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The two short essays (50 points each) should address the following questions by undertaking a close reading of the novels. Each essay should be at least 1 ½ pages, double spaced. The first paragraph should be a very brief introduction that culminates in an analytic thesis statement, followed by two carefully constructed body paragraphs (or one extensive body paragraph) with good analytic structure and careful text analysis, and a very brief conclusion. You should quote/paraphrase to support your analysis (at least 2, relevant direct quotes per essay; see the Study Skills/Essay Guidelines pdf on quotes for essays, esp. for shorter, “blended quotes”; MLA internal citations required).
Yaa Gyasi, Homegoing
1.Discuss the struggles of H. Black and his daughter Willie Black against oppression in the periods of Reconstruction, during the practice of convict leasing, and the Great Migration, in the era of segregation and the rise of urban ghettos. How do H. and Willie make a life for themselves and their families despite oppression and racism?
Christina García, Dreaming in Cuban
In her relationship to her mother and to her Cuban-American identity and in her effort to express herself through art, Pilar searches for her distinct voice. Discuss the young Cuban-American character Pilar as a rebel, a free thinker. How do art and music help her understand her CubanAmerican identity—and ultimately to arrive at a new perspective after talking about art and revolution with Abuela Celia?
