History 334 ‑‑ Fall 2007

Reaction Essay 2: Zola, Germinal.  Due at the beginning of class on Nov. 8. Late papers will be penalized by a 1/3 reduction of grade for each class day they are late.

Write an essay of 5-6 pages (1250-1500 words) addressing the following topic:

1) What forces drive the conflict between owner and miner in Zola's unflinching portrayal of nineteenth-century working class life?  What impels Etienne Lantier to his career as an advocate of labor and revolutionary?  Is he justified in his stance; is there any justification for the owners' position?  Ultimately has Zola constructed this as a story of individuals, or of broader social, economic or biological forces?

Clearly this society faces enormous problem.  Are there solutions?  What is the value of the various remedies offered by labor organizations and political parties?  Enumerate and analyze each of these (as associated with different characters).  What in the end seems to be Zola's attitude to humans and the human condition?

2) Write an essay on a topic of your own choosing. You MUST clear this topic with the instructor before commencing work.

Essay Requirements:

Basic Requirements: (you will be docked two percentage points from the grade otherwise earned for the assignment for each requirement below that is missing from your paper)

1) The paper must be word processed/typed, must have page numbers in the top right-hand corner of each page after the first, must have a maximum of 1 inch margins throughout, must be double spaced, and must be printed out in 12 point type font (Courier or Times Roman). It must be between 1250 and 1500 words. You may use a cover sheet or place necessary information in the top left-hand corner of the first page of your paper. Each paper should have at least your name, the course for which it is being turned in, the instructor to whom it is being turned in, and the date. Your paper should have a brief but appropriately illustrative title. It must also supply an accurate word count. Staple your papers in the top left-hand corner. Do NOT use plastic covers or binders of any sort. 

2) In writing the paper, all sources of information must be cited, even when the writer is not quoting directly. You must use footnote/endnote citations that conform to Chicago/Turabian (humanties [Documentary-note] style) style. The Chicago Manual of Style is on reserve at Terteling Library. The paper must have a separate bibliography (at the end) conforming to Chicago/Turabian style. Follow this link for a few brief examples of common Chicago-style citations. You may also want to use the Chicago Style Manual Quick Guide (use humanities style only).

General Requirements: The essay shall be typed and written in grammatical English. You must employ evidence from the text to support your arguments and supply proper page citations. You should consult no other written works in the composition of this essay. The essay should have a clear structure consisting of an introductory paragraph briefly detailing the question at hand and providing information on the broader context and importance of the material being considered, a series of paragraphs ‑ each possessing a topic sentence and supporting evidence ‑ which advance your argument logically, and a concluding paragraph briefly summarizing the major point or points of your essay and possibly drawing broader conclusions from the specific issues under consideration. You must support arguments and generalizations with evidence from your sources.