With some peer guidance, I have chose to write my second project off the excerpt from Ramona, choosing to explore the following topics:
1. In what ways could this story
be considered an artifact of history? The
author, Helen Hunt Jackson was an activist and wrote the story of Ramona and
Alessandro with the hope to bring awareness to the treatment towards American
Indians. Because this story was written during the height of this disturbing
time in our American history, it references very real and plausible
situations. Also, I will keep in mind Ramona was written in 1884 with the purpose to bring attention to current issues.
2. What does this story teach us
about history?
The story teaches us history
from a different perspective. My generation might read about history or be
taught about history, but we are so removed from these terrible things that it
is hard to fathom the reality. Stories like this bring that reality to
life. In comparing cultural and racial topics, this story teaches us that while history evolves, there are still many aspects that remain the same or similar. I could use this as an opportunity to explore how far we have come as a society in regard to cultural acceptance and racial equality and at the same time, explore how there are so many things that have yet to change.
3. How does a story teach us
about a time or place differently than a history book? Similar to question 2, history books
reference time periods as a generalization. It is hard to personalize
everything about history. History books also often tell the story from one
point of view. This story brings a few different points of view to light.
In writing papers such as these, I like to analyze the author as much as their writing, however, the prompts / questions for my chosen topic are very text specific. The questions do not ask for a reflection of the author. Instead, the questions ask what the specific story teaches us. For these answers, I will re-read the text and focus on every descriptive detail regarding standards of living, social expectations, and any other details that could help paint the picture of this time in history.
Working Arguable Thesis: Still pending... I want to address that history can be written and reflected in more than just text books. While a non-fiction story may not depict true or actual events, it can depict true settings and standards from the time in which it reflects.
Working Arguable Thesis: Still pending... I want to address that history can be written and reflected in more than just text books. While a non-fiction story may not depict true or actual events, it can depict true settings and standards from the time in which it reflects.
Hicks, Jack, et al. “Ramona.” The Literature of California, University of California Press, 2000, pp. 269 - 278.
