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ANG 1381 Survey of American Literature (1800-1975)
Professor Caroline Brown
Automne 2010
Course Description
What is American literature? How does it provide us unique insights into the history, culture, and political landscape of the United States? Why are specific tensions so central to the formation of the literary canon: liberty versus equality in the American imagary; the American fixation on race and its significance as a symbol of justice fulfilled or denied; the riddle of class; woman as both icon of domesticity and symbol of moral disorder? How are literary texts influenced by shifting definitions of national identity, including individuality as opposed to collectivism, and the conviction of American exceptionalism in an uncertain world? In “Survey of American Literature,” we will explore works of prose, fiction, poetry, and drama produced by a range of 19th and 20th century American authors. Through close readings, we will develop methods of textual interpretation that incorporate an understanding of the writers, the literary traditions by which they were informed, and the historical contexts in which they lived and created. Central to this will be our ability to view ourselves as active readers, individuals informed by both our own historical and cultural realities. As we do so and become aware of the particular perspective we bring to the text, we will increasingly incorporate the language of literary analysis to our own papers and discussions.
Pour commentaires ou information : info-etang@umontreal.ca
Page mise à jour le
20-05-2010
Département d'études anglaises - FAS / UdeM