Essay topics

1. In his essay, Civil War historian James McPherson argues that the South possessed a
civilization quite distinct from that of the North. Though he acknowledges competing theories that the nation shared a commonality of language, religion, law and political system which in fact united them, nevertheless he is persuaded that the differences between the two were so profound as to overwhelm the similarities. Do you agree with McPherson’s assessment and do you find in the evidence studied an argument for or against Southern “exceptionalism?”

2. At the moment of John Brown’s hanging in December, 1859 church bells tolled throughout New England. A Baltimore newspaper wondered how Southerners could continue to live in a nation that viewed John Brown as “a martyr and Christian hero.” Discuss how the aftermath of John Brown’s raid hardened sectional attitudes and helped lead the nation into civil war.

3. In most coming‐of‐age novels, the protagonist experiences something that prompts an emotional, physical, spiritual and/or psychological maturation. In a well‐structured essay, evaluate the ways in which The Red Badge of Courage fits this mold of the traditional coming‐of age story and the ways in which the novel defies it. Use text‐specific details in your essay to substantiate your conclusions.