PEARSON EDUCATION Literature and Ourselves: A Thematic Introduction for Readers and Writers

This thematically organized anthology treats literature as a continually expanding commentary on our infinitely varied lives, helping to make the connection between literature and our own unique life stories.  Each of the anthology's themes―Family, Men and Women, Vulnerability, Freedom and Responsibility, Creativity, and Quest―progresses outward from reflections on the self to more universal issues.   Within each theme, the readings provide a unique combination of traditional and contemporary works that highlight the diverse cultures and perspectives of our world today.    A new emphasis on argument throughout the book is evidenced by an all new introductory section on literary argument, including an annotated student essay, and argument-oriented questions and suggestions for writing after the reading. New selections–both classic and contemporary–include 12 essays, 9 poems, 7 short stories, and 3 plays.  New pieces range from Black Elk to Anton Chekhov and Todd James Pierce and from Walt Whitman to bell hooks and Julia Alvarez.   New Casebooks on Robert Frost and Alice Walker enrich the units on Men and Women and Creativity. Revised Appendix B, Writing about Film, along with an expanded focus on film discusses film adaptations of literature, helping students view films with knowledge of the unique techniques available for this art form and write essays that make connections between films and literature.  Synopsis This thematically organized anthology treats literature as a continually expanding commentary on our infinitely varied lives, helping to make the connection between literature and our own unique life stories. Each of the anthology's themes--Family, Men and Women, Vulnerability, Freedom and Responsibility, Creativity, and Quest--progresses outward from reflections on the self to more universal issues. Within each theme, the readings provide a unique combination of traditional and contemporary works that highlight the diverse cultures and perspectives of our world today. *A new emphasis on argument throughout the book is evidenced by an all new introductory section on literary argument, including an annotated student essay, and argument-oriented questions and suggestions for writing after the reading.*New selections--both classic and contemporary--include 12 essays, 9 poems, 7 short stories, and 3 plays. New pieces range from Black Elk to Anton Chekhov and Todd James Pierce and from Walt Whitman to bell hooks and Julia Alvarez. *New Casebooks on Robert Frost and Alice Walker enrich the units on Men and Women and Creativity.* Revised Appendix B, Writing about Film, along with an expanded focus on film discusses film adaptations of literature, helping students view films with knowledge of the unique techniques available for this art form and write essays that make connections between films and literature. From the Back Cover Literature and OurselvesSixth EditionGloria Mason Henderson • Anna Dunlap Higgins • Bill Day • Sandra Stevenson Waller Literature and Ourselves is a thematically organized anthology that makes the connection between your unique life stories and those explored in literature. Themes such as “Family,” “Men and Women,” and “Freedom and Responsibility,” are presented, helping you to think about your own life experiences within a broader context. Each theme presents traditional and contemporary works that highlight the diverse cultures and perspectives of our world. New to the Sixth Edition A new emphasis on argument helps you develop better essays. The text also includes a clearly annotated student essay, to serve as a model of good writing. New selections include works from Black Elk, Anton Chekhov, Todd James Pierce, Walt Whitman, bell hooks, and Julia Alvarez. New Casebooks on Robert Frost and Alice Walker give you an opportunity to write documented literary analysis essays before progressing to longer papers requiring outside research. The feature “Writing about