Assignment 2 Project Paper: Harlem Renaissance Poems

Essay Instructions:

The Project Paper focuses on a suggested topic related to art, architecture, history, music, or literature. The project will reflect your views and interpretation of the topic. This project is designed to help you stretch your mind and your abilities to be the creative, innovative, and critical thinker you already are!
Choose one (1) of the topics from the list of topic choices below. Read the topic carefully. Write a three to four (3-4) page paper (750-1,000 words) that responds to each of the items described in the topic. For the topic you choose:Support your ideas with specific, illustrative examples. If there are questions or points associated with your chosen topic, be sure to answer all of the listed questions and address all of the items in that topic. If your topic asks you to do several things related to the topic, be sure to do each of the things listed.The listed topics each have a certain writing genre with it (written speech, memo, poem with essay, scripted dialogue, etc). From this you can see that there is a fun, creative writing aspect to this assignment. In most cases students should stick with the genre as listed. However, your instructor might suggest some alternative genre on one of the topics. As a student, you also can propose to your instructor some alternative genre for the topic you choose—something different from what is listed. Since not all such proposals can work, be aware that your proposal will get consideration, but may or may not be approved. Also, if you make such a proposal, please do so before the end of Week 5.
Use at least three (3) good quality academic sources, with one (1) source being the class text.
Note: Wikipedia and other similar Websites do not qualify as academic resources. You are highly encouraged to use the Resource Center tab at the top of your Blackboard page.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; references must follow APA Style format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions specific to the selected topic. (Note: Students can find APA style materials located in the Additional Resources section of their Student Center within their course shell for reference)
Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the professor's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required page length.
Topic Chosen: Harlem Renaissance Poets. Essay & Poem. Choose two (2) poems by different authors from the Harlem Renaissance. Write an essay that:
Describes each author's role and importance within the Harlem Renaissance.
Identify the elements in each of their poems in which you see evidence of the “double-consciousness” being expressed by each author.
Fully describe at least two (2) primary themes you see in the poetry written during this time period, referring to specific lines in each of the poems.
Write your own poem that expresses these identified themes of the Harlem Renaissance

Essay Sample Content Preview:

Name
Professor
Course
Date
Harlem Renaissance Poems
During the Harlem Renaissance Countee Cullen was a major attraction and considered the true voice that represents the Harlem Renaissance. His marriage was viewed as a historic wedding in New York (Poetry foundation 1). His life story exuberate youthful talent of a star. His success was derived from a mixture of white and black culture and his romantic personality as he embraced both black and white cultures (Boyd 197).
Countee Cullen perceived art as something above race that could be well utilized to limit the differences between blacks and whites (Boyd 198). He had several talents, being a novelist, anthologist, a poet a poem and play writer. While in school in De Whit Clinton High, he started writing poetry and was recognized for his contributions (Boyd 198).His first major contest that made him famous was a poem titled “I have a Rendezvous with life" (Poetryfoundation 1). With time, he wrote several volumes of poems that made him become a legend, because of his talents; Countee Cullen was recognized and became a significant figure in the Harlem Renaissance.
Similarly, Claude McKay was also a Harlem Renaissance poet, known for his pieces of artwork like” If We Must Die” and “America”. Claude discussed the challenges facing African Americans during his time.
Since Harlem Renaissance was a period where African American artist had the opportunity to express their feelings through art freely. Poets like McKay came into the limelight. McKay was born in Jamaica but migrated to the US as compared to many Harlem Renaissance artists who was born in the US (McKay 15). McKay's poems discussed America from a different perspective, by merging different elements of pain, pleasure, hate, and love (McKay 25). He viewed America analyzing all the bad and the good values (McKay 5). The fact that America was his home; he offered black immigrant hope by using his artistic skills to influence their thinking. He opened up the way for other black poets to discuss racism and condition facing black Americans (McKay 6)
For example, Countee Cullen's poem known as “the loss of love” portrays how he courageously tackled sensitive themes like death. He indicated that suffering and pain encountered were part of the struggle towards achieving freedom. These were the trying times for African American communities. In his message, Cullen encouraged people not to give ...

Updated on January 26, 2024

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Assignment 2 Project Paper: Harlem Renaissance Poems

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