Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson are alike but different in many ways.  Positioned between the Romanticists and the Realists, they have long been recognized as "the bridge" between these two literary periods.  By studying their works, the reader recognizes Romantic and Realist characteristics.  In this they are alike.  Perhaps that is the only similarity.  In most other aspects--literary style, subject matter, attitudes towards life, personal lifestyle--they differ widely.
 
 

You are one of six major research scholars at the University of Texas Literary Giants Center.  Two authors have been put forth by your colleagues as the most important and interesting authors in American literature.  Your job is to prove or disprove this theory by researching web sources to study the works, lives, and professional successes of these two authors.  Once your research is complete, you and your fellow researchers will present your findings in a presentation to the class.  You will study the life, literary style, and professional  career of either Walt Whitman or Emily Dickinson and will answer specific questions provided by your supervisor.
 
 

To accomplish this enormous task, you and your research assistants will following procedure:

• Meet with your group to organize your procedures according to the specific outline provided by your supervisor.
• Proceed to the computer assigned to your group in the English Computer Lab.
• Open Netscape Navigator and access the sites recommended below.
• Take notes when you find information relating to YOUR investigation.  Use the links below as a guide (clicking on a link will open a Microsoft Word file).  Ignore other information at this time.
  • Whitman's Life
  • Whitman's Career
  • Whitman's Literary Style
  • Dickinson's Life
  • Dickinson's Career
  • Dickinson's Literary Style
• Be sure to write down the URL of the site where information is accessed.
• On the computer adjacent to yours, use an Inspiration map to organize information you have found.
• When you have finished accessing information, organize your presentation, assigning specific tasks to each participant so that all members of the group take part.As a group, present your findings to the class using the PowerPoint program.  Presentations will proceed in the following order:  Whitman:  life, literary style,  career.  Dickinson:  life, literary style, career.

Click here to answer questions 1 through 5 about Whitman's life.

Click here to answer question 6 about Whitman's life.

 Click here to answer question 1 about Whitman's career.

Click here to answer questions 2 through 4 about Whitman's Professional Career.

Click here to answer questions 5 and 6 about Whitman's Professional Career.

Click here to answer questions 1 through 3 about Whitman's Literary style.

Click here to answer questions 4 and 5 about Whitman's literary style.

Click here to answer questions 6 and 7 about Whitman's Professional Career.
 
 

Click here to answer questions 1 and 2 about Dickinson's life.

Click here to answer question 3 about Dickinson's life.

Click here to answer question 4 about Dickinson's life.

Click here to answer questions 5 and 6 about Dickinson's life.

Click here to answer questions 1 through 3 about Dickinson's career.

Click here to answer questions 4 through 6 about Dickinson's career.

Click here to answer question 7 about Dickinson's career.

Click here to answer question 8 about Dickinson's career.

Click here to answer question 1 about Dickinson's literary style.

Click here to answer questions 2 through 7 about Dickinson's literary style.
 
 

You will be evaluated with your group according to the rubric provided in your packet.  You and your fellow students will also be asked to evaluate your group, so be sure to plan your organization to include all items on the rubric.

When this activity is complete, you will have practiced some very important skills.

• Working with a group of your peers
• Accessing information from the web
• Organizing and creating a PowerPoint presentation
• Working with Inspiration to organize information
• Presenting information to the class as part of a group

Perhaps you will be inspired to research other authors which we study or have already studied in class.  Below are listed some web sites which might interest and assist you in these future searches.

                                  Last updated May 1, 2002

                                 Based on a template from The Webquest Page.