It's hard enough being me by anna lisa raya

READ ALL:

Ch. 11 Up Close: Thinking about Literary works and Literary Forms, (pp. 316-327)
Ch. 12 A Brief Guide to Writing about Literature, (pp. 327-332)
Ch. 13 Reading and Writing about Essays, (pp. 332-350)
“Salvation” by Langston Hughes p. 343
“On Going Home” by Joan Didion, p. 635
“It’s Hard Enough Being Me” by Anna Lisa Raya, p. 1112
“The Opposite Sex” by Seven Dorloff, p. 741
“Hookups Starve the Soul” Laura Vanderkam, p. 345
“About Men” by Gretel Ehrlich, p. 743
“A Conflict of Interest” by Zora Neale Hurston, p. 1293
“Persian Letters” by Montesquieu, p. 638
“Wal-Mart Orientation Program” by Barbara Ehrenreich, p.994
STEP 2: WRITE:

• Select one of the pieces above. Other selections are available in the text if none of these interest you.

• Determine the message/opinion expressed in the essay. Is the date relevant to the message in terms of the timing in history or cultural norms? In the years since publication, has anything changed?

• How does considering the time frame, educational experiences of the people involved, or social attitudes influence the message of the essay or your reaction/interpretation of this message?

• Do you agree with the author?

• What elements/evidence worked or did not work in your opinion? Include quoted passages from the essays and examples/details offered in the essay to defend your opinion.

• You will need a works cited page for your essay.

STEP 3: Integrate pieces of research of the African American experience in the early 20th century into your analysis of the essay. Consider how your research of this time period, 1900-1940, and the black authors enhanced your understanding of the selection.