American culture

In this analytical essay, you will analyze 1). the article’s content, 2). historical context, 3). the credentials of the author, 4). its symbolism in American culture and, finally, offer 5). a personal reflection on its broader themes. These 5 sections, together, will create an analytical essay in which you have presented properly contextualized understanding of the document and its production, along with a personal reflection upon it.

1). Book content: Provide a summary of the content of the text. Basically, this is your chance to show me that you understood the reading and can put it in your own words. For this part, citations/quotations should NOT be used, and instead, paraphrasing and rewording should be employed to show your depth of knowledge. Obviously, this should be very brief and can’t possibly encompass everything. The most salient point should be privileged.

2). Historical context: Provide enough historical background to appropriately understand the production of the document. You should show that you understand where and when it was written and under what political circumstances it was written and what it sought to accomplish. Other factors you may choose to explore include socioeconomic, racial, colonial, economic and cultural factors. Your motivating question should be: how does this document help us understand the time in which it was written?