature?

9. Freedom and Identity

Discuss the theme of identity in the story. How does the narrator’s mental unraveling lead to a sense of freedom or self-liberation, and at what cost?

10. The Ending: Liberation or Complete Collapse?

Interpret the ending of “The Yellow Wallpaper.” Does the narrator achieve liberation from societal constraints, or is the conclusion a depiction of complete psychological breakdown?

1. Marriage and Social Mobility

“The Other Two”

Analyze how “The Other Two” critiques the institution of marriage in early 20th-century society. How does Alice’s marital history reflect changing social norms and attitudes toward divorce and remarriage?

2. Masculinity and Insecurity

Examine Waythorn’s evolving perspective on masculinity and control. How do his encounters with Alice’s former husbands challenge traditional ideals of male dominance and ownership in marriage?

3. Alice Waythorn: Manipulative or Modern Woman?

Evaluate Alice as a character. Is she portrayed as a cunning social navigator or a woman constrained by societal expectations? How does Wharton complicate the reader’s judgment of her?

4. Politeness and Performance in Social Relations

Discuss how “The Other Two” portrays civility and social performance. What role does politeness play in managing uncomfortable personal relationships, and what does this reveal about upper-class society?

5. Narrative Perspective and Irony

Analyze Wharton’s use of limited third-person narration and irony. How does Waythorn’s perspective shape the reader’s understanding of the events, and what does the irony reveal about his character?

6. Divorce, Respectability, and Reputation

Explore how “The Other Two” addresses the tension between personal history and social reputation. What does the story suggest about the cost of respectability, especially for women?

“The

Road Not Taken”

1. Ambiguity and Interpretation

Analyze the ambiguity in “The Road Not Taken.” Does the poem celebrate individualism, or does it offer a more ironic commentary on the stories we tell about our choices?

2. Narrative Voice and Self-Deception

Discuss the reliability of the speaker in the poem. To what extent does the speaker’s reflection reveal self-deception, nostalgia, or the human tendency to assign meaning to arbitrary decisions?

3. Symbolism of the Diverging Roads

Explore the symbolic function of the roads in the poem. How do they reflect broader themes such as fate, free will, opportunity, and regret?

4. Tone and Mood: Regret or Resolve?

Examine the poem’s tone. Is it one of quiet confidence, lingering regret, or ironic reflection? Support your interpretation with close reading of key phrases and structural choices.

5. Temporal Perspective and the Construction of Memory

Analyze how the speaker looks back on his decision. How does Frost use the future tense (“I shall be telling this with a sigh”) to explore how memory reshapes the past?

6. Conventionality vs. Individualism

Critique the common interpretation of the poem as a celebration of nonconformity. How does a closer reading challenge this view, and what might Frost be suggesting about the myth of the “road less traveled”?

7. Form, Structure, and Thematic Reinforcement

Discuss how Frost’s use of formal elements—rhyme scheme, meter, stanza structure—contributes to the

poem’s meaning. How do these elements reinforce or complicate the themes of choice and consequence?

1. Imagism and Minimalism

“The Red Wheelbarrow”

Analyze how “The Red Wheelbarrow” embodies the principles of Imagism. How does Williams use precision, economy of language, and visual imagery to create meaning from simplicity?

2. “So Much Depends Upon”: Ambiguity and Interpretation

Explore the significance of the phrase “so much depends upon.” What might Williams be suggesting about perception, value, or the overlooked elements of everyday life?

3. Form and Visual Presentation

Examine how the poem’s structure—line breaks, spacing, and form—contributes to its meaning. How does the visual arrangement on the page affect interpretation?

4. Ordinary Objects as Poetic Subjects

Discuss how “The Red Wheelbarrow” elevates a mundane object into a subject of poetic reflection. What is Williams saying about the role of the poet and the nature of beauty?

5. Modernism and the Rejection of Romanticism

Compare Williams’s approach in “The Red Wheelbarrow” to Romantic or earlier poetic traditions. How does this poem reflect the modernist movement’s shift in themes, tone, and style?

“This

1. Everyday Language as Poetic Expression

Is Just to Say”

Analyze how “This Is Just to Say” challenges traditional notions of what constitutes poetry. How does Williams use everyday language and a casual tone to evoke emotion, tension, or meaning?

2. Irony, Guilt, and Domestic Intimacy

Examine the emotional undercurrents of the poem. How does Williams use understatement, implied apology, and irony to explore themes of desire, guilt, and interpersonal dynamics within a domestic space?

3. Minimalism and Modernist Aesthetics

Discuss how “This Is Just to Say” exemplifies the modernist aesthetic through its brevity, imagery, and focus on the ordinary. How does the poem reflect a break from poetic tradition in both form and subject matter?

“Sweat”

1. Gender Roles and Power Dynamics

Analyze the gender dynamics in “Sweat.” How does Hurston portray male dominance and female resistance, and in what ways does Delia challenge or conform to traditional gender roles of the time?

2. Symbolism of the Snake

Discuss the symbolic significance of the snake in the story. How does it reflect Sykes’s power, fear, sin, or eventual downfall? What broader meanings might it carry in the context of the story’s moral landscape?

3. Religious Imagery and Moral Justice

Explore the role of religious imagery and Christian morality in “Sweat.” How does Hurston use biblical allusions or religious themes to frame Delia’s suffering and ultimate deliverance?

4. Domestic Space as a Site of Conflict

Examine the symbolism of the home and domestic space in the story. How does the household function as both sanctuary and battlefield for Delia?

5. Race, Class, and Economic Survival

Consider the intersections of race, class, and labor in the story. How does Delia’s work as a washerwoman and her financial independence shape her relationship with Sykes and her community?

6. Violence and Masculinity

Analyze how Hurston portrays masculinity and violence in the character of Sykes. What does the story suggest about toxic masculinity and its consequences for both individuals and relationships?

7. Narrative Voice and Dialect

Discuss Hurston’s use of third-person narration and African American vernacular dialect. How do these narrative choices affect the tone of the story, its realism, and the reader’s connection to the characters?

8. Delia as a Symbol of Resistance

Evaluate Delia’s character as a symbol of resilience and resistance. In what ways does she endure, and in what ways does she assert agency in a patriarchal and oppressive environment?

9. The Role of Community and Gossip

Explore the role of the community in “Sweat.” How do the townspeople’s observations and gossip contribute to the story’s moral framework or highlight broader societal issues?

10. Feminism and Liberation

Interpret “Sweat” through a feminist lens. How does Hurston depict female suffering, empowerment, and liberation? Does the story advocate for change or offer a grim depiction of women’s limited options?

“in Just-”

1. Form and Visual Language

Analyze how E.E. Cummings uses unconventional form, punctuation, and spacing in “in Just-” to reflect themes of spring, childhood, or chaos. How does the visual arrangement of words contribute to the poem’s meaning?

2. The “Goat-Footed BalloonMan”: Innocence or Intrusion?

Examine the ambiguous figure of the “goat-footed balloonMan.” Is he a symbol of joyful innocence, mythic playfulness, or something more unsettling? How does this figure complicate the poem’s tone?

3. Sound, Rhythm, and the Language of Play

Discuss the use of sound devices—repetition, alliteration, and rhythm—in “in Just-”. How do these elements mimic children’s speech or games, and what role do they play in shaping the atmosphere of the poem?

4. Spring and the Loss of Innocence

Explore how “in Just-” captures the dual nature of spring—as a time of renewal and of subtle change or loss. In what ways does the poem suggest that childhood joy may be mixed with the first signs of adult awareness?

5. Childhood, Language, and Perception

Evaluate how Cummings captures the experience of childhood through language. How do distorted syntax, run-together names, and fragmented structure reflect a child’s perception of the world?

1. Satire and Nationalism

“next to of course god america i”

Analyze how Cummings uses satire in “next to of course god america i” to critique patriotic rhetoric. What specific clichés or ideological assumptions does the poem target, and how does Cummings subvert them?

2. Form, Voice, and Irony

Examine the poem’s dramatic monologue format and erratic punctuation. Who is speaking, and how does Cummings use voice and irony to comment on the relationship between language and national identity?

3. The Role of Diction and Syntax in Political Commentary

Explore Cummings’s manipulation of syntax and diction. How does the blending of patriotic slogans, disjointed phrasing, and formal structure create a commentary on blind allegiance or propaganda?

4. Violence, Sacrifice, and the American Myth

Discuss how “next to of course god america i” addresses the themes of war, sacrifice, and national myth-making. What critique does the poem offer regarding the glorification of death in service to country?

5. Freedom of Speech vs. Patriotic Conformity

Interpret the tension between individual expression and collective ideology in the poem. How does Cummings position the speaker in relation to freedom, conformity, and American ideals?

“A Rose for Emily”

1. Chronology and Narrative Structure

Analyze how Faulkner’s non-linear narrative structure affects the reader’s understanding of Emily and the story’s events. Why might Faulkner have chosen to disrupt chronological order, and how does this impact the story’s tension and revelation?

2. The Gothic South

Explore the elements of Southern Gothic in “A Rose for Emily.” How does Faulkner use grotesque imagery, decay, and psychological disturbance to critique the post-Civil War South?

3. Tradition vs. Change

Examine the theme of resistance to change in the story. How does Miss Emily represent the Old South, and how does the town’s evolution reflect the transition to the New South?

4. Isolation and Mental Decline

Discuss the role of isolation in Emily’s psychological development. How does her seclusion from society contribute to her increasingly disturbing behavior?

5. Death and Decay

Analyze the recurring motifs of death and decay. How do these elements function both literally and symbolically in the story’s setting, characters, and themes?

6. The Town as a Collective Narrator

Evaluate the effect of using a communal “we” as the story’s narrator. How does this choice influence the reader’s perception of Emily and suggest themes of judgment, rumor, and complicity?

7. Gender and Patriarchal Control

Explore how gender roles and patriarchal authority shape Emily’s life. How does her father’s control influence her relationships, autonomy, and eventual fate?

8. Morality and Sympathy

Faulkner presents a deeply flawed protagonist. To what extent does the story invite sympathy for Emily? How does the balance between moral judgment and compassion function in the narrative?

9. Class, Status, and Entitlement

Examine the role of class and social status in the story. How does Emily’s aristocratic lineage affect her relationship with the town and her own sense of identity?

10. Necrophilia as a Literary Device

Discuss the shocking final revelation of necrophilia. What symbolic or thematic purpose does this serve, and how does it reflect deeper issues of denial, control, or obsession?

11. Symbolism of the House

Analyze the Grierson home as a symbol in the story. What does the decaying house reveal about Emily’s character, her family legacy, and the passage of time in the South?

12. Foreshadowing and Suspense

Explore how Faulkner uses foreshadowing to build suspense throughout the story. What clues are embedded in the narrative, and how do they prepare the reader for the story’s conclusion?

1. Initiation and Loss of Innocence

“Indian Camp”

Analyze “Indian Camp” as a coming-of-age story. How does the traumatic experience at the camp affect Nick’s understanding of life, death, and masculinity?

2. Hemingway’s Iceberg Theory in Practice

Explore how Hemingway’s minimalist style (his “Iceberg Theory”) is used in “Indian Camp.” What is left unsaid, and how do those omissions shape the emotional and psychological depth of the story?

3. Masculinity, Fatherhood, and Emotional Detachment

Examine the character of Nick’s father. What does his behavior reveal about Hemingway’s portrayal of masculinity, professionalism, and emotional restraint?

4. Colonial Attitudes and Cultural Disparities

Discuss how “Indian Camp” reflects colonial or racial attitudes of its time. How are the Native American characters portrayed in relation to the white doctor and his family, and what does this suggest about power dynamics?

5. Contrasts Between Birth and Death

Analyze the juxtaposition of childbirth and suicide in the story. How does Hemingway use this contrast to comment on the fragility of life and the complexity of human suffering?

6. Violence, Suffering, and Human Dignity

Explore the theme of suffering in “Indian Camp.” How do different characters experience and respond to pain, and what does this reveal about dignity, empathy, or denial?

7. The Role of Nature and the Journey

Consider the natural setting and physical journey to and from the Indian camp. How does the landscape contribute to the mood, themes, and Nick’s transformation by the end of the story?

“Theme for English B”

1. Race, Identity, and the American Experience

Analyze how Langston Hughes explores the complexity of racial identity in “Theme for English B.” How does the speaker navigate the tension between being both Black and American, and what commentary does the poem offer on shared humanity?

2. Voice, Authenticity, and Self-Discovery

Examine the poem as a meditation on finding one’s voice. How does the speaker wrestle with expectations from both the academic institution and society? What role does honesty play in the poem’s expression of self?

3. Power Dynamics in Education

Discuss how Hughes critiques the educational system in “Theme for English B.” What power imbalances exist between the student and instructor, and how do these affect the speaker’s ability to fulfill the assignment truthfully?

4. Form, Structure, and Spoken Language

Explore how Hughes blends formal poetic structure with the rhythms of spoken language. How does this fusion support the themes of individuality, cultural expression, and resistance?

5. Intersectionality of Race, Age, and Class

Analyze how the speaker’s identity is shaped not only by race but also by age, geography, and social class. How do these intersecting identities inform the speaker’s reflections and shape the meaning of the poem?

1. Illusion vs. Reality

A Streetcar Named Desire

Analyze the conflict between illusion and reality in the play. How do Blanche and Stanley represent these opposing forces, and what does Williams suggest about the necessity or danger of illusion in human life?

2. Gender and Power

Examine how gender roles and expectations shape the dynamics between characters, particularly Blanche, Stanley, and Stella. How does the play critique or reinforce patriarchal structures?

3. Mental Health and Trauma

Discuss the portrayal of mental health in the play. How does Williams depict Blanche’s psychological decline, and what role do trauma and repression play in her unraveling?

4. Symbolism of the Setting

Explore the significance of New Orleans and the Kowalski apartment. How does the setting reflect larger themes of cultural change, social decay, or entrapment?

5. Desire and Destruction

Analyze how desire—sexual, emotional, or existential—functions as both a driving force and a destructive element for characters in the play. How is desire linked to identity and downfall?

6. The Role of Violence

Examine the different forms of violence (emotional, physical, sexual) in the play. How does violence shape character relationships and reveal deeper themes of dominance, control, and vulnerability?

7. Symbolism and Motifs

Explore the use of recurring symbols and motifs—such as light, music, bathing, and alcohol. How do these elements contribute to character development and thematic depth?

8. Masculinity and the Postwar American Male

Analyze Stanley Kowalski as a representation of post-World War II American masculinity. How does his character reflect anxieties about social change, power, and identity in a rapidly evolving society?

9. Class Conflict and Social Mobility

Discuss how Williams explores class differences between Blanche and Stanley. How do their values, behaviors, and expectations clash, and what does this reveal about the changing American social landscape?

10. Tragedy and Modern Drama

To what extent can A Streetcar Named Desire be considered a modern tragedy? Compare Blanche DuBois to classical tragic figures, considering issues of fate, flaws, and moral ambiguity.

11. Stella’s Complicity and Moral Ambiguity

Evaluate Stella’s role in the central conflicts of the play. Is she a victim, a survivor, or an enabler? What moral choices does she face, and how do they affect the play’s resolution?

12. Performance, Identity, and the Theatrical Metaphor

Examine the theme of performance in the play. How do characters “perform” identities for others, and how does this theatricality comment on truth, self-deception, and social roles?

1. Racism and Sexual Violence

“Going to Meet the Man”

Analyze how Baldwin links racism with sexual violence in the story. How are Jesse’s sexual desires and fantasies shaped by racial hatred, and what does this suggest about the psychology of white supremacy?

2. Memory and Trauma

Examine the structure of the story, particularly its use of flashback. How does Baldwin use memory to expose the roots of Jesse’s identity and trauma? In what ways do personal and historical trauma intersect?

3. Innocence Lost: The Role of Childhood in the Formation of Racist Ideology

Explore how Jesse’s childhood experience at the lynching shapes his adult worldview. What does Baldwin suggest about the socialization of racism and the loss of innocence?

4. Power, Control, and White Masculinity

Discuss how Baldwin critiques white masculinity through Jesse’s character. How are sex, violence, and racial control intertwined in his understanding of power?

5. Religion and Racial Violence

Analyze the role of religious language and imagery in the lynching scene. How does Baldwin expose the moral hypocrisy of a society that justifies racial violence through religious or cultural tradition?

6. The Black Body and Objectification

Examine how Baldwin presents the objectification of Black bodies—particularly in Jesse’s view of the young Black boy and the lynching victim. What commentary does the story offer on historical and contemporary dehumanization?

7. Narrative Voice and Perspective

Evaluate Baldwin’s use of third-person limited narration. How does this technique affect the reader’s understanding of Jesse and the racial power dynamics at play?

8. Historical Violence and the Present

Discuss how Baldwin illustrates the legacy of historical racial violence in shaping contemporary American identity. How does the story connect the brutality of the past to the psychological violence of the present?

9. Intersections of Race, Sex, and Power in American Literature

Compare “Going to Meet the Man” with other literary works that examine the entanglement of race, sexuality, and power. How does Baldwin’s story contribute to or challenge traditional narratives about American identity and justice?

“Good

Country People”

1. Irony and the Grotesque

Analyze how O’Connor uses irony and grotesque characterization to subvert reader expectations in “Good Country People.” What is the function of these devices in revealing deeper truths about the characters?

2. Faith, Atheism, and Intellectual Arrogance

Examine the contrast between Hulga’s atheism and Manley Pointer’s manipulative use of religious language. What commentary does O’Connor offer on the dangers of intellectual pride or false belief?

3. Identity and Self-Deception

Discuss how characters in the story deceive themselves or construct false identities. How do Hulga and her mother’s ideas of self and others clash with the realities they ultimately confront?

4. The Role of Physical Disability and Symbolism

Analyze how Hulga’s wooden leg functions as a central symbol in the story. What does it represent in terms of identity, vulnerability, and power, and how does its theft serve as a turning point?

5. Southern Gothic and the Burlesque of “Goodness”

Explore how O’Connor uses Southern Gothic conventions to critique the notion of “good country people.” What does the story reveal about the moral emptiness hidden beneath social and religious platitudes?

6. Gender, Power, and Seduction

Evaluate the gender dynamics between Hulga and Manley Pointer. Who holds power in their interaction, and how does O’Connor complicate traditional notions of seduction and control?

7. Moral Ambiguity and Evil

Consider Manley Pointer’s role as either a con artist or something more metaphysically sinister. How does O’Connor blur the lines between secular manipulation and theological evil?

8. The Breakdown of Intellectual Superiority

How does O’Connor challenge the idea of intellectual superiority through Hulga’s character? In what ways does her education both empower and blind her?

9. Rural Stereotypes and Cultural Critique

Analyze how O’Connor critiques rural Southern stereotypes in the story. How are “good country people” portrayed, and what cultural assumptions does O’Connor expose or undermine?

“Howl” & “Footnote to Howl”

1. Form and Rebellion: Poetic Innovation as Protest

Analyze how Ginsberg’s use of free verse, anaphora, and stream-of-consciousness in “Howl” challenges traditional poetic forms. How do these formal choices reflect the poem’s themes of rebellion, alienation, and nonconformity?

2. The Sacred and the Profane: Interpreting “Holy”

In “Footnote to Howl,” Ginsberg repeatedly declares everything “holy,” including things often considered profane or marginalized. What is the function of this radical sanctification? How does it redefine spirituality, morality, or American identity?

3. Critique of Postwar America

Explore how “Howl” serves as a critique of post-World War II American society. How does Ginsberg depict the psychological and cultural consequences of conformity, consumerism, and repression?

4. Madness and Visionary Experience

Discuss the interplay between madness and insight in “Howl.” How does Ginsberg blur the line between mental illness and visionary perception, particularly in relation to artists, outsiders, and prophets?

5. Queerness, Desire, and Liberation

Examine how Ginsberg represents queer identity and sexual liberation in “Howl.” How does the poem both confront and transcend social taboos, and what role does eroticism play in the larger critique of societal norms?

1. Surrealism and the Logic of the Absurd

“The Finger”

Examine how Burroughs employs surrealist techniques and absurd imagery in “The Finger.” What effect does this have on the reader’s understanding of reality, and how does it challenge conventional narrative logic?

2. Body Politics and the Loss of Control

Analyze the theme of bodily autonomy in “The Finger.” How does Burroughs use the grotesque transformation of the body to explore issues of control, identity, and selfhood?

3. Institutional Satire and Bureaucratic Horror

Discuss how “The Finger” satirizes institutions such as the medical establishment, government, or law enforcement. What tactics does Burroughs use to depict these systems as absurd, oppressive, or dehumanizing?

4. Language as a Tool of Subversion

Evaluate how Burroughs manipulates language—through fragmentation, repetition, or shock value— to disrupt reader expectations. How does this linguistic experimentation contribute to the story’s meaning or ideological critique?

5. Addiction, Paranoia, and Power

Consider how themes of addiction and paranoia function metaphorically in the story. How does “The Finger” reflect Burroughs’s broader concerns with control, dependency, and surveillance in modern society?

6. The Grotesque as Social Critique

Explore the use of grotesque imagery in the story. How does Burroughs use the bizarre or horrific to reflect cultural anxieties or critique societal norms?

7. Alienation in the Modern World

Analyze how the protagonist’s experience in “The Finger” reflects feelings of alienation, disconnection, or existential despair. In what ways does the story engage with postmodern themes of fragmentation and dislocation?

8. Burroughs and the Postmodern Condition

Place “The Finger” within the context of postmodern literature. How does the story reflect postmodern characteristics such as irony, pastiche, paranoia, or skepticism toward grand narratives?

“Woman

1. Cultural Expectations and Gender Roles

Hollering Creek”

Analyze how “Woman Hollering Creek” explores the pressures placed on women by traditional Mexican and Mexican-American gender norms. How does Cleófilas’s journey reflect a critique of these cultural expectations?

2. The Symbolism of the Creek

Discuss the significance of the creek—La Gritona—as both a physical and symbolic space. How does its transformation from a place of fear to one of liberation reflect Cleófilas’s internal shift?

3. The Power of Storytelling and Telenovelas

Examine how Cleófilas’s perception of love is shaped by the narratives she consumes, particularly telenovelas. How does Cisneros use these melodramatic tropes to comment on fantasy, reality, and romantic disillusionment?

4. Voice, Silence, and Liberation

Explore the theme of voice in the story. How does Cleófilas’s silence reflect her oppression, and how does the story portray reclaiming one’s voice as an act of empowerment?

5. Borders and Identity

Analyze how the physical and cultural border between Mexico and the United States functions in the story. How does Cisneros use this border to explore themes of identity, displacement, and autonomy?

6. Feminist Solidarity and Community

Discuss the roles of Felice and the other women who assist Cleófilas. How do these characters contrast with the men in her life, and what does the story suggest about female solidarity and survival?

7. Myth, Folklore, and Reinterpretation

Examine how Cisneros reinterprets the legend of La Llorona in “Woman Hollering Creek.” How does the story subvert or revise this myth to offer a feminist perspective on grief, rage, and freedom?