TOPICS FOR HISTORY 212 ESSAY

Choose ONE of the two sets of questions below (each based on ONE of the two novels) and answer them in a double-spaced, typewritten paper, -1200 words in length (about 5 pages).

Two copies of the essay are due on or before the due date. 

(1) Provide the professor with a hard copy of your review.

(2) Email an electronic version of your review to the professor (svatter@csulb.edu ) as an attached document or as text pasted directly into the email message.  This version will be checked for plagiarism; it will be run through Turnitin, which checks the internet for duplicates.  NOTE: Papers that show evidence of plagiarism will receive a grade of F, with no possibility of rewrites.  The penalty for plagiarism in the HISTORY Department is a failing grade on the work in question, a failing grade for the course, and (for repeat offenders) a report to the University Committee on Academic Integrity which has the authority to expel students from the University.   Most of you know that plagiarism is; broadly speaking, the use of other people's work without citation or identification of that work.  Specifically, it covers everything from lifting direct quotes from a source without providing quotation marks or citation, "borrowing" from or buying papers on websites, submitting another student's work as your own, or fabricating information or citations. SEE bottom of this page for anti-plagiarism guidelines.

QUESTIONS

l. The novel Things Fall Apart deals with how European economic, political, and religious intervention in Ibo society transformed the religious and social values, social hierarchy, political system, and economy of Ibo society.

The central character of the novel, Okonkwo, comes to a tragic end. Based on your understanding of the cultural, social, political and economic changes that occurred in Ibo society AND his individual personality, would you attribute his tragic end more to the impact of Europe upon this small region of Africa or to his character (or flaws in his character)? Explain.

A good answer will cover both changes in society (compare value, political system, and other characteristics of Ibo society before and after the European intervention) that contributed to Okonkwo’s suicide AND then identify which character traits contributed to his suicide, before concluding by briefly identifying which was more responsible for his tragic end and why (provide reasoning). Your conclusion should consider the role of changes in Ebo society (of all 4 types) AND his character.

Omit information that does not directly help answer questions (i.e. leave out information about changes and character traits that you do not directly relate to his suicide.

2. The Dragon’s Village deals with the Chinese Revolution and the modernization of some of the poorest rural areas in China. Ling-Ling, the main character of the novel, joins the Revolution to help involve the peasants in the implementation of the Communist Land Reform. She sacrifices everything she has ever known to work for this cause. In Ling-Ling’s experience as a cadre, she finds that the people she meets maintain pre-industrial, ‘traditional’ attitudes towards work and society and consequently she discovers cultural as well as economic inequalities.

How much does Ling-Ling learn about herself AND about Chinese society in her encounters with the residents of the small, remote village? Does Ling-Ling come to and stay in the village more because of her commitment to and support of the revolution and Land Reform OR are other reasons more important? Explain.

A good answer will identify what she learned about herself AND about Chinese society. It will then identify why she supported the Revolution AS WELL AS other reasons that encouraged her to join the revolution and stay in the village, before a conclusion in which you identify which was more was/were more important and why.

Though you will not be graded on whether you provide the “right” answer to the question, you will be expected to support each of your arguments with evidence from the novel itself. You may also use, if you wish, limited material from other History 212 sources—class lectures, the textbook, or assigned supplementary readings. You should NOT need to consult additional, outside sources for this paper. {You may find Van Allen’s “The Aba Riot or Women’s War,” on E-RESERVES, useful for the Things Fall Apart question.

ALL supporting evidence MUST be relevant and clearly citied.

Citations: Sources of ALL evidence MUST be identified. You have two options. Please choose one and use it throughout your paper.

(1) You may use footnotes/endnotes to identify sources of evidence.

(2) Alternatively, you may identify the source of each piece of evidence or borrowed idea in your paper inside parentheses: (History 212 lecture, 10/28/02), (McKay, p. 360), or (Achebe, p. 62).

For example, your text might read:

According to Prof. Vatter, …….. (History 212 lecture, 11/05/02).

Avoid lengthy quotations.

Feel free to paraphrase material (put it in your own words). However, you MUST identify the source and page of evidence, even when you present information in your own words.

WHEN TO USE CITATIONS (when to identify sources):

Direct quotations

Events, information, or ideas from the novel (or other sources) that you present in your own words

THE CSULB Academic dishonesty policy will be strictly adhered to.

Academic dishonesty includes:

· borrowing a friend’s paper and using it as your assignment

· ‘group’ essays, nearly the same paper submitted by several people (however it’s ok to work together and talk about the questions, but the construction of the essay must be entirely your own)

· finding internet source and generously padding your paper with uncited excerpts

· using information or ideas learned in lecture, the textbook, articles, or the question ‘prompt’ and not citing them (Note: The source & pages of paraphrased ideas as well as exact words should be identified.)

· purchasing a paper

If you are unsure what constitutes plagiarism, please contact me. At the very least, plagiarized papers will result in a failing grade for this course.

A successful paper:

· has a strong introduction with an arguable thesis

· has a thoughtful title that reflects the themes in your paper (avoid titles such as “My Term Paper”)

· is not merely descriptive. It includes analysis and explanations that link evidence to conclusions, not simply descriptive evidence

· has a thesis supported with relevant and concise evidence from the novel and other course sources to back up claims

· is well organized with coherent paragraphs relevant to the thesis

· properly cited quoted and summarized evidence

· is well written, well edited, and well documented