English 1001—Great American Authors

American writers in the late-nineteenth and twentieth centuries distinguished themselves through experimentation with literary form and also through explorations of their characters' individuality. At this time, improvements in technology offered individuals promises of greater success and personal wealth. However, problems from the nineteenth century persisted, most notably the racial divisiveness that was the legacy of slavery. In the works we will read this semester, we will study works by American authors who have achieved greatness by challenging traditional views through both the form and the content of their works.

We begin the semester with Mark Twain's Pudd'nhead Wilson, a whimsical consideration of various paradoxes resulting from slavery. We then continue with Kate Chopin's The Awakening, which examines the life of an individual restricted by gender instead of race. We return to questions of race in Langston Hughes' collection of poetry. His lively experimentation with language signaled the emergence of African American culture as an important force in American arts. Undoubtedly, William Faulkner's Light in August derived its innovative structure partly from Faulkner's own exposure to African American culture in his native Mississippi. Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman marks a departure in this course from questions about race, but it does provide us with one of the most poignant casualties of failed individualism in Willy Loman, its protagonist. We will conclude this semester with Toni Morrison's Beloved, one last look at the legacy of slavery that we began with in Twain's novel. Race is a dominant issue in this reading list, because it is a dominant issue in twentieth-century America itself.

This class will offer you an engaging reading list and an opportunity to improve your critical thinking and writing skills. It will also demand a bit of your time--especially when we begin to read Faulkner's Light in August, which is not a short book. Nonetheless, this class will reward hard work with an expanded understanding of American literature and also of the historical context that produced these works.

Course Objectives

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

• Read and understand works of literature from vastly different American historical contexts and in a variety of literary genres.

• Formulate persuasive arguments about the meanings and significance of these works.

• Present these arguments in the form of class discussion, group discussion, in-class exam, and longer paper assignments.

• Recall key facts about the assigned works and their authors.

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

• Revise written work effectively.

• Adhere to conventions of standard written English and college academic work when writing papers.

• Provide classmates with helpful constructive comments when going over drafts of their work during peer-editing.

To achieve the goals, students must do the following:

• Read all of the assigned books carefully and before class discussion of them.

• Attend class every day and participate in class discussions.

• Ask the professor questions in class or outside of class if you are uncertain about points in the lecture or related issues.

• Take notes on material presented in class.

• Devote time and attention to the class's written assignments, revising at least twice before turning in the final product.

• Show up to class on peer-editing days with complete, word-processed drafts of the paper.

• Offer classmates conscientious, helpful criticism on drafts in accordance with peer-editing guidelines provided in class.

• Devote time to studying the assigned materials before exams by memorizing pertinent facts and sketching out arguments responding to anticipated exam questions.

• Turn in all work on time, complete, and according to the guidelines provided in class.

Course Requirements

Assigned Readings

Chopin, Kate. 1899. The Awakening. New York: W. W. Norton, 1994.

Faulkner, William. 1932. Light in August. New York: Vintage, 1985.

Hughes, Langston. Selected Poems of Langston Hughes. New York: Vintage, 1959.

Miller, Arthur. Death of a Salesman. New York: Penguin, 1949.

Morrison, Toni. Beloved. New York: Plume, 1987.

Twain, Mark.1894. Pudd'nhead Wilson. New York: Signet, 1964.

Additional Notes

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 Library (or Kirby Plaza) and on the web at <http://www.d.umn.edu/access/>.