Readings: Unit Eight

Welcome to the second unit for our thematic introduction essays! In this unit, we will embark on a captivating exploration of the timeless and powerful theme of Love versus Hate in literary history.

Throughout the previous units, we have encountered a diverse array of literary genres, including creative nonfiction, fictional short stories, poetry, drama, and the novel. Now, we will delve into the profound and complex emotions of love and hate, examining their interplay, consequences, and significance within the realm of literature (and, by extension, in life itself).

The theme of Love versus Hate encompasses a broad spectrum of human experiences and emotions. Love represents the profound connections, affections, and passions that bind individuals together, while hate embodies the depths of animosity, anger, and aversion that can tear people apart.

These primal emotions have long captivated writers and readers, offering rich terrain for exploring the complexities of human relationships, the forces that drive us, and the consequences of our choices.

Literature provides a space where the themes of Love versus Hate come alive in vivid and memorable ways. Characters navigate the intricate landscapes of love and hate, grappling with conflicts of desire, betrayal, jealousy, forgiveness, and redemption.

Stories may unravel the destructive power of hatred or celebrate the transformative and redemptive nature of love. Through literary works, we are invited to reflect on the intricacies of human emotions, the gradual spectrum between these two opposing forces, and the profound impact they have on individuals and societies.

Within the Love versus Hate theme, there are closely related thematic dichotomies that further enrich our exploration. The dichotomy between Light versus Darkness, for example, has been a recurring motif in literature. Light often symbolizes love, hope, and purity, while darkness is often used to signify hate, despair, and corruption. This interplay between light and darkness serves as a powerful metaphor for the contrasts and conflicts between love and hate.

Another related thematic spectrum is that of love and hate in action — Care versus Destruction. This sub-theme delves into the contrasting impulses of nurturing, protection, and preservation on one hand, and harm, devastation, and annihilation on the other. Care represents the empathetic and compassionate aspects of human nature, emphasizing the value of empathy, kindness, and the preservation of life. On the other hand, destruction embodies the dark and destructive forces that can arise from hate, selfishness, and indifference, leading to the ruin of individuals, relationships, and even entire societies. By examining the interplay between care and destruction, we may gain a deeper understanding of the complex choices and consequences that unfold in the literary works we explore.

For your synthesis essay, you will compare, contrast, and combine ideas from different readings than used in the previous and next thematic essay. Your novel will, of course, remain the same. Consider readings from the listing of creative nonfiction, fictional short stories, poetry, drama, and the novel to examine the theme of Love versus Hate. You will analyze the ways in which different genres and literary techniques convey these emotions, explore the complexities of human relationships, and reflect on the universal truths and insights embedded within these works.

Prepare to embark on a literary journey that explores the profound depths of Love versus Hate and its related themes. By the end of this unit, you will have gained a deeper understanding of the complexities of human emotions, the power of love and hate, and their impact on individuals and society. Get ready to engage in close reading, critical analysis, and thoughtful reflection as we delve into the captivating world of literary exploration, examining the selected readings through the lens of this compelling thematic dichotomy.
Analysis Checklist 

When considering the thematic dichotomy of Love versus Hate, including closely related issues, please take note of the following elements:

1. Character Relationships: Analyze the dynamics between characters that involve expressions of love, hate, care, or destructive behaviors. Examine how acts of caring can foster love and counteract destructive actions driven by hate.
2. Motivations: Explore the underlying reasons and emotions that drive characters’ actions and attitudes towards love and hate.
3. Conflict: Identify conflicts arising from opposing forces of love and hate, and the impact on characters and the overall narrative.
4. Empathy: Note instances where characters demonstrate empathy and compassion, contrasting with moments of hostility or indifference driven by hate.
5. Transformation: Examine how love or hate can lead to personal growth or destructive consequences for characters.
6. Romantic Love: Explore romantic relationships and the portrayal of love, including themes of passion, devotion, jealousy, or betrayal.
7. Familial Love: Consider the depiction of love within families, exploring themes of loyalty, sacrifice, or estrangement.
8. Friendship: Analyze the friendships portrayed in the work, noting instances of support, camaraderie, or betrayal.
9. Prejudice and Discrimination: Examine how hate can stem from biases, stereotypes, or discrimination, contrasting with acts of love that promote understanding and acceptance.
10. Power Dynamics: Consider how power imbalances can influence expressions of love or hate within relationships.
11. Consequences: Analyze the outcomes and repercussions of characters’ actions driven by love or hate.
12. Redemption: Note instances where characters have the potential for personal growth, healing, or reconciliation through the power of love.
13. Symbolism: Identify symbolic representations associated with love or hate that deepen the thematic exploration.

These elements should provide a framework for analyzing and interpreting the thematic dichotomy of Love vs. Hate. It’s important to adapt and expand based on the specific context, themes, and character relationships in each literary work, considering additional elements such as narrative structure, symbolism, moral dilemmas, and the exploration of human emotions.

Introduction to Literature Course Readings 

• “Frank Sinatra Has a Cold” (1966) by Gay Talese
• “Letter from Birmingham Jail” (1963) by Martin Luther King, Jr.
• “True Colors” (1999) by Malcolm Gladwell
• “The Chase” (1987) by Annie Dillard
• “My Misspent Youth” (2001) by Meghan Daum
• “My First Time” (2021) by “Alejandra Alumna”
• Kate Chopin, “The Story of an Hour” (1894)
• Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Adventure of the Speckled Band” (1897)
• O. Henry, “The Gift of the Magi” (1905)
• James Thurber, “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” (1939)
• Eudora Welty, “A Worn Path” (1941)
• Shirley Jackson, “The Lottery” (1948) 
• James Baldwin, “Sonny’s Blues” (1957)
• Langston Hughes, “Thank You, Ma’am” (1958)
• Grace Paley, “A Conversation with My Father” (1972)
• Alice Walker, “Everyday Use” (1973)
• Andy Weir, “The Egg” (2009)
• William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 29: When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes” (1609)
• John Donne, “For Whom the Bell Tolls” (1624)
• William Blake, “The Lamb” (1789)
• Percy Bysshe Shelley, “Ozymandias” (1818)
• Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “A Psalm of Life” (1838)
• Emily Dickinson, “Hope Is The Thing With Feathers” (1891)
• Rudyard Kipling, “If—” (1910)
• Robert Frost, “The Road Not Taken” (1916)
• Edgar Albert Guest, “To a Young Man” (1916)
• Mitchell Parish (for a melody by Hoagy Carmichael), “Stardust” (1927)
• William Carlos Williams, “This Is Just To Say” (1934)
• Langston Hughes, “Let America Be America Again” (1936)
• W. H. Auden, “Song No. XXX” (aka “Funeral Blues” or “Stop All the Clocks”) (1938)
• Dr. Seuss, “Horton Hears a Who!” (1954)
• Bob Dylan, “A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall” (1963)
• John Lennon, “In My Life” (1965)
• Paul Weller, “Down in the Tube Station at Midnight” (1978)
• 2Pac (Tupac Amaru Shakur), “Dear Mama” (1995)
• Billy Collins, “The Lanyard” (1998)
• Amanda Gorman, “The Hill We Climb” (2021)
• Oedipus Rex (429 BC) by Sophocles
• The Proposal (1890) by Anton Chekhov
• Pygmalion (1946) by George Bernard Shaw
• Casablanca (1942) by Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein, and Howard Koch
• “Everything is Fine” (The Good Place, 2016) by Mike Schur
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (1813)
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960)
• The Princess Bride by William Goldman (1973)

This assignment will require proper citations of the primary and secondary sources. The primary source is the creative text you’re analyzing or interpreting. Secondary sources are experts’ commentary on those sources, which you might cite to help explain and prove your points. You will need to search for TWO experts’ opinions on the texts you choose — and quote, paraphrase, or summarize their findings to explain and prove your points.

Many of you already covered these topics in English Composition I and II, however, as a refresher, below is a listing of articles to help you refer to and cite them properly.

• On Paragraphs
• Quoting, Paraphrasing, Summarizing
• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Safe Practices
• MLA Style
• MLA- In-text Citations
• MLA- Formatting Quotations
• MLA- Works Cited Page
• MLA- Citing Books
• MLA- Citing Electronic Sources
• How to Write Masterful Topic Sentences for Essays
• How to Use Transition Sentences for Smoother Writing
• All About Transition Words

Please remember to take notes on all the readings and videos in the course, and use your notes to take a minute to review all your hard work, daily.