Feminist Literature: Study of a Novel

•    Pick one of the works of fiction from the list and read it.  I am willing to consider other works, but please check with me first.

•    You will prepare a written analysis and also a short oral presentation for the rest of the class.

The Written Analysis should include:

1.    A short summary of the novel—to include basic plot and important themes.

2.    Discussion of the female characters—what view of women is presented?  This should be focused more on personality.

3.    Discussion of how your novel reflects a woman’s experience.  This should be focused more on actions.

4.    Discussion of how your novel relates to feminist theories and models we have studied.  

•    Paper length: 4-6 pages

Oral presentation:

Your discussion should be presented either from the point of view of one of the characters or from the author’s point of view.  Be creative—pick a presentation format that reflects the personality and style of the character/author you are representing. You may incorporate visual art, music, whatever seems appropriate.  

Examples of oral presentations:

•    Become the character and perform a monologue or musical piece

•    Make an activity for the whole class that demonstrates the point of the novel

•    Looking at the novel through a different point of view—a minor character or an antagonist—and perform a monologue about the main character

This part of the presentation should include some discussion of modern feminist literary criticism of your work.  This should be available for all of your authors.  If you have trouble finding some, ask me.    THIS IS NOT A SUMMARY!

Presentation length: not more than 15 minutes.  

Due Date: April 8th.

Feminist Texts for Individual Projects

Title of Text    Author

Mrs. Dalloway    Virginia Woolf

A Room of One’s Own    Virginia Woolf

Memories of a Woman Warrior    Maxine Hong Kingston

The Feminine Mystique    Betty Friedan

A Woman’s Room    Marilyn French

The Beauty Myth    Naomi Wolf

Backlash    Susan Faludi

Herland    Charlotte Perkins Gilman

The Edible Woman    Margaret Atwood

The Street    Ann Perry

The Handmaid’s Tale    Margaret Atwood

Their Eyes Were Watching God    Zora Neale Hurston

The Awakening    Kate Chopin

Under the Net    Iris Murdock

Tell Me a Riddle     Tillie Olson

Yonondio    Tillie Olson

Bastard Out of Carolina    Dorothy Allison

Sexual Politics    Kate Millet

Against our Wills    Susan Brownmiller

Possessing the Secret Joy    Alice Walker

The Female Eunich    Germaine Greer

Jane Eyre    Charlotte Bronte

Madame Bovary    Gustave Flaubert

Counry of the Pointed Firs    Sarah Orne Jewett

Left Hand of Darkness    Ursula LeGuin

Kindred    Octavia Butler

Little Women    Louisa May Alcott

Maggie, Girl of the Streets    Stephen Crane

Portrait of a Lady    Henry James

Zami-A New Spelling of My Name    Audre Lorde

My Antonia    Willa Cather

One of Ours    Willa Cather

Lives of Girls and Women    Alice Munro

Nightwood    Djuna Barnes

The House of Mirth    Edith Wharton

In the Time of the Butterflies    Julia Alvarez

Eyes, Breath, Memory    Edwidge Dandicat

1959    Thulani Davis

Bone-Setter’s Daughter    AmyTan

Name: _______________________________

Feminist Literature Novel Study Rubric

The written paper: 4-6 pages

                                                                                    0-2    3-4    5-6    7-8    9-10

1    Short summary of novel: plot and themes included                   

2    Discussion of female characters--personality  (x2)                   

3    Discussion of how novel reflects a woman’s experiences—action (x2)                   

4    Discussion and analysis of how your novel relates to feminist theories and models we have studied to create a convincing argument, arguments are thoughtful and articulate, insightful conclusions drawn from information gathered (x2.5)                   

5    Conventions: standard Academic English is used throughout paper, writing demonstrates a control of language that is effective in communicating ideas persuasively and precisely                   

6    MLA format used throughout paper and correctly used for works cited page (/2)                   

7    Overall effect of paper                   

    Total                    /100

Oral Presentation: Point of view of one of the characters or from the author’s point of view (should not be more than 15 minutes long)

                                                                                    0-2    3-4    5-6    7-8    9-10

1    Presentation is thorough, organized, and accurate                   

2    Presentation is insightful and thoughtful                   

3    Presentation is creative                   

4    Discussion and analysis of how your novel relates to feminist theories and models we have studied and used literary criticism to support discussion to create a convincing argument, arguments are thoughtful and articulate, insightful conclusions drawn from information gathered                   

5    Overall effect of presentation                   

    Total                    /50