FINAL EXAM for America by Air:

The “Oral Essay”

What is an “oral essay”?

Your final exam for the class “America by Air” will take the form of what I am calling an “oral
essay.” This is quite like a written essay, in that you will need to argue a particular thesis
statement (argument) and provide particular evidence (in the form of quotes from certain
readings from the course texts), which you then analyze to prove your argument. Thus, you’ll
need to prepare at least these 3 elements before you present your “oral essay”:
1) An argument, in the form of a thesis statement. Write down your thesis statement on a piece
of paper and bring it with you to the oral exam. (See below for more information on the
thesis statement.)
2) A series of quotes from the readings listed below that you think best prove your argument.
These will be exact quotes from the readings, including page numbers. Write these quotes
and page numbers down and bring them with you to the oral exam.
3) Your analysis of these quotes, in which you explain how and why these quotes prove your
argument. This material will be conveyed orally, in the course of the oral exam.

What format will we employ for the “oral essay”?

Unlike a written essay, your “oral essay” will be done in person, in the course of a conversation
with me. Thus, while you do need to have your thesis and the quotes you deem most effective
written down to give to me, all of the material will be shared orally.

Each student will have 10-15 minutes to develop their “oral essay” in a conversation with me.
But I think it will be even more effective to have groups of 3-4 students join together in small
groups with me in blocs of 30-50 minutes. As such, each student will still have the appropriate
amount of time to make their points, but we’ll also be able to hold a multi-person conversation
that will allow for freer and more impromptu discussion of the course material. Students will be
expected to contribute to this discussion and answer follow-up questions that I raise in the
course of our discussion. Such contributions are part of your grade.

What material will you have to prepare for the “oral essay”?
Each “oral essay” question asks you to track the trajectory in America regarding aviation from
one of great promise and wonder in the 1910s-1930s to one of more diminished enthusiasm by
the time of mass air travel in the 1960s and 1970s.

Common material:
No matter which question you cover in your “oral essay,” all students must be prepared to
discuss the initial enthusiasm for air travel in America, as evidenced by the writing of David
Courtwright and Joseph Corn, which cover the period of the 1910s-1930s. I expect quotes
from each student from each of these readings to support their thesis (argument).
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 Unique material:
In addition to preparing this common material, each student must consider one specific
topic addressed in the course readings that we covered between April 2 and May 28. This
is where your preparation will diverge from that of other students. These are your 3
choices of topics. You choose only one:
1) RACE: You may choose to talk about race in America and its linkages to aviation,
especially detailing how the aviation began with the possibility of becoming a tool
for greater racial equality in America, but over time (especially by the 1950s and
60s), aviation became yet another venue in US society in which discrimination was
rampant and African Americans were not afforded the same rights and access as
white Americans.
If you choose to discuss race, the texts you are required to prepare and reference in
your quotes are Ortlepp and Lattner. You might also cite Yano, but are not
required to do so.
2) GENDER and SEXUALITY: You may choose to talk about gender (especially the status
of women). If you desire, you may also add material about sexuality (especially the
status of homosexuals). In this case, you will especially detail how the aviation began
with the possibility of becoming a tool for greater gender equality in America, but
over time (especially by the 1950s and 60s), aviation became yet another venue in
US society in which discrimination was rampant and women were not afforded the
same rights and access as white Americans.
If you choose to discuss race, the texts you are required to prepare and reference in
your quotes are Barry and Tiemeyer (Plane Queer). You might also cite Yano, but
are not required to do so.
3) US HEGEMONY: Rather than discussing the social issues above, you may choose to
talk about the ways in which American thinkers envisioned the airplane bringing
about greater American influence around the globe. In this case, you will especially
detail how the aviation began with the possibility of becoming a tool for the
expansion of US power, but one that over time (especially by the 1970s) failed, to a
certain extent, to further establish the US as the leading world power.
If you choose to discuss race, the texts you need to prepare from and consult (in
your quotes) are VanVleck (Afghanistan) or Tiemeyer (JAT Airways), plus Van
Vleck, Empire of the Air, Chapter 7. You might also cite Yano, but are not
required to do so.
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Guidelines for an argument/thesis statement:
You are welcome to create your own thesis statement regarding your particular topic. However,
there is also no need to be original in this instance. Instead, you are welcome to adopt some
version of this thesis, which addresses the key theme (common to each topic) that I expect you
to emphasize: The original promise that aviation seemed to embody (in terms of ameliorating
racial or gender relations or establishing America as a privileged world power) waned by the
middle decades of the 20th century, as aviation by this point failed to break through deeply
entrenched social and political realities that prevented such from occurring.
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