AJ_NAAL Native American Literature

Faculty of Education
Autumn 2010
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Pavla Buchtová (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 also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 22 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/22, only registered: 0/22, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/22
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
This course is designed to introduce students to contemporary Native American literature. However, since the contemporary works by Native American writers are influenced by Native American oral tradition, we will start the course by reading and discussing some of the tribal myths and traditional narratives (origin stories, trickster tales, ritual poetry). Then we will proceed with contemporary authors, focusing on recurring motifs in Native American literatures, such as survival and renewal, reality and power of dreams, presence of ancestors and the importance of memory.
Syllabus
  • Oral tradition: Story of Origin
  • Oral tradition: Trickster stories
  • Oral tradition: Poetry and songs
  • From oral to written
  • Contemporary authors: Louise Erdrich
  • Contemporary authors: Gerald Vizenor
  • Contemporary authors: Sherman Alexie
  • Contemporary authors: Joy Harjo
  • Contemporary authors: N. Scott Momaday
  • Contemporary authors: Thomas King
  • Contemporary authors: Leslie Marmon Silko
Literature
  • VIZENOR, Gerald. Native American Literature :a brief introduction and anthology. New York: HarperCollins, 1995, xii., 372. ISBN 0-673-46978-6. info
  • VIZENOR, Gerald Robert. Narrative chance :postmodern discourse on native American Indian literatures. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1993, xiii, 223. ISBN 0-8061-2561-6. info
  • KING, Thomas. The truth about stories : a native narrative. Toronto, Ont.: Anansi, 2003, 172 s. ISBN 0887846963. info
Teaching methods
discussion based seminar
Assessment methods
Course requirements: 1) attendance 2) A reading journal in which you will record your reactions, questions, and comments on the assigned readings (this would serve as a starting point for class discussions) 3) In-class presentation
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught every week.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: 2 hodiny.
Teacher's information
http://moodlinka.ped.muni.cz/course/view.php?id=54
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2006, Spring 2007.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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