ENG 220: American Literature and Identity

Assessment 2: Critical Essay — Contradictions in American Identity

Assessment Overview

This assessment develops students’ ability to interpret literary and political texts through a critical lens, focusing on the construction of American identity as presented in Joyce Moser and Ann Watters’ Creating America. The task reflects standard second-year assessment models across U.S., UK, and Australian literature courses, where students are expected to synthesize primary and secondary texts into a sustained argument. Emphasis is placed on conceptual clarity, textual analysis, and the ability to engage with paradox and contradiction as analytical tools.

Task Description

Write an 825–1,050-word critical essay evaluating the claim that American identity is inherently contradictory. Use Moser and Watters’ argument as your central framework and support your analysis with at least two additional texts, such as foundational political documents, literary works, or contemporary speeches.

Required Textual Engagement

• Primary text: Moser and Watters, Creating America
• At least two secondary texts (e.g., The Declaration of Independence, modern literature, political speeches)
• Integration of quotations and close reading

Analytical Requirements

1. Develop a precise thesis that defines contradiction within the context of American identity.
2. Analyze how opposing ideas such as unity and division or individuality and collectivity operate within texts.
3. Demonstrate how contradictions are constructed through language, tone, and rhetorical strategies.
4. Evaluate the implications of these contradictions for understanding national identity.
5. Conclude with a critical reflection on whether contradiction weakens or strengthens the idea of American identity.

Formatting and Submission Guidelines

• Length: 825–1,050 words
• Format: Double-spaced, 12-point standard font
• Citation style: MLA (preferred for literature courses)
• Sources: Minimum of 3 academic sources
• Submission: Week 7 via LMS

Assessment Criteria (Marking Rubric)

• Thesis and Argument (30%): Clear articulation of contradiction as a central concept
• Textual Analysis (25%): Depth of close reading and interpretation
• Comparative Insight (20%): Effective integration of multiple texts
• Structure and Coherence (15%): Logical organization and clarity
• Referencing and Academic Integrity (10%): Accurate MLA citation and originality

Sample High-Scoring Response Essay

Contradiction operates not as a flaw in American identity but as one of its defining features. Moser and Watters frame identity as a tension between unity and division, and this tension becomes visible when placed alongside foundational texts. The Declaration of Independence asserts equality while emerging from a context that denied that principle to many, which reveals a gap between ideal and practice. Literary texts extend this pattern by suggesting that imagined ideals often carry more influence than material realities. When identity is shaped by both shared values and individual differences, it becomes difficult to separate cohesion from conflict. This pattern suggests that contradiction is not incidental but structural, shaping how identity is both expressed and experienced (Rowe, 2020, https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv10crf8h).

Political rhetoric reinforces this structure by presenting unity while acknowledging difference. Speeches that emphasize collective strength often rely on listing diverse identities, which introduces division within unity. Such moments do not resolve contradiction but instead make it visible. The persistence of this pattern across texts indicates that American identity may depend on maintaining these tensions rather than eliminating them.

Effective essays avoid treating contradiction as a simple inconsistency. Instead, analyze how opposing ideas coexist and produce meaning. Focus on language choices and rhetorical patterns. Strong responses connect historical documents with literary texts to show continuity in how identity is constructed.

Recommended References (MLA Style)

• Rowe, John Carlos. The Cultural Politics of the New American Studies. University of California Press, 2020. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv10crf8h
• Deloria, Philip J. Playing Indian. Yale University Press, 2018. https://yalebooks.yale.edu
• Hollinger, David A. After Cloven Tongues of Fire. Princeton University Press, 2021. https://press.princeton.edu
• Obama, Barack. “A More Perfect Union.” 2008. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov
• Palahniuk, Chuck. Choke. Anchor Books, 2002.
• How to Write an Essay on American Identity as Contradiction
• Write an 825–1,050-word MLA essay analyzing contradiction in American identity using literary and political texts.
• Compose a 3–4 page paper evaluating unity, division, and paradox in American identity through textual analysis.
• Analyze how contradiction shapes American identity using primary and secondary sources.

Next Assessment Preview

Assessment 3: Discussion Post — Identity and Rhetoric

Students will produce a 300–500-word discussion post analyzing how rhetoric shapes national identity in one selected text. The task requires close attention to language, tone, and audience.

Requirements

• Initial post due Week 8
• Two peer responses required
• At least one scholarly reference

Focus

Evaluate how rhetorical strategies reinforce or challenge the idea of a unified national identity, with attention to contradiction and audience positioning.