| Date | Before class, you should | In class, we will | In class, you will turn in |
| Week One T 8/26 |
* Make introductions * Discuss the syllabus * Assign groups * Introduce modernism and post-modernism |
||
| R 8/28 | * Read Kunitz, "Father and Son"; Jarrell, "The Death of the
Ball Turret Gunner" and "Second Air Force"; Roethke, "Lost Son" * Answer Short Writing prompt (optional) |
Setting the Stage: The American Dream in the 1950s * Discuss the effects of WWII on the United States * Identify major economic, geographic, social and cultural changes in post-war America * Discuss the readings |
* Short Writing (optional) |
| Week Two T 9/2 |
NO CLASS |
MONDAY/TUESDAY CLASS EXCHANGE DAY |
|
| R 9/4 | * Read Death of a Salesman
(all of it) |
* Discuss Death of a Salesman and the state of the
American Dream after WWII |
|
| Week Three T 9/9 |
* Answer Short Writing prompt | * Conclude Death of a Salesman discussion | * Short Writing 1 |
| R 9/11 | * Read O'Connor,
"The Life You Save Could Be Your Own" and "Good Country People" * Answer Short Writing prompt |
* Discuss readings, regionalism, regional writers, and authenticity | * Short Writing 2 |
| Week Four T 9/16 |
* Read Cheever, "The Swimmer" | * Discuss reading | |
| R 9/18 | * Read Ginsberg, "Howl"
and Rich "Snapshots of a
Daughter-in-Law" * Answer Short Writing Prompt |
* Consider Ginsberg and Rich as alternative voices of American radicalism | * Short Writing 3 |
| Week Five T 9/23 |
* Complete a draft of Paper I * Read Ellison, excerpts from The Invisible Man |
* You Say You Want a Revolution: Literature of the 1960s
and 1970s * Discuss the relationship between the social revolutions of these decades and culture * Discuss Ellison |
* First draft of Paper I |
| R 9/25 | * Read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (first half) | * Discuss Kesey | |
| Week Six T 9/30 |
* Finish One Flew Over the
Cuckoo's Nest * Answer Short Writing prompt |
* Conclude Kesey discussion | * Short Writing 4 |
| R 10/2 | * Read Plath, "Lady Lazarus" and
"Daddy"; Sexton, "Sylvia's Death" * Answer Short Writing prompt |
* Listen to Plath's readings of her own poetry * Discuss poems |
* Short Writing 5 |
| Week Seven T 10/7 |
* Complete Paper I revision * Read Jones/Baraka, Dutchman |
* Discuss Dutchman | * Paper I |
| R 10/9 | * Read Lorde, everything | * Discuss readings | |
| Week Eight T 10/14 |
* Read Rich, "Diving into the
Wreck" and "Power"; Bishop, "In the
Waiting Room," "Questions of Travel," "One Art" * Answer Short Writing prompt |
* Discuss readings | * Short Writing 6 |
| R 10/16 | * Read Ortiz, everything | * Introduce Native American Literature * Discuss what it means to "speak for the generations" |
|
| Week Nine T 10/21 |
* Read Momaday, excerpts from The
Way to Rainy Mountain * Answer Short Writing prompt |
* Discuss readings | * Short Writing 7 |
| R 10/23 | * Read Levertov, "What Were They Like?"; Hannah, "Midnight and I'm Not Famous Yet" | * Discuss readings and the relationship between literature and war | |
| Week Ten T 10/28 |
* Read Walker, "Everyday Use"; * Answer Short Writing prompt |
* Introduce African American writing * Discuss readings |
* Short Writing 8 |
| R 10/30 | * Read ; Dove, "Parsley" and
"Rosa" |
* Discuss the relationship between literature and history * Discuss the readings |
|
| Week Eleven T 11/4 |
* Read Morrison, "Recitatif"
and Bambara, "Medley" * Complete Paper II * Answer Short Writing prompt |
* Discuss the relationship between music and literature |
* Paper II * Short Writing 9 |
| R 11/6 | * Read Mamet, Glengarry, Glen
Ross, Acts I and II |
Melting Pot or Tossed Salad? The Revolution of Identity
in American Literature * Discuss Mamet |
|
| Week Twelve T 11/11 Veteran's Day |
* Complete Glengarry, Glen Ross
* Answer Short Writing prompt |
* Conclude Mamet discussion * Discuss the changing vision of the American Dream |
* Short Writing 10 |
| R 11/13 | * Read Song, "Lost Sister," and "Chinatown";
Lee, "The Gift," "Mnemonic" and "The Room and Everything in It" * Answer Short Writing prompt |
* Introduce Chinese American Literature * Discuss readings |
* Short Writing 11 |
| Week Thirteen T 11/18 |
* Read Kingston, excerpts from Tripmaster Monkey | * Discuss readings | |
| R 11/20 | * Read Silko, "Lullaby" * Answer Short Writing prompt |
* Discuss readings | * Short Writing 12 |
| Week Fourteen T 11/25 |
* Read Anaya, "Christmas Play" and Cervantes, "Visions of Mexico" | * Introduce Latino/a Literature | |
| R 11/27 | NO CLASS | THANKSGIVING DAY | KEEP READING |
| Week Fifteen T 12/2 |
* Read Anzaldúa, "How to Tame a Wild Tongue" | * Discuss genre and the relationship between borders and literature | |
| R 12/4 | * Read Cisneros, "My Lucy
Friend Who Smells Like Corn" and "Mericans" * Answer Short Writing prompt |
* Discuss readings | * Short Writing 13 |
| Week Sixteen T 12/9 |
* Read Parks, The American Play
* Answer Short Writing prompt |
* Discuss Parks and the changing view of what it means to be "American" | * Short Writing 14 |
| R 12/11 | *
Complete Paper III * Read Collins, "Forgetfulness" |
* Wrap up the course * Discuss the connection between literature and memory |
* Paper III |
| FINAL EXAM | |||
| Final grades will not be posted. In the interest of student privacy, grades will not be released in advance of official notification from the Office of Records and Registration. | Electronic submission of papers and short writings will not be accepted. |