UNITED STATES AUTHOR · DRAMA · COLLECTIONS
Sylvan Barnet
"Humor," says James Thurber. "is a serious thing.
— from Eight great comedies
Most acclaimed
A short guide to writing about literature
Part of Longman's successful Short Guide Series, A Short Guide to Writing about Literature emphasizes writing as a process and incorporates new critical approaches to writing about literature. The twelfth edition continues to offer students sound advice on how to become critical thinkers and enrich their reading response through accessible, step-by-step instruction. This highly respected text is ideal as a supplement to any course where writing about literature or literary studies is emphasized. Part I (Chs. 1-5) emphasizes the close connections between reading and writing, reflecting the need for good writers to be effective, analytic readers. Part II (Chs. 6-9) offers strategies and practical guidelines for understanding how literature "works" (form and meaning), and for understanding the differences between interpretation and evaluation. Part III (Chs. 10-15) explores the differences between writing about fiction, drama, and poetry, and includes an in-depth look at the writing of a single author (Langston Hughes). Part IV (Chs. 16-17) offers guidance for writing academic papers including research and formatting. Appendices include two stories that are the subjects of student essays in the book, a glossary of literary terms, and a quick review quiz. A wealth of student papers, including preliminary notes, drafts, and revisions of drafts appear throughout the book. Checklists on a variety of topics offer brief, effective guidelines. - Publisher.
Contemporary & classic arguments
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Preface PART I. DEBATES ON CONTEMPORARY ISSUES 1. Affirmative Action: Is It Fair? Terry Eastland, Ending Affirmative Action Burke Marshall and Nicholas deB. Katzenbach, Not Color Blind: Just Blind 2. Cell Phones: Should Their Use While Driving Be Prohibited? Advocates for Cell Phone Safety, Yes, Prohibit Their Use Robert W. Hahn and Paul Tetlock, No, Don't Prohibit Their Use 3. Censorship: Should Public Libraries Filter Internet Sites? David Burt, Yes, Install Filters Nancy Kranich, No, Do Not Install Filters 4. Gay Marriages: Should They Be Legalized? Thomas B. Stoddard, Gay Marriages: Make Them Legal Lisa Schiffren, Gay Marriage, an Oxymoron 5. Gun Control: Would It Really Help? Sarah Thompson, Concealed Carry Prevents Violent Crimes Nan Desuka, Why Handguns Must Be Outlawed PART II. CASEBOOKS ON CONTEMPORARY ISSUES 6. The Death Penalty: Can It Ever Be Justified? Edward I. Koch, Death and Justice: How Capital Punishment Affirms Life David Bruck, The Death Penalty Potter Stewart, Gregg v. Georgia Harry Blackmun, Dissenting Opinion in Callins v. Collins Sister Helen Prejean, Executions Are Too Costly -- Morally Casey Johnson, Yes, The Death Penalty Should Apply to Juveniles Emma Welch, No, The Death Penalty Should NotApply to Juveniles Alex Kozinski and Sean Gallagher, For an Honest Death Penalty 7. Drugs: Should Their Sale and Use Be Legalized? William J. Bennett, Drug Policy and the Intellectuals James Q. Wilson, Against the Legalization of Drugs Milton Friedman, There's No Justice in the War on Drugs Elliott Currie, Toward a Policy on Drugs 8. The Just War: What Are the Criteria? G. E. M. Anscombe, The Criteria of a Just War Peter Steinfels, The Just War Tradition and the Invasion of Iraq George A. Lopez, Iraq and Just-War Thinking William A. Galston, The Perils of Preemptive War Andrew Sullivan, Yes, a War Would Be Moral 9. Privacy: What Are Its Limits? Amitai Etzioni,Less Privacy Is Good For Us (and You) Simson Garfinkel, Privacy under Attack Nadine Strossen, Everyone Is Watching You E-mail responses to Nadine Strossen Judith Wagner DeCew, The Feminist Critique of Privacy 10. Sexual Harassment: Is There Any Doubt About What It Is? Tufts University, What Is Sexual Harassment? Ellen Goodman, The Reasonable Woman Standard Ellen Frankel Paul, Bared Buttocks and Federal Cases Sarah J. McCarthy, Cultural Fascism 11. Torture: Is It Ever Justifiable? Clinton R. Van Zandt, It Should Not Be Permissible to Torture Suspected Terrorists to Gather Information Vincent Iacopino, It Should Be Permitted to Torture Suspected Terrorists to Gather Information Philip B. Heymann, Torture Should Not Be Authorized Alan M. Dershowitz, Yes, It Should Be "On the books" Michael Levin, The Case for Torture PART III. CLASSIC ARGUMENTS Plato, Crito The Myth of the Cave Thomas More, From Utopia Niccolò Machiavelli, From The Prince Jonathan Swift, A Modest Proposal Thomas Jefferson, The Declaration of Independence Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions Virginia Woolf, Professions for Women George Orwell, Shooting an Elephant Martin Luther King Jr., I Have a Dream Letter from Birmingham Jail Judy Brady, I Want a Wife Peter Singer, Animal Liberation Garrett Hardin, Lifeboat Ethics James Rachels, Active and Passive Euthanasia