A2MP_SAML Contemporary American literature

Faculty of Education
Autumn 2009
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
PhDr. Irena Přibylová, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
PhDr. Irena Přibylová, Ph.D.
Department of English Language and Literature – Faculty of Education
Contact Person: Jana Popelková
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
This survey course examines American literature from the 1950s to the present, covering the literary periods of postmodernism and post-postmodernism. The course is designed to introduce students to the variety of contemporary literary approaches, and encourages students to think about the texts and discuss them in the class. Students are also asked to keep a journal of their thoughts and responses to themes and ideas expressed in the texts.
At the end of this course, students should be able to describe at least two different literary approaches at the contemporary American literature.
Syllabus
  • Topic 1: Postmodernism I (1950s, 1960s), white, black and Jewish American writers
  • Topic 2: Postmodernism II (1970s, 1980s), gender and ethnic minorities, white middle-class Americans in literature Topic 3: "Post-postmodernism I" (1990s, 2000s)
  • Topic 4: "Post-postmodernism II" (1990s, 2000s), regional and global writers
  • Each topic focuses on general social and artistic concerns of the period as expressed in short stories, poetry, novel, and drama. Critical texts will support understanding each of the periods.
Literature
  • VanSpanckeren, Kathryn. Outline of American Literature, Revised edition. US Departmen of State, 2004. Available online.
  • The Columbia history of the American novel. Edited by Emory Elliott - Cathy N. Davidson. New York: Columbia University, 1991, xviii, 905. ISBN 0-231-07360-7. info
  • The Heath anthology of American literature. Edited by Paul Lauter. Lexington, Mass.: D.C. Heath, 1990, xxxix, 261. ISBN 0-669-12065-0. info
Teaching methods
Reading, discussing and analyzing selected texts, writing a response.
Assessment methods
Requirements: - 3 writen assignments based on primary and critical reading - attendance and activity, responding to in-class texts - keeping a literary journal with responses and thoughts to the 4 above mentioned topics - oral colloquy
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2006, Autumn 2007, Autumn 2008, Autumn 2010, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, Autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2019.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2009, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/ped/autumn2009/A2MP_SAML