To wrap up our reading of The Underground Railroad you will take a more creative, independent approach to analyzing a theme.

To wrap up our reading of The Underground Railroad you will take a more creative, independent approach to analyzing a theme. In a genre of your choice from the following options (listed below), your task is to explore a theme that you identify from your critical lens on Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad. This theme should not only be one that you are interested in but that you want to look into deeper.

The most important part of this project is YOU. I encourage you to explore your personal connections to the theme you select and any of the elements of the literature that you include. That means, if you do have personal experiences that you want to include as part of your essay, I also want you to include those. I want you to connect with your audience in ways that inspire you and that will make this project meaningful for you. That kind of authentic expression will translate into something that moves your audience, making them feel and think about their own personal connections and views in new and interesting ways. In your alternative genre essay, you will incorporate examples from The Underground Railroad that reflect the theme. You may also integrate outside source material to help you develop your knowledge and analysis. In your alternative genre essay, engage with the reasons, consequences, and cultural and/or psychological and/or historical connections reflected in the novel’s characters and conflicts.

YOUR TASK IS NOT TO RECAP THE PLOT BUT TO USE A FEW SELECT ASPECTS OF THE NOVEL TO DELVE INTO A DEEPER EXPLORATION OF YOUR THEME AND TO PURPOSEFULLY AND DIRECTLY MAKE REAL WORLD CONNECTIONS TO THAT THEME.
Themes (this is copied from List of Themes):
This is not an exhaustive list. If there’s something else you wish to explore, go ahead. One area that is not on here that we have read about is the genre of the novel as a neo-slave narrative, for example.

Death and Freedom

Why do slaves dream of freedom even if they never even consider trying to escape? What does this imply about dreams? What connection do dreams have to freedom? How does dreaming act as its own tether to freedom?
What does the novel imply about black people in their search for freedom? Is true freedom possible, and what is true freedom? Explore the different ways freedom is defined and attained in Cora’s journey.
Is there any way to escape death in their search for freedom? To what extent is it an inevitable part of their journey, whether for themselves or for those around them? (Think of examples in Cora’s journey).
Endurance vs. Rebellion

How does rebellion occupy the mind of white-slave owners and their allies? How does this contrast to how rebellion occupies the mind of the enslaved people?
How are white people who fled to the north different from those staying in the south? Are they different at all? What message is being sent about the majority of white people in the novel? How does Whitehead distinguish different white characters, for example Milton vs Fiona. How do the white characters rebel, and how do they endure? What does that say to us about these themes from their perspective?
How did Mabel’s rebellion lead to Cora’s escape? Was Mabel’s rebellion really selfish, or did it have another purpose? As a whole, what does the novel imply about rebellion and resistance? What are the long-term effects of small acts of resistance as shown in the novel?
What role does rebellion and resistance play in the pursuit of freedom?
Family, Heritage, and Home

In what ways did Mabel influence Cora’s escape? Why would Cora run away like her mother did if Cora hates her mother for abandoning her to a life of captivity? Is it accurate to say that running away and pursuing freedom is her family “inheritance”?
What does Randall represent? What is the definition of a “home”? To what extent can Randall be considered a home?
How does Cora define a home as she navigates on her journey? What does she yearn or wish for, and how can that be seen as a home?
Genre Options: Choose a genre from the list below that motivates you.
Blog post–of approximately 1000-1500 words (longer is fine). Blog posts often include both writing and relevant visuals. You can also embed hyperlinks to related sources. Blogs are pretty easy to set up via WordPressLinks to an external site.. In this blog post, you would write an analytical response to your theme, tracing that theme with examples and connecting to larger issues at play. Hyperlinks and outside sources are definitely big part of blogposts.
Podcast–Create a Podcast of approximately 10 minutes (longer is fine, though try to keep it to 15 minutes). You can use Spotifyto help edit/record or Apple podcasts, or another app if you prefer. You can even include other people, such as interviewees or co-hosts or guests, if you’d like. In this podcast, you would discuss and explore your analytical response to the theme, tracing that theme with examples and connecting to larger issues at play. Podcasts often include interviews and/or references to lots of information. A script/transcript is required.
Zine (DIY handmade magazine), approximately 1000-1500 words (longer is fine). Zines are a mixture of image and text. In your Zine, you would again trace a theme with specific examples. You would utilize both images and text to highlight the analytical nature of this theme. This is often more personal, but it doesn’t have to be. You would definitely write a substantial portion of this, connecting your ideas to the novel frequently.
TikTok or Reels or YouTube type of video, approximately 10 minutes (longer is fine, though try to keep it to 15 minutes). A script/transcript is required. In your TikTok or Reel, you could do a “talking head” type of talk where you talk straight to the camera, exploring the theme in analytical detail. You would want images and graphics to go along with your narration so it’s not -just- talking. Often people use their face to green-screen over articles. Or, alternatively, you could just narrate, not include your face, and instead do a voice over with images and articles.
TED Talk, of approximately 10 minutes (longer is fine, though try to keep it to 15 minutes). A script/transcript is required. This is pretty self-explanatory! Here, you would write a speech that probably is argumentative, having a larger point about your theme. You would tracet hat theme with examples, and record yourself talking. Typically TED Talks do include personal connections, and definitely larger takeaways, so you’d want that as well.
Everyone: along with your alternative genre essay, submit an explainer in a separate document. Include the following information:
WHO this is targeted for,
WHY you chose this group as the audience,
WHAT your goal is,
WHERE you would share this, and
HOW you would share this.
Additionally, in your explainer, describe your process. This means tell me which tools, websites, and processes you used to create your project. This explainer can be a short paragraph or a step-by-step type of list. Name the tools and/or websites you used.
Note on transcripts: I don’t have much experience with transcription apps., but they exist and are becoming more widespread and robust. These apps. can create a transcript from audio/video. I’m absolutely fine with you using one if your project is audio/video. However, some of you may prefer crafting your script prior to filming/recording so that you can avoid having to do too much editing when you get off track or go way off “script,” as we do when we’re in the creating process. Actually, some of you might draft using the filming/recording process, which is a cool way to go too. Here’s Google’s TraskriptorLinks to an external site.which might be an option for you. These days, it’s possible that podcast and video apps. even have a tool like this. Here is a blog that might be helpful with transcripts Links to an external site.

Guidance on Genre:
I hope it’s clear that I want us to avoid writing a Literary Analysis essay. Instead of that, this assignment will practice the same skills, analyzing literature, but in a more creative form. Genre, or form, refers to what your assignment will “look” like and who it will be written for. Let your genre choice reflect your creative vision. Clarify your message and identify your target audience. Use storytelling elements to engage and resonate emotionally. Integrate evidence and logical arguments to maintain credibility. Tailor your language, tone, and style to effectively communicate. Utilize non-verbal elements like visuals or music to enhance your message. Plan for editing to keep your audience engaged and informed.

Requirements
Select a genre from the list above that inspires your creative and critical thinking. Whether it’s a podcast, short film, zine, or any other form from the list, your writing should be at least 1000 words, with a maximum word count of approximately 1500 words (it’s okay if you need to go longer). In your essay, include the following requirements:

Aim for 1000-1500 words in length. It’s okay to go over within reason.
Identify a theme, an interpretive response to that theme, and discuss it through your project (in other words, have a thesis statement that explores one theme).
Support your interpretation of the theme with specific examples, aiming for a few different “ways in” to the text.If you’re writing, this would look like having a few paragraphs. If you’re speaking or video-ing it looks like a few different reasons/topics beyond your thesis.
Develop analysis of the book, avoiding general summary recap.
Integrate quotes from The Underground Railroad.
Use 3 or more quotes or brief passages from the play as a way to make connections between your theme and its relevance to our lives. Your essay is using TUR as a way to reflect and dig into your chosen theme, so it’s important that you illustrate this with some direct quotes. Quotes from TUR should be approximately 100 words each, though this will be different for each of you. Avoid including too much because the essay needs to be in your voice for the most part and you don’t want to lose your audience. Therefore, be sure you include at least 3 direct quotes/passages from the novel that are long enough, without being too long. (The idea is to have enough but not too much.
You are encouraged, but not required, to also integrate a source for our mini-database on TUR, linked here: Review this page for resources on your TUR Final Project
You will also include an MLA-formatted Works Cited page that includes your sources and TUR.
Your final project, whether text, video, or audio, should be polished and re-read/re-hearsed.
For audio or video projects (podcast, short film, TikTok/Reels video, TED Talk), include a transcript (this will fulfill your word count). This transcript should be submitted along with your main project. If you choose a blog or zine, you should meet the word count; for blogs or zines, you should also include visuals/images.
REMINDER:
Your project should also include an explainer, a separate document from the main content, addressing
WHO your intended audience is,
WHY you chose this audience,
WHAT your goal/purpose is,
WHERE you would share this, and
HOW you would share it.
Additionally, in your explainer describe your creative process, detailing the tools and/or websites and processes you used to create your project.
This is an opportunity to showcase your creative voice while effectively conveying the theme you’ve chosen. Have fun, experiment, and let your personality shine through!

Planning Guide: Questions to Consider:
What genre have you chosen and why do you think it will work to serve your purposes?
What message do you want to convey in your writing? What do you want to convince people of or show them about your research topic?
What audience do you want to appeal to? Why?
How might story-telling play a role in your writing?
What evidence have you chosen to support your message? How will you introduce and cite your sources? What do you think is appropriate for this genre?
Based on your research and critical thinking, what evidence and logical arguments can you provide in support of your message? Which evidence will be most convincing to your chosen audience?
What emotions do you want to evoke? How can you evoke these through your project?
How can you convey trustworthiness through your writing and/or other choices you make? What will make the audience believe they should listen to you?
What choices about language, tone, and style can best help you to convey your message to this audience?
If your genre involves non-verbal elements (such as visuals or music), how can these elements enhance the message in your writing?
What will the editing process possibly look like so that you present a piece that avoids losing, confusing, and/or boring (yes, I said it) your audience?
Grading
See Rubric, feedback, and the detailed requirements for this prompt.

Examples
Below are examples on an alternative genre essay from a research paper for ENGWR 300.

Their task was to transform their completed research paper into an alternative genre for their final. I’m showing you these because you are the first ones to complete our alternative genre essay. You get to carve the path and show me what’s possible. I love that!

This assignment is a challenge because of the non-traditional essay format. Even though the requirements are reduced from our literary analysis essays (such as word count and literary analysis elements), it is still weighted as heavily as those because I recognize that this task is as intense, just in different ways.

“Stonewall, Matthew Shepard, and the future of LGBTQIA+” Link to podcast
Sample Zine (handmade)Links to an external site.
Folder with examples including Podcasts and TEDTalkLinks to an external site.
Sample video:

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