WS 201 Creative Writing Project: "Three Generations of Women in My Family"
The "Three Generations of Women in My Family" essay is designed to give you a chance to discover a composite picture of your own identity in which your ties to past generations of women will be made clear. The women you choose to research through informal interviews will be up to you: your grandmother, mother, and you; your grandmother, an aunt, and a cousin; your great grandmother, grandmother, and mother, etc. Try to provide a snapshot or picture to submit with your essay. The focus of the paper will be one of the following three topics: work, family, or creative expression. Since the three are interrelated, use the two topics not chosen for your focus as background or introductory information. Conclude with an analysis of you as a descendent of these women. Who are you? How have the women in your family contributed to the forming of your identity? Here are a few suggestions for ways to approach each of the three topics:
- Work: What was the "work" world for each woman? What were the expectations for women at the time? What jobs did women hold outside the home? What jobs did the women you are writing about hold outside the home? Inside the home? What opportunities were there for the women to get an education? What kind of education did each one receive? What were their desires and aspirations? Did they want a career? Did they have a career? How much free time did they have? How did they use it? Did race, culture, religion, or nationality affect their work achievements or goals?
- Family: How big was the family of each woman? Where did they have their babies? How close together were the children? Was birth control a consideration? What behavior was expected of the children? What were the roles of mother and father? Did the roles change from one generation to the next? Did race, culture, religion, or nationality have an influence on the family arrangement, roles, number of children, treatment of children, etc.?
- Creative expression: How did the women in your family express themselves? Through music? Writing? Painting or drawing? Needlework? Gardening? Dancing? Cooking? Crafts? Describe in detail their accomplishments in creative endeavors. To what degree was their self-expression determined by their opportunities or lack of opportunities? To what degree was their self-expression influenced by their race, culture, religion, and nationality? To what degree was their self-expression encouraged and appreciated?
Organization:
You will probably want to discuss one woman at a time, drawing comparisons as you go. You don't have to answer all of the above questions, and you may think of some of your own. Base much of your paper on the information gathered from the informal interviews.
Paper length:
3-5 typed, double-spaced pages
Correctness:
Be sure the paper is well-written and free of grammatical and mechanical errors. You may visit the Writing Center in Moloney Building room 150 or me, Carol Hunt, in Academic Technology Building 101.
Materials:
Hand in the notes from the interview (or the tape), the finished essay, and a snapshot, if possible.
WS201 Creative Writing Student Projects
LCC WS Welcome Page
Lexington Community College Home Page
Posted May 10, 1999
email: cahunt01@pop.uky.edu
http://www.bluegrass.kctcs.edu/LCC/WS/201/writing.html