Title: AMERICAN LITERATURE: 1860-1920

PRQ:

Timelines of American history between 1860 and 1920 document great dissent, tumult, and ironically, progress. After the Civil War to abolish slavery (and all its ramifications), Americans faced the rise of the middle class, increased immigration, urbanization, technological and scientific revolutions, AND the end of a millennium. Although Americans theoretically established a level of peace and supposedly equality after the Civil War, they continued to wage "uncivil" wars amongst and within themselves as they moved from one century into the next. Then they faced W.W.I, a war very different from what the previous generation experienced. To what extent and in which ways did the contemporary moment impact literary authors and the works they created? Why did authors like Freeman, Crane, James, and Chesnutt write about the topics they chose? What do you think they wanted to achieve? I hope these questions prompt you to ask more questions that will help us analyze these texts as well as the environment that shaped them in meaningful and exciting ways.

By the semester's end, you will have gained a fuller understanding of American literature between 1860 and 1920 and the society that influenced it. You will be able to: recognize major literary figures and thoughtfully analyze their works; identify recurrent themes; understand major literary movements (Realism, Naturalism, Local Color, Early Modernism); identify the social, political, and cultural undertones of the time; consider the purpose(s) of the literature.

In addition to reading and discussion, writing helps us to voice our beliefs as well as to learn about our value systems and ourselves. Therefore, you will do a reasonable amount of WRITING: weekly in-class quizzes, papers of increasing complexity, and exams. Each assignment will build on existing skills and introduce new critical thinking and writing strategies. Blackboard has links to important writing strategies and skills.

 TBA