Syllabus

Schedule

Assignments

Supplementary Information

This class will provide students with an introduction to some of the most influential authors in the American literary tradition. As it acquaints students with these authors, it will also acquaint them with the differences between genres of literature and how we can approach them critically. We will begin with the difference between poetry and prose, and then proceed to examine more subtle distinctions within each of these categories.

With the exception of "Billy Budd, Sailor" by Herman Melville, the texts in this class are from the latter half of the twentieth century. This is a time of remarkable literary accomplishment, but also a time that has seen the steady of polarization of the literary audience between the high brow and the popular. This class will address this polarization through careful attention to poetry written in this time period, because poetry is the genre that has suffered the most from these changes.

Along with the novels and David Henry Hwang's drama, these poems form an important contribution to our current understanding of the American experience from a variety of cultural and historical points of view. Furthermore, they remind us of the power lying within language that can emerge through determined contemplation of its possibilities.

Over the semester, I expect students to achieve the following goals:

• Understand and interpret texts by great American authors from a variety of literary genres including poetry, novel and drama.

• Discuss these texts in the context of a classroom discussion or smaller group discussions.

• Write convincing arguments about the meanings of these texts in examinations and essays.

• Recall key facts about the works in question including but not limited to the date of publication, the author, the title, general topics.

• Produce papers about literature that are interesting, articulate and well organized.

• Revise drafts of such papers before turning them in as finished products.

• Proofread papers effectively.

• Format papers according to MLA format and the conventions of college academic work.

• Discuss strengths and weaknesses of classmates' working drafts as a means of helping them produce better final essays.

To reach these goals, students will need to do the following:

1. Write a short analysis of a poem. DUE OCTOBER 11TH.

2. Write an essay analyzing a longer work of literature and providing readers with an argument about how to interpret that work. DUE DECEMBER 1ST.

3. Complete a mid-term examination including identification, short-answer and longer essay questions. ON OCTOBER 16TH.

4. Complete a final examination covering material from the entire semester and following a similar format. ON DECEMBER 16TH.

5. Attend class regularly and contribute to class discussion and group activities.

6. Bring a typed, complete draft to class on peer-editing days, and provide classmates with carefully considered comments on their own drafts on those days.

Your grade will depend primarily on your written work and the understanding of the material that you convey through that work. A command of standard written English and the ability to present an argument will also contribute to the determination of your grade. Any infractions against UMD's Scholastic Dishonesty provisions in the Student Conduct Code as stated in the UMD catalogue will receive serious attention and appropriate penalties.

Individuals who have any disability, either permanent or temporary, which might influence their ability to perform in this class, are encouraged to inform me at the start of the semester. I can make special adaptations of teaching methods, assignments, materials, or testing as required to provide for equitable participation in the course. The Access Center is also available to assist students with disabilities. It is located in 138 Kirby Plaza and on the web at <http://www.d.umn.edu/access/>.

Erdrich, Louise. Love Medicine. New York: HarperCollins, 1993.

Hwang, David Henry. M. Butterfly. New York: Plume, 1989.

McClatchy, J. D., ed. The Vintage Book of Contemporary American Poetry. New York: Vintage, 1990.

Melville, Herman. Billy Budd Sailor and Other Stories. New York: Penguin, 1986.

Walker, Alice. The Color Purple. New York: Simon & Shuster, 1982.