English 367.02

The American Experience as Reflected in Literature

Comet

Credit hours: 5
GEC categories: Second Required Writing Course
Prerequisites: English 110 or equivalent

Text Books:

Example Syllabus:
Website: http://english.mansfield.ohio-state.edu/ncomet/courses.htm

Course Objectives: The "experience" of America is, of course, as diverse as the federation of states that are united under its flag. Undaunted by the universalizing title of this class, we will explore several American experiences, laying aside the unrealistic hope of knowing all of them or of distilling their many flavors into a single tasty brew.

Course Content: Our focus will be on the last century and we will chronicle some of its literary chroniclers. 1) Ernest Hemingway, who fictionalized his life as an American living abroad in a decimated post-World-War-One Europe in The Sun Also Rises. 2) Claude McKay, the poetic voice of the many-faceted African American cultural awakening now known as the Harlem Renaissance. 3) Theodor Geisel (you may know him as Dr. Seuss), a World War Two pro-American propagandist, who so captivatingly protested the militarism of the Cold War in The Butter Battle Book. 4) Gish Jen, whose novel, Typical American, grapples with melting-pot ideals and family complications. 5) Bruce Springsteen--musician and poet--the working class hero whose patriotism is often laced with anti-establishment critique. These are just some of the authors and works that will inform our discussion of what it means (and what it has meant) to be American.

Method of Presentation: Lecture and (especially) discussion.

Method of Evaluation: Along the way we'll do some chronicling of our own, commenting on the evolution of America as an ideal, and concluding with a final essay on how this ideal (and its diversity of experience) changed in the aftermath of that fateful September morning eight years ago.

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