Task
Write a 2000-2200 paper in MLA style, analyzing BOTH Fences and Lydia through the lens of one of the three prompts listed below.
Sources
Use minimum of three sources from the Luria Library, including at least two peer-reviewed articles. You may use a peer-reviewed psychological or historical article as one of your peer-reviewed sources. However, you must also use at least one peer-reviewed work of literary criticism. You may use books written by scholars instead of peer-reviewed articles.
Prompts (choose one)
- Consider the American historical experiences embedded in these two of the plays. Specifically, what do the plays reveal about the impact of society on family? These historical contexts include recovering from slavery and institutional racism, the harsh world of the Mexican immigrant, the impact of war, Vietnam in Lydia and World War II in Fences. Consider the impact of economic hardship or even capitalism. What, if any, strategies does the family have to cope? Research for this prompt should include an in-depth use of the plays, including stage directions, themselves, peer-reviewed critical studies and historical studies, too. I recommend finding critical studies that explore the sociology of the American family in the 20th century.
- Both plays portray problematic father-son relationships. The fathers themselves are damaged, even from their own fathers. They are damaged in other ways, too. Write a paper in which you explore the American Father, challenges unique to him. I recommend peer-reviewed psychological studies concerning father-son relationships. Be sure to also use literary peer review studies.
- The mothers in both plays have different strategies for coping with the hardships of the family, especially difficult husbands.. Write a research paper in which you look at those mothers. Does the role of mothers seem to change as represented by the plays? I recommend including research on the American mother, which might mean specifically Black mothers or Mexican-American mothers. Or you might look at the changing role of women and motherhood. As with the father prompt, consider how sociological factors impact the women in the plays and how this relates to society at large.
