Often when we read, the authors words make us see the world around us in new ways. Both poetry and song are similar genres that especially evoke strong imagery and emotions, even if they are also entertaining. In this essay, you will consider the context of a piece of writing and explore the ways it connects to our current cultural moment by choosing an artifact that supplements the reading you did for class. Choose one of the following prompts:

We read four poems by Natasha Trethewey and one by Tongo Eisen-Martin. Choose one of the poems and explore the language and imagery the poet evokes. Then, locate an image, news article, or song that relates to the poem. The item you choose may depict the imagery the poet describes. Or it may be a news story about an event similar to the poets theme. Or, it may be a song that also comments on similar themes or uses a similar tone. Whatever you choose, you will write an essay in which you make a claim about what the poem means. You will make a connection between the poems message and the item you have chosen. You will, therefore, need to have a focusing statement that explains your interpretation, and you will need to do a close reading of the poem in which you help readers understand and be persuaded by your interpretation and the poems connection to your chosen artifact.

Karen Bates provides an interesting look at the Karen trope we are currently seeing in America today. For this essay, locate a meme that employs the Karen trope. Then, write an essay in which you analyze and respond to a specific element of Bates argument, using the meme as an illustration for your argument. For example, you might expand on her discussion of Becky and Sir Mix-A-Lots Baby Got Back; discuss her comparison of Karen and Ann when it comes to the punishment of black men; or contemplate the newly proposed CAREN act in California. Either way, you will need to summarize the episode, contextualize the meme you have chosen, and then make a specific claim about the element you choose to discuss.

Your Essay #2:

600 words
An intentional Introduction
A claim
a statement of what you want to convince a reader to accept or consider.
able to be debated or argued against
Summary of the text youve read
Context and explanation of your artifact
Your interpretation
Analysis
HWWWWW
Patterns, rhetorical strategies (ethos, pathos, logos, repetition)
Your response
How do you relate to the connections youve drawn? How do you fit into the conversation?
An intentional conclusion
Formatted in MLA
12 pt font
Times New Roman
1 inch margins
Double spaced