""Much American Literature is concerned with ideas about tension between Social Classes" Discuss this statement in relation to your study of American Literature." How would you write an introduction for this question?

These questions are worded in such a way that they demand some kind of overview of the period of American Literature- this can be a daunting demand because, after all, you have probably only studied two texts from this period! The best way to unpack this question and give yourself a little more breathing room in your essay is to define the terms of the question in your introduction. This can also be a great way to bring in context; showing an understanding of the time the text was written and received and how this can shape meaning.This can be done like so: 'America hails itself as the 'land of the free' due to the social mobility available; any man can achieve his American Dream, epitomised by the oft-repeated cultural truism that "any man can become President". Despite this, American Literature shows us that there is tension between the social classes, perhaps invalidating the truth of the social freedoms upon which America prides itself. This is certainly represented in both 'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald and 'The Grapes of Wrath' by John Steinbeck, which show characters struggling to achieve their goals and dreams because they are hindered by their social class.This introduction is short, sweet and to the point, but would allow you a strong contextual base AND give you the opportunity to define the question on your own terms (here, the central thesis being that America doesn't have true social mobility.) The key to thinking about any question in this course (particularly since the exam is likely to be closed book) is how a question links to what stands out most to YOU; for me, this means "tension between classes" becomes "social mobility", and structuring your introduction like this therefore establishes a strong contextual undergird and central thesis.