How Valid is this Topic for a Paper?

[thedig13]

So, I've been thinking about writing an inter-disciplinary paper that will involve research in both American Literature and History.

I want to take Arthur Miller's Crucible (a fictionalized play about the Salem Witch trials, meant to be symbolic of the Red Scare of the 1950s), and write about the historical accuracy of the Crucible, as well as compare and contrast the Salem Witch Trials and the Red Scare, to understand whether or not the analogy Miller makes is appropriate.

Obviously, I'll have emphasis on primary source material, from both the 1690s, the 1950s, as well as Miller himself.

My questions to you are the following:

1) How much potential does this have as an idea for a paper? I understand that a good idea doesn't make a good paper, but some ideas are doomed from the start, and others only fail because of poor execution. I'd like to know which this is.

2) How often do individuals write serious academic publications analyzing history as seen through the eyes of fictional work? Is this a common approach to history? Is it incredibly rare? Has anybody who's written this sort of a paper ever been taken seriously before?

3) If it turns out to be excellent, would it be something I could use as a Writing Sample for when I apply to graduate school?

[goldielocks]

Well I think that the paper sounds interesting, but as I am an interdisciplinary theatre historian/cultural historian, I have to caution that I'm not sure you'll find much that's new in this approach. I don't know what you can add to this metaphorical analysis that hasn't already been covered. Miller's work has been explored pretty extensively. For example, I just searched "Crucible" AND "Miller" and JSTOR returned over 150 pages of results. Have you started looking at the historiography on this? I'm not trying to discourage you, only to suggest that you think more carefully about what your contribution to original knowledge would be, if you were to pursue this project. I think it's a bit more commonly studied that you realize (but of course I don't want to speak for you), since many professors and even high school teachers teach The Crucible and its dominant themes.

And to answer your queries about the nature of the project: cultural historians do this all the time. (I'm doing it right now!) So you can certainly pursue that sort of project without worrying that it's not "serious" enough for "straight history" (as one of my friends referred to it). And interdisciplinary projects are perfectly fine to submit as writing samples.

Best of luck.

Edited November 3, 2011 by goldielocks

[TMP]

My questions to you are the following:

1) How much potential does this have as an idea for a paper? I understand that a good idea doesn't make a good paper, but some ideas are doomed from the start, and others only fail because of poor execution. I'd like to know which this is.

2) How often do individuals write serious academic publications analyzing history as seen through the eyes of fictional work? Is this a common approach to history? Is it incredibly rare? Has anybody who's written this sort of a paper ever been taken seriously before?

3) If it turns out to be excellent, would it be something I could use as a Writing Sample for when I apply to graduate school?

My first suggestion is... ask your professors! They are the EXPERTS in the field.

Now to your questions:

1) Unless you are a graduate student, you don't have a good idea of what's really original in terms of approach. I would ask this one to your professors but my thought is, unless you are an undergraduate still trying to get a handle of primary sources and using them, I would say not really. But you can certainly search out for similar articles like anything on the Great Gatsby, Uncle Tom's Cabin, the Grapes of Wrath, etc. and see what others have done. If there is another article "taking" your idea, read it and see if you agree or disagree. If you have another angle to it, I don't see why you can't do this paper. It's called scholarly discussion.

2) They're in American or some other ethnic studies program. These kind of papers do exist in those kind of departments. Look harder in the journals. JSTOR is your best friend.

3) Sure if you don't have another paper or a honors thesis.

Edited November 3, 2011 by ticklemepink