Instructions:
You must choose either Langston Hughes’ essay “Salvation” on pp 668-669 in Steps to Writing Well With Additional Readings or E. B. White’s essay, “Once More to the Lake” (located under the Course DOCUMENT tab) to support the development of Critical Response Essay (CRE) 2. Whichever essay you select is the only outside source you are permitted to use in CRE 2. NO OTHER BORROWED SOURCES (IDEAS) ARE PERMITTED.
Choose only one of the two essays above and its corresponding topic choice below.
Once you make a choice, review the Format Requirements on page two of this document that apply to either essay choice.
Topic Choice 1: Based on the “Salvation” essay
Langston Hughes’ “Salvation” essay purposely examines religion from the perspective of a particularly memorable childhood experience. Langston Hughes says that he comes away from the revival experience no longer believing “there was a Jesus anymore, since He didn’t come to help” (669) when Hughes felt he most in need. If you select this essay as a topic, write an essay which explores BOTH of the following questions
Discuss Hughes’ attitude at the end of his essay. Specifically, do you find the essay title, “Salvation” to be incongruent with what he says at the end of the essay? WHY or WHY NOT? Explain using at least two ideas from his essay to support your answer.
Discuss why you think childhood is a time in life when religious questions are especially relevant (significant)? Use at least two ideas from his essay in support.
Mandatory Requirements for Developing The Salvation Topic Choice:
The body of your essay must include and discuss specific ideas from Hughes’ essay in support of your essay response.
Do not simply summarize or directly quote ideas from Hughes' essay. Explain how why or in what way each idea you select supports the thesis of your essay.
You are also specifically required to use concrete examples from your own life experiences to support your response for Topic Choice One.
Include MLA formatted internal citations for ALL ideas borrowed from the Hughes’ essay (whether paraphrased or directly quoted) and a work cited page entry at the end of your paper. Treat Hughes essay as a printed source.
Topic Choice 2: Based on the “Once More to the Lake” essay
E. B. White’s essay, “Once More to the Lake” explores the theme of nostalgia, which means mixed feelings of happiness, sadness, and longing about people and places from one’s past.
In an essay, explore your own thinking about nostalgia, using ideas from BOTH White’s essay and your own life to support your discussion.
Specifically, explore the proposition that nostalgia can obscure the true nature of family relationships and even cause one to suppress painful memories that should be confronted. Do not simply tell your reader what you remember. Explain why what you remember can obscure and lead to the suppression of memories rather than confronting and resolving them.
