Assignment 1: Essay

Due Week 4 and worth 100 points

Choose one (1) of the three (3) reading selections from the list of topic choices below. The focus is on brief but important primary source material written by major authors. Read the selections as identified with each topic below. Write a three to four (3-4) paragraph essay (250 words minimum) which analyzes the “surprise ending” of the reading selection.

Topic Choices

Johnathan Swift

• • Reading selection of Swift’s A Modest Proposal. It is essential to recognize the genre of this work, as discussed in our class text, which you should consult and cite. Swift promotes a radical solution, but subtle options are mentioned. You are looking for surprise and a point of realization. Readand focus on A Modest Proposal located at http://www.victorianweb.org/previctorian/swift/modest.html.

For this reading selection:

• Define the term “satire”.
• How does Swift use satire to change the perception that the wealthy class has toward the poor?
• Identify two alternatives that Swift offers to his “modest” proposal?
• Use at least two (2) good quality academic sources, with one (1) source being the class text. Note: Wikipedia and other similar Websites do not qualify as academic resources. You are highly encouraged to use the Resource Center tab at the top of your Blackboard page.

Voltaire

• • Two (2) reading selections from Voltaire’s Candide. Consider how these readings start and end in terms of the action and the beliefs of the characters. Voltaire is critical of both religion and philosophy in his work Candide. Students should be able identify this criticism within the reading.These selections can be found on pp. 840-841 in the textbook. In addition, consult the class text at pp. 824-825.

For this reading selection:

• Identify two of the negative interactions Dr. Pangloss has with the religious beliefs of other characters.
• What conclusion does Pangloss make about his entire ordeal since Lisbon at the end of the story?
• Why might Voltaire be critical of his philosophical outlook?
• Use at least two (2) good quality academic sources, with one (1) source being the class text. Note: Wikipedia and other similar Websites do not qualify as academic resources. You are highly encouraged to use the Resource Center tab at the top of your Blackboard page.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA Style format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. (Note: Students can find APA style materials located in the course shell for reference)
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.
• Use the source(s) identified above for the topic you choose, focusing on the main primary source of that author. You may use additional sources also if they are of good academic quality for college papers (Wikipedia and similar websites do not qualify). Use proper APA style in-text citing and also a matching APA style References list at the end.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Explain how key social, cultural, and artistic contributions contribute to historical changes.
• Explain the importance of situating a society’s cultural and artistic expressions within a historical context.
• Examine the influences of intellectual, religious, political, and socio-economic forces on social, cultural, and artistic expressions.
• Identify major historical developments in world cultures from　the　Renaissance to the contemporary period.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in the study of world cultures.
  • Write clearly and concisely about world cultures using proper writing mechanics.