Midterm Idea – Would this be easy, moderate, or hard?

Since Enlightenment is the central theme of the class, I would suggest that we write a short essay that relates to the theme of the course for the midterm. For instance, the declarations, memoir, letter, Narrative of Frederick Douglass, and poems all embody some sort of enlightenment message within their texts, and this would allow students to pick and choose on what they wish to write with regards to enlightenment. Students can utilize sections from longer texts or entire passages if they are short. This idea may sound very vague and general, but I think it has the flexibility for students to interpret and express how they feel about a certain piece with the subject of enlightenment in mind. Of course, it is not just “telling” but would have to include a few “showing” from the texts to support the students’ theses.