EN 143.01 American Literary History III (Fall 2008-2009: 3)
This course will provide an introductory overview of literature written
in America from the first world war to the present. We will contextualize
specific literary works within historical, cultural and aesthetic frameworks,
focusing on the impact of World War I on literature, the relationship between
cultural tensions and narrative or poetic strategies, and the literary periods
of modernism and post-modernism. A series of student presentations on issues,
texts and events in twentieth century American history, art and popular
culture will set the stage for the literary works we will study by providing
a sense of the cultural conflicts, historical events and artistic breakthroughs
of the twentieth century. The class will focus on novels including Hemingway's
A Farewell to Arms, Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, Hurston's
Their Eyes Were Watching God, Faulkner's As I Lay Dying, DeLillo's
White Noise and Morrison's Beloved. We will also read poetry
by Eliot, Stevens and Olds, short fiction by Alexie, Diaz, Moore, O'Brien,
Gen and Lahiri, as well as two plays. Requirements for the course include
class participation and attendance, an oral presentation, two critical essays,
a midterm and a comprehensive final exam.
Laura Tanner
Last Updated: 31-MAR-08