Analyze the Twentieth Century.
Read the essay “The American Century” by Henry Luce (1943) found on Canvas. Think about whether you agree with his position at the time, especially regarding isolationism and our uniquely American position in the world at that time. Then—and this is the hard part–answer his question “Where are we?” (pg 2 of pdf, pg 160 in original). But answer it 76 years later—in 2019. Develop your essay around any ONE theme of your choosing to answer that question, and, as always, do not write what you think I “want to hear” and do not think that I’m looking for one “right” answer. By this point in the semester, you should be able to trust me when I say I want YOUR perspective—carefully considered and substantiated with examples. This is such an important ability for you to cultivate as a part of academic scholarship and a crucial skill for you to develop as you negotiate your way through an increasingly complex culture in the 21st Century.
Develop your position into a few thorough, coherent paragraphs. Express your thoughts in depth, even if you think that they are things “everybody should know” already. This is your position–express it clearly and show evidence of how it holds up with a concrete example.
Sample Solution
