This document provides guidelines for an essay assignment on modernist literature. Students must write a 500-750 word thesis-driven essay responding to one of eight prompts about works by Anzuldua, Kingston, Cisneros, Alexie, or Bishop. The prompts examine themes like cultural identities, relationships, and storytelling techniques in these works. The essay should utilize textual evidence, demonstrate critical thinking skills, and follow MLA formatting guidelines. The document outlines learning objectives, essay requirements, submission details, and tips for successful completion of the assignment.

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Essay 1: A Response to Literature of the Modernist period.
Objectives
To Lean to Write a Clear and Cohesive Response to Literature
To Learn Rhetorical Strategies: Analysis, Synthesis, Argument, Cause and Effect, Compare and Contrast
To Learn Critical Thinking Skills
To Learn MLA Documentation Style: Integrating quotations; Works Cited
Prompt Introduction
In this second half of our quarter, we have read and discussed multiple texts, theories, and opinions on
both literature and literary analysis, and for this reason, I offer you several choices for your first essay. In
a thesis driven essay of 500 to 750 words, respond to one of the following prompts. You need only the
primary text for this essay, but you may incorporate other stories, manifestos, or critical theory as
additional support. Remember, you can also draw on your own experiences and knowledge to discuss,
explain, and analyze your topic.
Topic: Choose One
Anzuldua, Kingston, Cisneros, Alexie
Topic #1
Examine La Malinche, La Llorona, and La Virgen (or similar concepts applied to women) in one or more works by
Anzuldua, Kingston, or Cisneros.
Topic #2
How do social pressures influence individuals’ decisions in Kingston’s excerpt, “No Name Woman” and Cisneros’s
“Woman Hollering Creek”? What are the outcomes?
Topic #3
Using Anzuldua, Kingston, Cisneros, or Alexie, discuss aspects of the postmodern autobiography/memoir in order
to argue a point about them. What are they? What does it mean to remember someone? What does memory have to
do with storytelling and autobiography? Consider also, fantasy, speculation, translation, and point of view. Are these
new strategies? Do they work to communicate the postmodern experience? Consider Bishop’s manifesto. Does she
have a realistic complaint?
Topic #4
Discuss Alexie’s use of satire in “This is what it means to say Phoenix Arizona.” How does it function inside of the
plot? How does it influence the understanding of the story?
Topic #5
Sherman Alexie grew up on an Indian Reservation in Washington State. His story “This Is What It Means to Say
Phoenix, Arizona” comes from his experiences on the reservations. Unfortunately, many of the reservations are
riddled with alcoholism, unemployment, truancy, and many other social problems. Why are these issues so prevalent
on the reservation? Examine this story through the lens of minority or Marxist theory.
Topic #6
In Woman Hollering Creek, Cisneros gives us a glimpse into the lives of people living close to the U.S.-Mexico
border. Most of her protagonists are Mexicans or Mexican Americans. How does Cisneros depict life in the
border? What are the fundamental aspects of her characters’ border identities? How do cultural differences affect
their lives? How is language a reflection of their identities? What can we take away from her work?
Topic #7
Cisneros’s “Woman Hollering Creek” includes relationships between women and men. What role does love play in
those relationships? How do the individuals involved in these relationships define love? Are male-female relations

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equal? What determines who holds the power in the relationship? What are the consequences of a power imbalance
in the relationship?
In “No Name Woman,” Kingston shows two versions of how her aunt got pregnant, one in which she is a victim of
lust and the other where she is raped. What is the purpose of this? What are the implications?
Topic #8
Identity issues abound in “No Name Woman.” You might consider that we never learn the aunt’s name; however,
Kingston does tell her story. Kingston also shares examples from her life as she negotiates two cultures: American
and Chinese. What does all of this say about Kingston’s identity as a Chinese American? Is there a larger insight
here about Chinese American women? What is it?
Note: You are free to pursue another writing topic. Please, discuss it with me before you begin so we can
make sure that it is viable.
Due Dates:
See Syllabus
Submission Requirements: Please submit an electronic copy to palmorekim@fhda.edu
Format Requirement: MLA-style formatting and citations
Length: Your finished text should be between 500-750 words, excluding the Works Cited page.
Research Requirements: none
Works Cited Page
A Works Cited page names all of the sources that were used in an essay or research paper; it credits the
source or sources for the information you present, evaluate, analyze, and synthesize to support your
thesis. A Works Cited page also serves as a reference to the sources that were used so that a reader or
writer can quickly refer to the original text. The Works Cited page for this research project will include at
least one primary text. If you use other sources, including other primary or secondary sources from class,
please list those too.
Expected Student Learning Outcomes
§ Demonstrate outlining and brainstorming abilities
§ Demonstrate an awareness of the time needed to plan, search, and write an essay
§ Demonstrate increased awareness of strategies for organizing ideas and structuring essays
§ Demonstrate an ability to use complex sentence structures
§ Demonstrate an understanding of multiple rhetorical strategies
§ Demonstrate active reading strategies by finding textual evidence
§ Learn to integrate quotations effectively and correctly
Previously Learned Skills Required to Complete this Assignment
ü The ability to summarize sources
ü The ability to use multiple rhetorical strategies: Narration, Description, Exemplification
ü An awareness of plagiarism issues
ü The ability to write grammatically correct, clear sentences.
ü The ability to write a clear and concise thesis.
ü The ability to brainstorm material for an essay.
ü The ability to organize an essay

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Best Practices
Ø As you (re)read the primary text, keep in mind the prompts and highlight specific passages, lines,
or scenes that may support your argument.
Ø Write a thesis that helps readers understand both your argument and your reasoning.
Ø Include textual examples that illustrate your points.
Ø Avoid telling the reader that something is “interesting,” or “exciting”; instead create images or
use examples that show it.
Ø Come to my office if you are unsure, confused, or behind.
Traps to Avoid:
Ø Choosing a topic that you do not understand or one not on the list that you have not discussed
with me.
Ø Failing to assert a clear and strong argument.
Ø Seeking to present the subject from memory or hearsay.
Ø Failing to support the argument with evidence from appropriate sources.
Ø Citing Wikipedia (or other non-academic or unreliable sources) as a source for your paper.