AJL15006 US Literature: 1910 to 1960

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2023
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 6 credit(s). Recommended Type of Completion: zk (examination). Other types of completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
doc. PhDr. Tomáš Pospíšil, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. et Mgr. Tomáš Varga (assistant)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Tomáš Pospíšil, Ph.D.
Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Tomáš Hanzálek
Supplier department: Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Timetable of Seminar Groups
AJL15006/01: Wed 8:00–9:40 G31, T. Pospíšil
AJL15006/02: Tue 10:00–11:40 G32, T. Pospíšil
Prerequisites (in Czech)
( AJ01002 Practical English II || AJL01002 Practical English II ) && AJL04003 Intro. to Literary Studies II
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 50 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 11/50, only registered: 0/50, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/50
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 10 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The aim of this course is to provide a survey of the literary history of the United States from 1910 to 1960. Based on a selection of representative literary pieces it is not only designed to familiarize students with the texts but also to encourage discussion, critical commentary and assessment. The necessary situating of the texts in their respective contexts will enable students to deepen their overall understanding of the development of American culture during the period in question. Major attention during the course is devoted to the multifaceted phenomenon of American literary modernism. The successful participants will gain a more thorough understanding of the wide variety of literary movements of the first half of the 20th century and will become acquainted with a number of accomplished authors who have come to be regarded as highly respected figures in the canon of American writing.
Learning outcomes
The successful participants: - will gain a thorough understanding of the wide variety of American literary movements of the first half of the 20th century; - will become acquainted with representative works by a number of accomplished authors who have come to be regarded as highly respected figures in the canon of American writing; - will gain a better understanding of the American cultural situation of the given period; - will further develop their interpretive skills; - will further increase their capacity for literary critical analysis; - will increase their appreciation of certain currently not so popular literary genres {such as poetry).
Syllabus
  • Week 1 : Introduction to the Course
  • Week 2: Modernism in Arts and Literature in Europe and the United State: Movements and Geographies: Paris, London, New York, Chicago POUND: "In a Station of the Metro" N 1206, AT 1042 "Portrait d'une Femme" N 1204, AT 1038 "The River-Merchant's Wife: A Letter N 1207, AT 1041
  • Week 3: ELIOT: "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" 1268 “Journey of the Magi” 1294 Recommended: "The Waste Land" 1278
  • Week 4: HEMINGWAY: "Hills Like White Elephants" (ELF) FAULKNER: "Barn Burning" N 1632, AT 1254 FITZGERALD: “Winter Dreams” N 1509
  • Week 5: CATHER: "Neighbor Rosicky" N 1011, AT 935
  • Week 6: W.C. WILLIAMS: "The Young Housewife" N 1166, AT 1323 "Spring and all" N 1169 "The Red Wheelbarrow" N 1171, AT 1324 "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus" N 1195 "This is Just to Say" N 1174, AT KOCH : "Variations on a Theme by W.C. Williams (ELF) CUMMINGS: "somewhere I have never traveled" 1466 AT 1177 "in Just-" N 1459, AT 1173 "Buffalo Bill's" N 1461, AT 1174
  • Week 7: STEVENS: "Sunday Morning" N 1146, AT 1308 “The Emperor of Ice Cream" N 1145, AT 1314 “Anecdote of the Jar” N 1149, AT JEFFERS: “Shine, Perishing Republic” N 1248 “Hurt Hawks” N 1249 “Carmel Point” N 1250
  • Week 8: FITZGERALD: The Great Gatsby HURSTON: Their EYES Were Watching God
  • Week 9: Harlem Renaissance HUGHES: "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" N 1736 AT "Mulatto" N 1738 "Trumpet Player" N 1741 CULLEN: "Yet Do I Marvel" N 1756, AT 1201 TOOMER: "Seventh Street" N 1485 "Blood Burning Moon" AT 1183
  • Week 10: T. WILLIAMS: Streetcar Named Desire, N 1818
  • Week 11: BISHOP: “The Fish” N 2431 LOWELL: “Skunk Hour” N 2496 “For the Union Dead” N 2499 GINBERG: “A Supermarket in California” N 2621
  • Week 12: O’CONNOR: The Life You Save May Be Your Own ELLISON: from Invisible Man N 1912
Literature
    required literature
  • The Norton anthology of American literature. Edited by Nina Baym. 6th ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2003, s. 1071-19. ISBN 0393979008. info
  • The Heath anthology of American literature. Edited by Paul Lauter. Lexington: D.C. Heath, 1990, xliii, 293. ISBN 0-669-12064-2. info
  • HURSTON, Zora Neale. Their eyes were watching God : a novel. Edited by Mary Helen Washington. 1st Perennial library ed. New York: Harper & Row, 1990, xiv, 207. ISBN 0060916508. info
  • FITZGERALD, Francis Scott. The great Gatsby. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1953, 121 s. ISBN 0-684-71760-3. info
    not specified
  • The American tradition in literature. Edited by George B. Perkins. 7th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, 1990, xxviii, 20. ISBN 0075572087. info
Teaching methods
This course lasts one term, and ends with a written exam. There will be one seminar per week. Students missing more than two seminars per semester automatically fail the course. Please come to the seminars having read the works assigned, and prepared to discuss them. The standard of your preparation will be occasionally tested by means of short in-class quizzes. You may also be asked to write brief responses to the texts and submit them in ELF prior to the lesson. Please note that this schedule is subject to change dependent on the specific needs of the group.
Assessment methods
Assessment: - written exam (50%); - presentation of an author/text in class, in-class quizzes, activity in the seminar (50%).
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2022.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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