English 254

Western American Literature

Dr. Susanne Bloomfield

BOOK ANALYSIS REQUIREMENTS

I. Plot Synopsis

Give title, author, original date of publication, publisher, and number of pages. In your own words, briefly summarize the work. (250 words)

II. Sense of Place

Discuss the importance of western myths, legends, and or stereotypes in this work (750 words). Use quotations from the work to support your interpretation. Some possible subjects that you might address could include*:

A. Which aspects of the Frontier Myth inform the narrative? Manifest Destiny? Regeneration through violence? Conflict between savagery and civilization? Bootstrap Myth? Rugged Individualism? The American Dream? Others?

B. What is the author's attitude toward these myths? Is it different from that of the characters?

C. Does ethnicity or gender affect the story?

D. Do the characters have any preconceived attitudes toward other races, religions, gender, or the land? Do these attitudes change by the conclusion the narrative?

E. Does the setting cause a conflict (Humanity vs. Nature) in the work? Could the natural surroundings be considered as a "character?" Is it benevolent or antagonistic?

(* DO NOT address ALL of these questions; consider only the questions appropriate to your book. Choose one or two and go into depth and detail.)

III. Comparative Analysis

Compare and/or contrast this work to another work we have studied in class. Possible areas for analysis might include the authors' acceptance of or alienation from American myths such as Manifest Destiny or the American Dream; their use of theme, symbolism, conflict, and character development; their emphasis on historical or cultural aspects of the period; their acceptance of or deviation from popularly accepted myths or stereotypes. Again, choose only one or two areas of comparison and go into depth. Use quotations from both works to support your comparison. (750 words)

IV. Reader-Response

What is your personal response to the book? Some questions you might consider are the following: What is the major theme of this book? Does it have any redeeming social, political, or personal values? Does it exemplify any universal truths? Is the book factual and realistic? Did you enjoy reading the book? (250 words)

**Follow the above format. Label Parts I, II, III, and IV. In addition to the critical thinking in the analysis, grammar, punctuation, correct form, and the degree of difficulty of the book will also be considered. Parts II and III are the most important and will weigh more heavily in determining the overall grade for the Book Analysis.

**Author not on suggested list must be approved by professor.

A FEW SUGGESTED WESTERN WRITERS AND THEIR BOOKS*

Abbey, Edward. The Monkey Wrench Gang, The Brave Cowboy(1956)

Adams, Andy. The Log of a Cowboy(1903)

Alexie, Sherman. Reservation Blues, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven

Berger, Thomas. Little Big Man

Blake, Robert. Dances with Wolves

Capps, Benjamin. The Trail to Ogallala(1964), Sam Chance(1965)

Cooper, James Fenimore. The Prairie, The Pioneers

Custer, George. My Life on the Plains

Davis, H.L. Honey in the Horn

Day, Robert. The Last Cattle Drive(1977)

Deloria, Jr., Vine. Custer Died for Your Sins

Dobie, J. Frank. The Longhorns

Doctorow, E.L. Welcome to Hard Times

Eastman, Charles. An Indian Boyhood, From Deep Woods to Civilization

Erdrich, Louise. Love Medicine, Beet Queen, Tracks, The Bingo Palace

Evans, Max. The Rounders(1960), One-Eyed Sky(1962), My Pardner(1963)

Flynn, Robert. The Road to Yesterday

Grey, Zane. Riders of the Purple Sage

Hansen, Ron. Atticus, Desperadoes

Haycox, Ernest. Trouble Shooter, The Border Trumpet, Alder Gulch

Hillerman, Tony.

Guthrie, Frank. The Big Sky, The Way West

Hopkins, Sarah Winnemucca. Life Among the Piutes

Hough, Emerson. North of 36, The Trail Boss

Johnson, Dorothy. Buffalo Woman, All the Buffalo Returning

Jackson, Helen Hunt. Ramona

Kelton, Elmer. The Day the Cowboys Quit(1971), The Time It Never Rained(1973), The Good Old Boys(1978)

Kesey, Ken. Last Go Round

King, Thomas. Medicine River

LaFarge, Oliver, Laughing Boy

L'Amour, Louis. Hondo

McCarthy. All the Pretty Horses, The Crossing, Blood Meridian.

McMurtry, Larry. Lonesome Dove, Horseman, Pass By(1961), Moving On(1970), Leaving Cheyenne(1963)

Momaday, N. Scott. The Way to Rainy Mountain, The Names

Mourning Dove. Co-ge-we-a

Neihardt, John. Black Elk Speaks

Owens, Louis. The Sharpest Sight, Bone Game, Wolfsong, Dark River

Portis, Charles. True Grit

Rhodes, Eugene Manlove. Paso por Aqui(1927), Stepsons of Light.

Sandoz, Mari. The Cattlemen, Cheyenne Autumn, Crazy Horse

Scarborough, Dorothy. The Wind(1925)

Schaefer, Jack. Monte Walsh(1963)

Silko, Leslie,Marmon. Ceremony, Storyteller

Welch, James. Winter in the Blood.

Wister, Owen. The Virginian(1902)

* For plot synopses, see A Literary History of the American West in the library, or go the Amazon.com or BN.com on the Web.