In your first essay exam, you will write an essay response to the topic posed below using readings from the first few weeks of this course. Only readings listed on the syllabus by these materials are eligible for the exam: Reading List Aphra Behn Oroonoko Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz “From The Poet’s Answer to the Most Illustrious Sor Filotea de la Cruz” Voltaire’s Candide Jonathan Swift “A Modest Proposal” Basho “From The Narrow Road to the Deep North” Olaudah Equiano “From The Interesting Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, Written by Himself” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Faust John Keats “Bright Star” and “Ode on a Grecian Urn” Charles Baudelaire “To the Reader” and “A Carcass” Arthur Rimbaud “The Drunken Boat” Your essay response must be a minimum of 750 words (there is no maximum, but try to avoid writing a book), and it must be in conventional essay format (contain an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion). Any paraphrases or direct quotations of material from the texts you are using must be properly punctuated (clear use of quotation marks for direct quotations, for example) and must contain a parenthetical citation (in MLA or APA format) noting the page number of the material. There is no need for a works cited page if you’re using the assigned textbook, but if you’re using any other version of the assigned texts, you must provide a works cited page, noting full bibliographical information for your source material, with the submitted exam. This should be entirely your own argument, and you are not allowed to use any secondary material in this exam (your textbook is your only source). As much as these are your own arguments, you should, however, minimize your use of “I” unless absolutely necessary. Your submission will be graded based on the proper use of essay format (clear paragraphs, a clear introduction, a thesis statement, etc.), the clarity of your writing (including proper use of spelling, punctuation, and grammar), proper punctuation/citation of any source material, the strength of your argument, and your ability to use examples to strongly support your argument. You may take advantage of writing assistance via the Writing Center on campus to help you with composing, organizing, and polishing your work. Topic for Essay Exam #1: Every literary reading tends to deal with the idea of individual experience, either by talking about a character’s or author’s personal experience or in describing the experiences of people within society. Choosing three examples from three different authors, what are three significant (specific) experiences described within texts we have read so far this semester? You may focus on one type of experience and provide three different examples of that experience, or you may choose three totally different experiences. What can we learn about international cultures or about global humanity through those experiences? Do the authors themselves suggest any particular lesson or take away from the experience? As all the readings so far are from at least 200 years ago (some even further back), are those experiences still relevant at all today?