Philosopher Soren Kierkegaard said that “[l]ife can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” Write an essay applying  this idea to both Kindred and Everything Is Illuminated, drawing connections between the two novels.

You are going to write a researched essay in which you develop support for a thesis related to the two texts we have read so far. . WHAT: Please write on the following topic: 1. Philosopher Soren Kierkegaard said that “[l]ife can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” Apply this idea to both Kindred and Everything Is Illuminated, drawing connections between the two novels. HOW: DETAILS OF THE ASSIGNMENT

1. Length: Your analysis must be at least 5 full pages long—and that means 5, not almost 5 or just under 5. The 6th and 7th page needs to be the Prewrite and the outline (more info at the bottom prewrite and outline)

2. Format: Your paper must be double-spaced throughout, top to bottom—from the start of the heading to the bottom of the Works Cited. Your paper must be formatted in accordance with current, 8th edition MLA style. – WHEN:

3. Sources: Primary: You will use 2 primary sources, Kindred and Everything Is Illuminated Secondary: You will use at least 4 secondary, or scholarly, sources in support of your claims. These may include articles and books. A scholarly article is one that has appeared in a peer-reviewed academic journal.

A Note on Sources: – Be advised that your secondary sources may not always be directly about the primary texts themselves. For example, if you are discussing the idea of trauma being passed through genes, you may find general scholarship on the idea and then apply it to the text. – Wikipedia and sites like about.com or sparknotes.com, etc. are not appropriate sources. They are neither academic nor thought-provoking, and you know that. If you are doubt about a source, check with the instructor

4. Prewrite and Outline: You are required to do a prewriting exercise, and to write an outline, before drafting your essay Prewrite:

Your prewrite may take the form of a brainstorming, freewrite, or bubble map, in which you explore your ideas about the prompt of your choice Outline: Your outline should consist of a thesis statement at the top, followed by supports, and by details that flesh out the supports – See the sample outline in the Week 5 Module Do not rely on what online articles offer as their citation information; double check MLA style Do not use first-person when writing about literature; your essay is about your ideas, but not about you Do write in the present tense when writing about literature, no matter how old the text is or whether its author is dead:

(Ex.: “In Kindred, Butler writes that….”; “Grandfather remembers…”) –Use past tense only when discussing events that take place before the book begins (Ex.: “Dana and Kevin first met at….,” “Safran was from the area…”)

Do refer to authors by their surnames, after introducing them with their first and surnames Do transition into quoted passages Do not merely tell the story of the story; instead, make strong, declarative statements, and back them up by using the novels and your secondary sources Do follow all instructions, and remember that late work will not be accepted Do not wait until the last minute to try to upload any part of the assignment