Please write a close interpretation of a short passage from Democracy in America. The goals of this essay are to read closely, understand what Tocqueville is arguing in detail, and relay this in a clear and cogent way through your writing. This essay is NOT about offering your own opinion on whether what Tocqueville argues is correct or not; instead, it is an exercise in looking closely at what Tocqueville writes, thinking about it, and explaining to the reader how you understand it.
The
best essays will examine the text very closely and will consistently show that
you have asked the questions: what has Tocqueville written here and why is it
important? You should focus closely on the particular passage rather than try
to make a sweeping argument about the book as a whole or Tocqueville in general
(although you can reference broader themes in Democracy in America if
they seem appropriate for interpreting your particular passage). You should not
write traditional introductory and concluding paragraphs with a thesis
statement, but should instead focus on just writing the interpretation. You should
not cite sources other than Democracy in America itself.
The essay should be 2-3 double-spaced pages, written in size 12 Times New Roman font, and have one-inch margins on all sides (the page minimum and maximum are strictly enforced). Essays should be turn in as a Word doc. You are required to properly cite from the Mansfield and Winthrop translation of Democracy in America using the Chicago Author-Date style (see https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide/citation-guide-2.html). You must also include a bibliography/references page in the same style.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————Possible Passages from Democracy in America (please pick one):
- Pages 243-245, Volume I, Part Two, Chapter Seven, the subsection titled “On The Power That The Majority In America Exercises Over Thought”
- Pages 643-645, Volume II, Part Four, Chapter Three: “That The Sentiments Of Democratic Peoples Are In Accord With Their Ideas In Bringing Them To Concentrate Power”
- Pages 326-330, Volume I, Part Two, Chapter Ten, the subsection titled “Position That The Black Race Occupies In the United States; Dangers Incurred By Whites From Its Presence,” up through the second paragraph on page 330 (i.e., the last paragraph you need to consider is the one that starts “Thus in the United States the prejudice…”)
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