In the roughly two hundred years between Puritan poets and gothic writers – and even since then – it seems society always wants to hear about, read about, and discuss the same basic topics. Gothic writers like Poe and Hawthorne – as well as some writers we will encounter in the next few modules, like Dickinson and Masters – were all radical writers for their time because of the way they treated taboo or uncomfortable issues. Compare various American authors’ – one Puritan, one American Enlightenment, and one Gothic writer – treatment of ONE subject from the list below. Is it that much different from the way Puritan authors might have? How Gothic writers might have? Why/how? In other words, what had changed about perceptions of this topic, or how this topic was dealt with or talked about, in the two hundred years between the Puritan poets and gothic writers & poets? Do you think these authors speak to current concerns, or do you see any current authors / songwriters who deal with similar issues in similar ways?

Potential subjects (choose ONE): death/afterlife, feminism, institutionalized religion, education, what it means to be a “good citizen/person” (other topics may be approved at my discretion – please email me if you have another topic in mind)

NOTE: You need to compare all three authors’ treatment of one of these subjects. You cannot earn a passing grade if, for example, you discuss religion in Puritan and American Enlightenment text and then death in Gothic texts.

As usual, answer all these questions in your essay. Use evidence from the primary texts to support your views. The essay must flow, so I strongly suggest that you outline before you begin drafting. Although I recommend answering the questions in order (so that the essay flows), you do not have to if you find a better way of organizing your essay. Remember to use transition and topic sentences. Do not use subheadings in your essay. Make sure that you have strong introduction, body, and concluding sections.

This essay must be at least 5 pages (1500 words) long. There is no maximum or upper limit. You must use at least four readings from the class, one from outside class (of your own choosing), and two scholarly sources (either from class or of your own choosing) to help you prove your points. (You may NOT use Wikipedia, Shmoops, Cliffnotes, Sparknotes, GradeSaver, etc. Using any such site as a source will guarantee that your essay earns no higher than a C-.) All citations (including quotations and paraphrasing) should conform to MLA formatting rules for in-text citations, and you need to include an MLA-formatted bibliography at the end of your essay. The bibliography does NOT count towards the word/page count. Remember, this is a college-level essay, so part of your grade will also be based on grammar, spelling, word choice, punctuation, mechanics, etc. MLA citations need to be formatted correctly. You will lose points for incorrect formatting. Missing formatting = plagiarism = a failing grade.