The next part of the unit will focus on essays. Henry David Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience" is clearly a must-read in this unit. This essay touches upon a number of the themes I have already mentioned. Like Huck, Thoreau seems to make a choice to live literally outside of the mainstream. Whether these men have a choice is debatable to a certain extent. Nevertheless the environment they live in, albeit temporarily, is outside of society. It might even be interesting to debate the privileged status of Huck and Thoreau as compared to the status of King and Sojourner Truth. How does their status as outsiders differ? How does this affect their message? Do any of them have choice? If so, to what extent?
There are a number of connections that can be made with "Civil Disobedience." Students should be able to relate to statements regarding war. This could be tied to what is happening today with the war in Iraq. Thoreau discusses slavery in his essay and this can be tied to
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
and Sojourner Truth. Finally, his discussion of a civil type of disobedience is similar to King's.
After reading and discussing "Civil Disobedience," students will write a connection response in their journals. At this time I will discuss with the students the importance of the journal. Thoreau kept his own journals. His journal writings were a jumping off point for much of his writing. The journal is an excellent tool for self-reflection and drafting.
Julia Alvarez reflects on her own experience in "First Muse." Alvarez was born in the United States but moved, with her family, to the Dominican Republic for a period of time. Eventually the family returned to the United States. In her essay, 'First Muse," Alvarez talks about her experience as a woman in the Dominican culture and her experience with American schools both in the Dominican Republic and in the United States. As a female it was expected that she get married and have children. Her career was not a topic of interest to others.
Alvarez shares with the reader her experience as an outsider within her own outsider community, the struggles that she endured as a result of this outsider status and how she succeeded in becoming who she wanted to be. A number of interesting issues are brought to light. She discusses the role of women, language and writing. The essay ends on a hopeful note. Alvarez finds that writing is her life, and she doesn't have to pursue it in the absence of romance.
At the end of this section students will be required to write an essay. I will encourage students to steer clear of the five paragraph essay and use the essays we've read to guide them. At this juncture we can discuss the civilizing aspect of the five paragraph essay. In order to refine their skills as a writer it is important to learn the five paragraph essay structure. It is a building block to clarity. Nevertheless it is stifling and rudimentary. It is essentially unnecessary except to have students conform their writing. Therefore, students will have a few options for the essay. They may write an analytical piece using one of the texts. They may also write a more personal piece in the same vein as Alvarez or Thoreau.
