A2MP_SAML Contemporary American literature

Faculty of Education
Autumn 2017
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Jiří Šalamoun, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Lucie Podroužková, Ph.D.
Department of English Language and Literature – Faculty of Education
Contact Person: Jana Popelková
Supplier department: Department of English Language and Literature – Faculty of Education
Timetable of Seminar Groups
A2MP_SAML/01: Mon 16:40–18:20 učebna 55, J. Šalamoun
Prerequisites
Courses in American history and culture, courses in early and modern American literature.
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
On the course, students read canonical examples of contemporary US literature to examine some quintessentially American questions: Can the American dream still be lived? How is meaning found in postwar America? What motivates American writers to create art? In practice, we will read texts by Updike and Cheever in the context of abundant yet anxious 1950s and 60s. We will discuss works by Barth and Barthelme in the light of America's (at first) playful (and then) exhausted three decades long romance with postmodernity. Graphic texts by Eisner and Spiegelman will be discussed as the source to the rise of graphic novel (and to a lesser extent) ethnic literature. Finally, texts by Walker, Silko, and Kingston will be discussed in connection to America's nod towards feminist and ethnic awareness.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the semester, students should be able to:
1) identify and describe major trends in postwar American literature and understand their relationship to American society and culture;
2) develop your skills in analytical reading and proposal writing;
3) research, prepare, and hand in a proposal which meets the requirements of the State Exam in literature;
4) understand and frame literary works as a form of social commentary which responds to specific historical occurrences
Syllabus
  • John Updike, “A&P”
  • John Cheever, “The Swimmer”
  • John Barth, “Lost in the Funhouse”
  • Donald Barthelme, “The School”
  • Art Spiegelman, Maus: A Survivor’s Tale
  • Will Eisner, A Contract with God
  • Alice Walker, “Everyday Use”
  • Ralph Ellison, The Invisible Man (chapter 1, “Battle Royal”)
  • Leslie Marmon Silko, “Yellow Woman”
  • Maxine Hong Kingston, The Woman Warrior (chapter 1, “No Name Woman”)
Literature
    required literature
  • VANSPANCKEREN, Kathryn. Nástin americké literatury. [Praha]: Informační agentura Spojených států, 137 s. info
  • The Routledge companion to postmodernism. Edited by Stuart Sim. 3rd ed. New York: Routledge, 2011, xiv, 328. ISBN 9780415583329. info
    recommended literature
  • A concise companion to postwar American literature and culture. Edited by Josephine G. Hendin. Malden: Blackwell, 2004, xii, 430. ISBN 1405121807. info
  • NICOL, Bran. The Cambridge introduction to postmodern fiction. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009, xvii, 220. ISBN 9780521679572. info
Teaching methods
Discussion, small group work, lecture, in class writing exercises.
Assessment methods
Weekly writing exercises in Moodle (25%)
Participation (20%)
In-class low-stakes writing (5%)
A research proposal consisting of annotated bibliography and an abstract (50%).
Independent research of a school library in English at your school.
Language of instruction
English
Follow-Up Courses
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2006, Autumn 2007, Autumn 2008, Autumn 2009, Autumn 2010, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2019.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2017, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/ped/autumn2017/A2MP_SAML