American Literature Written Tasks

Course written assignment: Choose two subjects from the list below and provide an answer.
Delivery deadline: 26 May
Delivery address: ruxbontila@yahoo.com
Document title: Onose. (Pduraru) Corina

1. What, in your opinion, does Poe want to prove by writing The Philosophy of Composition? (two
paragraphs)
In my opinion, Poe wants to prove, by writing '' The Philosophy of Composition'' , how good writers
write their works and how to compose a poem, a short story or another literary work. Poe was a man of
few words and he tried to write as concisely as possible. He wanted to explain his fellow writers his
theory of how good writers write well. The 3 central elements of Poe's philosophy are: length, method
and unity of effect.
Poe begins his discussion by asserting that literary works should start with the conclusion or
denouement and then work back to the motivation or causes that lead to the '' end''. Only in this way,
Poe insists, the writer can give the plot an indispensable air of consequence by making both the
incidents and the tone contribute to the development of the overall intention. Poe says that he always
begins with an '' effect'', preferably a novel and a vivid one, then he determines what combination of
incidents and tone will best aid him in the construction of that effect. Poe dismisses the notion of artistic
intuition and argues that writing is methodical and analytical not spontaneous. He uses '' The Raven'' his
poetic masterpiece as means to do this.

2. How does Hawthorne manage, from the onset of the novella, to portray the communitys
sentimental engagement with Hester Prynne? That is, to create that vacillation between abhorrence
and adoration as the hallmark of the text, at the level of both public and private relationships. (one
paragraph)
Over the course of twenty-four chapters, Hawthorne portrays the fate of Hester Prynne, a woman
who is condemned by Puritan law to wear the letter A on her bosom as a punishment for her adultery.
The story has engendered numerous interpretations, seeing as it has been read as a tale of sin and its
consequences, of social isolation, of redemption, of passion and love, of an individual struggling
against society's conventions and so much more. The reasons for this variety of readings are manifold,
but can undoubtedly be ascribed to the fact that the principles and attitudes of both Hester and her
daughter Pearl are at times puzzling and hard to identify. The moral essence of these female
protagonists is made up of contradicting characteristics, making it difficult for the reader to come to a
straightforward conclusion. On the other hand, Hester, suffering from her social isolation, exhibits a
desire to be once more accepted as a full member of the community. At the same time, however, her
passionate spirit and her personal, moral laws seem to be directly opposed to the Puritan belief that her
sin is truly evil and the docile, submissive attitude that is expected of her. Pearl, the elf-like child, is
similarly self-contradicting by representing both rebellion against and acceptance of the authority of the
Puritan government.