Analyze A Course Text Using Concepts And Techniques Covered

Analyze a course text using concepts and techniques covered in class

For this paper, you will analyze a course text using the concepts and techniques covered in class.

Goal: The goal of this assignment is to strengthen your ability to develop a complex, independent thesis, and to work closely and analytically with a text. You will also gain additional practice in doing a minimal level of research on some topic that’s important for understanding your text.

Requirements:

  • State a thesis. Your thesis should make a claim about what meaning, argument, or idea your text conveys, and how (that is, what literary techniques or features contribute to that meaning, argument, or idea).
  • Support your argument with evidence. After laying out your thesis, you should proceed to support your argument with relevant evidence.
  • Evidence from the primary text. The main evidence must come directly from the text itself with examples and quotations that support your claim.
  • Evidence from at least 1 secondary source. Consult at least one scholarly book or article by a historian, religious studies scholar, or cultural studies scholar related to your text.
  • Analyze and explain. Discuss quotations, focusing on the words, tone, images, metaphors, or literary devices used to convey meaning.
  • Follow an organized sequence with an introduction, body paragraphs with focused claims and clear transitions, and a conclusion discussing implications.
  • Use standard English grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
  • Use the specified format: approximately 900 words (~3 pages), Times New Roman 12 pt font, double-spaced, 1-inch margins, MLA citation style, and include a Works Cited page.

Choose a text read in class, focusing on sections not extensively discussed, or select sections assigned but not deeply analyzed. Read thoroughly and focus on 2-3 key passages that are significant. Conduct research on factual issues related to history, religion, or literature—consult academic sources, not encyclopedias or dictionaries.

Draw out the implications of your observations, explaining how the literary features shape the overall meaning, especially regarding the author’s point about settlement or colonization in America.

Paper For Above instruction

Title: Analyzing the Literary Strategies in Columbus’s “Letter on the Discovery of America” and Their Implications for Colonial Narratives

Introduction

Body

The first significant passage is Columbus’s description of the indigenous peoples as “friendly and polite” but also “willing to give everything” (Columbus, 1493), which employs imagery to portray peacefulness but simultaneously constructs a narrative of exploitation by emphasizing their generosity. Analyzing this, I consider how Columbus’s diction invokes innocence but also hints at a potential for control, aligning with theories of rhetorical persuasion that involve framing the other as inherently vulnerable. This language effectively shapes European attitudes, presenting colonization as benevolent and inevitable.

The second passage involves Columbus’s depiction of the land as abundant: “the seas are full of gold and spices,” which uses hyperbole and vivid imagery to create an appealing vision of wealth. This technique acts as a rhetorical strategy aimed at attracting investment and support for colonial initiatives, echoing colonial discourse theory, which often utilizes economic appeals to justify conquest. Analyzing the structure of this passage reveals Columbus’s intention to frame the New World as a land of limitless opportunity, thus encouraging colonization under the guise of discovery.

The final passage I analyze is Columbus’s depiction of the indigenous peoples as obstacles to conversion: “they are very barbarous and idolaters,” which employs derogatory language and stereotypes. This rhetorical framing dehumanizes the natives, making violence appear as a justified means to convert them. Drawing on postcolonial theory, I argue that this portrayal constructs a narrative where colonization is portrayed as a civilizing mission, masking violence under the rhetoric of salvation.

Conclusion

Columbus’s letter demonstrates a strategic use of literary and rhetorical devices—glorification of land and peoples, framing of indigenous peoples as obstacles, and persuasive imagery—that serve to justify and promote colonization. Recognizing these strategies helps us understand how colonial narratives are crafted to shape perceptions and policies that led to the exploitation of indigenous lands and peoples, reinforcing the importance of critical analysis of colonial texts to understand their impact on history and culture.

References

  • Columbus, Christopher. “Letter on the Discovery of America.” 1493.
  • Loomba, Ania. “Colonialism/Postcolonialism.” Routledge, 2015.
  • Said, Edward W. “Orientalism.” Vintage Books, 1978.
  • Said, Edward W. “The World, the Text, and the Critic.” Harvard University Press, 1983.
  • Young, Robert J.C. “White Mythologies: Writing History and the West.” Routledge, 1990.
  • Bhabha, Homi K. “The Location of Culture.” Routledge, 1994.
  • Chilton, Paul. “Political Discourse and Political Realities.” Routledge, 2004.
  • Du Bois, W.E.B. “The Souls of Black Folk.” A.C. McClurg & Co., 1903.
  • Miner, Wayne. “The Citizen-Subject.” University of Minnesota Press, 2004.
  • Haraway, Donna. “Situated Knowledges: The Science Question in Feminism and the Privilege of Partial Perspective.” Feminist Studies, 1988.

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