What does William Shakespeare seem to be saying about gender (specifically woman) and power in his play, Romeo and Juliet.  Research his representation of woman in other plays and make some comparisons between his position and the attitude toward women during the Elizabethan period.  How might Queen Elizabeth’s position as leader have changed attitudes toward woman during this time? 

Are human beings inherently evil?  If so, is it the role of civilization to counter these darker impulses?  Researching human behavior through history, try and evaluate what sociology, psychology and the historical record offers on this aspect of humanity.  Where does William Golding, author of Lord of the Flies, fit into this discussion?

Does J.D. Salinger’s, Catcher in the Rye, reflect a particular moment in American history?  Can the political, social and cultural identity of the 1940’s, 1950’s and finally the 1960’s be seen beneath the surface of the narrative in Catcher in the Rye?  What were the attitudes towards conformity during these decades?  What seemed to drive these attitudes?  How does Holden Caulfield fit into these ideas?  Does this contribute to his madness?

How did Charles Dickens use his writing to comment generally on the human condition and more specifically on the social conditions of the Victorian age?  What was London like during that time period?  How did Dickens life, politics and writing connect to this time period?   How might the themes and ideas in A Tale of Two Cities reflect Dickens’ attitudes?

How realistically does Laurie Halse Anderson’s novel, Speak, reflect the challenges of adolescence?  How has the experience of adolescence changed over the past 50 years?  How have social, political and cultural changes during this span of time altered this experience?  How has the position of women changed over time; has there been a change in the attitudes towards woman?  What changes have there been regarding the power and position of women in society?  How has the representation of women in media altered this in either positive or negative ways?