Essay on "Postmodernism in American Literature Death"

Quoted Instructions for "Postmodernism in American Literature Death" Assignment:

Paper #3

This response paper should be between 500 and 750 words long, double-spaced with standard margins and a standard size font. Papers which are longer than 750 words or shorter than 500 words will automatically earn no higher than a D.

Your Assignment

Postmodernism is a challenging term to define because its meaning is simply *****after modernism.***** However, as the posted materials on this course site indicate, critics and theorists have identified some patterns in postmodern art and literature. On the other hand, even though much of the literature written in the last fifty or so years qualifies as postmodernism, much of it does not.

Choose one of the following readings:"Streetcar Named Desire" or "Death of a Salesman" from this third portion of the course. Then, write a paper arguing whether or not the work qualifies as postmodernism. Your paper should both define postmodernism in the literary sense and show how the work you have decided to use fits in with this movement. You can, if you wish, show how a work does not qualify as postmodernism in spite of its being written during the postmodern era. Or, a third choice is to show how a work includes elements of postmodernism but also some elements which are not postmodernism.

When you write and want to define or explain the relevant literary movement, feel free to refer to the documents I have created or the websites linked on the course site. However, no outside sources can be used on this paper. In addition, if you do take any details or wording from the sources included on this site, you must use quotation marks and clear in-text references when you quote, paraphrase or summarize. Include a works cited for any sources used, but again, only websites linked as part of this course can be included here. Plagiarism is a serious offense, so be careful not to copy wording or take ideas without giving proper credit to any other author.

When quoting poetry, you must follow specific and unique patterns and rules for proper punctuation and format. Be sure you visit the Writing about Literature folder and find the relevant links about quoting poetry. Papers which fail to meet these requirements will earn failing grades.

Remember, too, that you are taking an English class; therefore, your grade will be determined by a combination of the quality of both your content and writing.

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