English 117W: Writing from Children’s Literature Fall 2016 M. Paul Writing Project #1 (200 points) Can I Teach That? Controversial Issues in Children’s Literature Choose a controversial issue and/or text within children’s literature that you would like to research and defend. Consider the scenario that you plan to teach this text or issue to your future students but there has been a complaint about your choice. The result of that complaint is that you must defend your chosen text to the school board and parents. Because you will want to be more than prepared to argue your case before a panel of concerned parents and administrators, you must be an expert on the matter. That expertise only comes from research and writing. For this project, you need to 1) write a research proposal providing the topic of your research; 2) create an annotated bibliography of at least four different sources (both primary and secondary); and 3) write a researched argument defending your topic that includes both primary research (ie: examples from the texts you are writing about) and secondary research (ie: analysis or arguments that you can develop, that support your claim or that challenge your research). This project is meant to give you an opportunity for in-depth study of a particular issue of interest to you within children’s literature. For this assignment: · You will need to do some research before you write your proposal. The proposal should be a paragraph where you describe the topic/focus of your research. · Make sure you have access to the sources you’ll need BEFORE you create the proposal. Also, it will help you streamline your research if you have a specific direction in mind. · Research thoroughly. Educate yourself on this topic. · Brainstorming can help you focus and execute your research. Your mini-portfolio for this project should include both research and brainstorming activities (free writes, etc.). · Remember to use the databases from our library. · As you research, focus on a thesis statement that will guide your writing. Choose something that interests you and you will have a better writing experience and result. · Imagine your audience to be well educated concerned parents and colleagues who want to broaden their knowledge in order to make a responsible decision. · Think about imaginative ways to introduce and develop your topic. · MLA Format is required. Details: · Proposal is due to GC midnight Monday, 9/5. · Annotated Bibliography is due to GC midnight Sunday, 9/11 · Press Conferences begin Monday, 9/12. You will present your proposal and Annotated Bibliography to the class · Rough draft due in class to “share” for workshop on Wednesday, 9/21 · All papers must be “commented” by midnight Friday, 9/23 · Final Draft due to GC by midnight Monday, 9/26 · Length Requirement: minimum 1200 words not including Works Cited · Source Requirement: minimum 4 peer-reviewed sources. ...

1. English 117W: Writing from Children’s Literature
Fall 2016
M. Paul
Writing Project #1 (200 points)
Can I Teach That?
Controversial Issues in Children’s Literature
Choose a controversial issue and/or text within children’s
literature that you would like to research and defend. Consider
the scenario that you plan to teach this text or issue to your
future students but there has been a complaint about your
choice. The result of that complaint is that you must defend
your chosen text to the school board and parents. Because you
will want to be more than prepared to argue your case before a
panel of concerned parents and administrators, you must be an
expert on the matter. That expertise only comes from research
and writing.
For this project, you need to 1) write a research proposal
providing the topic of your research; 2) create an annotated
bibliography of at least four different sources (both primary and
secondary); and 3) write a researched argument defending your
topic that includes both primary research (ie: examples from the
texts you are writing about) and secondary research (ie: analysis
or arguments that you can develop, that support your claim or
that challenge your research). This project is meant to give you
an opportunity for in-depth study of a particular issue of
interest to you within children’s literature.
For this assignment:

2. · You will need to do some research before you write your
proposal. The proposal should be a paragraph where you
describe the topic/focus of your research.
· Make sure you have access to the sources you’ll need
BEFORE you create the proposal. Also, it will help you
streamline your research if you have a specific direction in
mind.
· Research thoroughly. Educate yourself on this topic.
· Brainstorming can help you focus and execute your
research. Your mini-portfolio for this project should include
both research and brainstorming activities (free writes, etc.).
· Remember to use the databases from our library.
· As you research, focus on a thesis statement that will guide
your writing. Choose something that interests you and you will
have a better writing experience and result.
· Imagine your audience to be well educated concerned
parents and colleagues who want to broaden their knowledge in
order to make a responsible decision.
· Think about imaginative ways to introduce and develop
your topic.
· MLA Format is required.
Details:
· Proposal is due to GC midnight Monday, 9/5.
· Annotated Bibliography is due to GC midnight Sunday, 9/11
· Press Conferences begin Monday, 9/12. You will present your
proposal and Annotated Bibliography to the class
· Rough draft due in class to “share” for workshop on
Wednesday, 9/21
· All papers must be “commented” by midnight Friday, 9/23
· Final Draft due to GC by midnight Monday, 9/26
· Length Requirement: minimum 1200 words not including
Works Cited
· Source Requirement: minimum 4 peer-reviewed sources. You
are encouraged to include more. Source material must be as

3. recent as 2010 to present.
Sample Essays to Consider:
Sample 1
Sample 2
Sample 3
Helpful Websites to read as you begin to brainstorm and
research
ENGL 3333: This page has helpful information for using MLA
format and how to include quotes and source material in your
writing. You will also find a multitude of research articles and
informational articles on the subject of controversial literature.
Some of the links on this page may no longer be available, but
you will find more than adequate information to get started
thinking about this assignment.
Fanetti Article: This article has some great background
information regarding controversial literature and what many
schools have adopted, or tried to adopt.
Books has the unique power to evoke strong emotional
reactions within us as a result of the rich, sometimes magical
imagery that the author creates as a result of the creative
processes involved with giving birth to literary characters.
Each one of us can reflect onto past experiences that we have
had with literature in order to empathize deeply with the textual
sorcery that one finds within the art form. For me, personally, I
always find myself experiencing the most profound reactions in

4. response to books that plays around with concepts that are
arcane to those who are not within these character’s circles.
This appealed to this book of mice and men, while conveying a
deeper meaning in the text about how this to men stay together
and work toward their dream.
Prejudice and discrimination impacts those who are different
from the general population. This is a theme that is present
within various texts that we examined as a class – the tragedy of
being different. These undertones that colored these texts are
an aspect of the class that I will carry with me into the future.
JOHN STEINBECK’S abilities, which are one of the
surface themes in the story, appealed to my favorite book.
An example of imagery from the text that particularly appealed
to me is the line: “Eisenheim's own illusions became more
daring and dangerous; it was as if the two of them had
outsoared the confines of the magician's art and existed in some
new realm of dextrous wonder, of sinister beauty” (Millhauser,
p. 291). The mysterious elements of obscure, esoteric themes
conjure within me stunning images of unimaginable illusions
like something from out of a Las Vegas show. This imagery,
furthermore reappears in the line: “The limelight went out;
when it came on, the stage contained nothing but a heap of
black cloth, which began to flutter and billow until it gradually
assumed the shape of Passauer, who bowed coolly to tumultuous
applause; but the ring of a quiet challenge was not lost in the
general uproar” (Millhauser, p. 291 – 292). Eisenheim’s
magical capacities captured my attention, but the more serious
social commentary present within the text is what made me
consider this work a masterpiece.
The themes of prejudice and discrimination against
Eisenheim that Millhauser wrote into the text is a topic that, as
a Mexican-American, hits close to home. The simple fact that
Eisenheim was a Jew made him suspect to unfair treatment from

5. the society in which he lived, as illustrated in the line: “It began
to seem as if the policeman and the magician were engaged in a
secret battle: it was said that Herr Uhl was planning a dramatic
arrest, and Eisenheim a brilliant escape” (Millhauser, p. 300).
The topic of the prejudice that Eisenheim experienced as a Jew
in Vienna reminds me of the experiences of the undocumented
migrants in Boyle’s novel The Tortilla Curtain. Boyle
illustrates this in the lines: “It was crazy to refuse treatment
like that, just crazy. But he had. And that meant he was illegal –
go to the doctor, get deported” (Boyle, p. 10). The prejudice
and oppression that people experience simply because of who
they are is a poignant topic to discuss that reflects the society in
which we life, appearing in both Millhauser’s and Boyle’s
works. Using themes of magic and mystery to symbolize the
fundamental reasons for prejudicial mistrust and discrimination
against an individual helps one to understand the topic more
deeply, especially for those who would not otherwise
experience such discrimination in their daily lives. For this
reason, works like Eisenheim the Illusionist are important texts
to include in a literary curriculum. Through allegory, they
impress upon individuals from all backgrounds with their
fantastic imagery, which allows them to communicate these
important messages to individuals from all across the board.