SPECIAL TOPICS IN AMERICAN STUDIES IN ENGLISH 1

概要

In 1820, a critic from England could jeer, “Who, in the four quarters of the globe, reads an American book”? But by the end of the nineteenth-century, American literature had arrived. Dramatic technological changes in the 1800s made printed matter increasingly accessible and aided the expansion of American literature. Print cultures include books, gift books, magazines and newspapers (called periodicals), children’s books and textbooks, the abolitionist press, women writers and readers, and more. In this class, we will read nineteenth-century American literature with attention to the importance of print culture for a variety of writers. There will be opportunities to explore diverse voices across print cultures. While this is technically a lecture class, there is structured participation including required in-class presentations. You will apply what you’ve learned throughout the course in quizzes, group presentations, and a final exam. Course lectures will be dynamic and responsive; please interrupt, ask questions, offer comments. This course covers a broad historical time span (roughly 100 years), and include works in multiple genres (poetry, fiction, narratives, essays) by multiple authors.

目標

1. Interpret some prominent examples of nineteenth-century American literature in the context of print cultures. 2. Effective in-class oral presentations. 3. Interpret literature through close reading and analysis.

授業外の学習

Learning by doing is a core teaching method; in-class activities, including discussion questions, total 20% of the grade. Each student is asked to submit 3 discussion questions one time during the semester (instructions provided). Please come to class with 3 written questions that are clearly linked to the assigned readings for the week. Please type out and print your questions using 12-point font and double spaces. Please be prepared to hand in your questions to the Professor. Questions may or may not be used in class depending on class size. Questions should not be able to be answered with yes/no or with reference to historical fact; rather, questions should be complex and open-ended. Quizzes reward effort given to the required readings throughout the semester. The final exam builds on the work you have completed throughout the semester. Students are expected to complete all assigned reading by the specified due date and to come to class prepared.

所要時間: 200 minutes per lecture.