1 FORDHAM UNIVERSITY Department of African and African American Studies ENGL 2000L15/16 Freedom and Slavery in African and African Diasporic Literature Midterm Essay Assignment Fall 2021 Select one of the following prompts: A) Discuss the relationship between slavery and one of the following with reference to Equiano and one other text we have studied this semester (Williams, Smallwood, Hartman, Berlin): a) religion b) family c) memory d) violence B) Write an essay in favor of the abolition of slavery using the most effective and convincing evidence from Equiano and one additional reading (Williams, Smallwood, Hartman, Berlin) to support your arguments. All essays should be 5-pages (double-spaced), 12-point font, Times New Roman. You must provide detailed close readings of the texts under analysis. Be as specific as possible in developing your views and cite particular events, scenes, passages, and stylistic effects that support your interpretation (including quotations properly cited with page references). Pleases proof read your work. Step 1 due Thursday, September 30 at 6 pm: Your first draft is due in the course Google Folder (Read and Write) and a Google Doc. Share with “Read” and “Edit” capabilities so your colleagues can comment. In your draft please focus on the following: a) Choice of evidence (Have you cited relevant passages from the texts under discussion?) b) Discussion of evidence (Do you engage in critical analysis of the passages cited?) c) Organization (Does the argument proceed in a logical manner?) d) Thesis (Is there some gesture toward an argument? It’s okay if this is provisional in the draft stage.) Your draft can be brief (2-2.5 pages) and preliminary. Point form is okay; or an introductory paragraph and an initial close reading analysis; or list of passages to analyze with notes on why these passages help prove your argument, etc. Step 2 due Sunday, October 3 at 6 pm: You must comment on the papers of two other students. Step 3 due Wednesday, October 13 at 6 pm: Revise and Resubmit your second (and final) Midterm Draft on Blackboard. Upload as a Microsoft Word Document. 2 Grading Midterm 1st Draft: 5% Midterm 2nd Draft: 15% Midterm Essay Rubric (15 points) Exemplary (A) Good (B) Acceptable (C) Unacceptable (D/F) Choice of appropriate passages (4) Compiling important information from passages (close reading/analysis) (6) Draw conclusions based on information (Argument) (4) Writing Skills (1) Total (15)