Composition 3
Critical Reading
E 52
We have spent a number of classes discussing the forces that shape the actions and imaginations of the characters in Devil In A Blue Dress. For this assignment you will choose one of the prompts below, and share your thoughts on one of the questions asked. You are not being asked to summarize what happened in the book. Rather you are being asked to dig below the surface to consider why people act as they do. You must back up your thoughts with specific examples from the text. Your grade will be determined by your insights in the book as well as your ability to write clearly and persuasively.
1. Daphne, Desire and the Devil: Daphne Monet drove men crazy, and the search for her shaped the plot of the book. Still, very few people in Devil knew Daphne at all, because in the most basic way, she was a figment of the characters’ imaginations. With that in mind, what does all the craziness and upheaval Daphne cause teach us about the question of race in America. Explain your thoughts, using examples.
2. I believe that it’s what people do that determines who they are and what they believe in more than what they think. Most characters in Devil mean well, and yet often they do wrong. Examine the forces that shape their actions and ideas, and study in particular why so many things lead to violence.
3. In chapter 17, Easy calls Mr. Carter “the worst kind of racist.” Do you agree with this? Defend your position using examples from the book, what life was like in 1948, and what you know from the world we live in today.
Your paper will be 700-1000 words long. You must format it using MLA guidelines (see the “cheat sheet” that is posted)
Due dates:
Mon/15: discuss prompt
Tues/16: free write
Thurs/18: Outline
Mon/22: Esssay 3 due
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