Assignment task:
Reporter, sifting through thousands of old documents purchased from a scrap paper dealer, finds a long-lost letter. The letter is covered in grime, making it impossible to read. Nevertheless, Reporter imaginatively identifies it as potentially valuable, relying on various subtle clues and her own rich experience. Using great care and skill, Reporter spends days cleaning the letter and restoring its colors. The handwriting is atrocious and idiosyncratic. Reporter nevertheless, manages to decipher it, using creative powers of reasoning, together with lots of research. The letter is anonymous but evidently was written around 1965. The letter describes life in 1960s Seattle, with many evocative details and creative turns of phrase. Reporter types up the text of the letter to make it easy for others to read. Reporter claims copyright in the letter. If the purpose of copyright is to provide an incentive for the distribution of works, Reporter argues, then she is entitled to a copyright in the letter. Otherwise, she may turn to writing trashy historical novels. Does she meet the originality requirement?