AJ15001 American Literature: 1865-1910

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2010
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 2 credit(s) (plus 2 credits for an exam). Recommended Type of Completion: zk (examination). Other types of completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. et Mgr. Kateřina Prajznerová, M.A., Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Jeffrey Alan Vanderziel, B.A.
Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Tomáš Hanzálek
Timetable
Wed 10:00–11:35 G31
Prerequisites (in Czech)
( AJ09999 Qualifying Examination || AJ01002 Practical English II ) && AJ04003 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 25 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/25, only registered: 0/25, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/25
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
This course traces the development of US literature in the period generally known as the Late Nineteenth Century (1865-1910). Reading a variety of genres, we will examine works by authors from different geographical regions and ethnic backgrounds, including, for example, Kate Chopin, Henry James, Sarah Orne Jewett, Mark Twain, and Zitkala-Sa.
Syllabus
  • Week 1/ September 22: Orientation (no class) Week 2/ September 29: Introduction to the course and the period Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, “Bury Me in a Free Land,” “A Double Standard” (handout) Paul Laurence Dunbar, “We Wear the Mask” (handout) Week 3/ October 6: Booker T. Washington, Up from Slavery http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2376/2376-h/2376-h.htm W. E. B. Du Bois, from The Souls of Black Folk: “Of Our Spiritual Strivings” http://www.gutenberg.org/files/408/408-h/408-h.htm#chap01 “Of Mr. Booker T. Washington and Others” http://www.gutenberg.org/files/408/408-h/408-h.htm#chap03 Week 4/ October 13: Kate Chopin, The Awakening http://www.gutenberg.org/files/160/160-h/160-h.htm#2H_4_0001 Week 5/ October 20: Mark Twain, The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson http://www.gutenberg.org/files/102/102-h/102-h.htm Week 6/ October 27: Henry James, Daisy Miller: A Study http://www.gutenberg.org/files/208/208-h/208-h.htm Week 7/ November 3: Sarah Orne Jewett, The Country of the Pointed Firs http://www.gutenberg.org/files/367/367-h/367-h.htm Week 8/ November 10: Zitkala-Sa, American Indian Stories http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/10376/pg10376.html Week 9/ November 17: No class (reading week) Week 10/ November 24: Keyword definition due on Monday, Nov. 22 Stephen Crane, The Red Badge of Courage http://www.gutenberg.org/files/73/73-h/73-h.htm or Maggie: A Girl of the Streets http://www.gutenberg.org/files/447/447-h/447-h.htm Week 11/ December 1: Sign up for a brief conference next week Mary Austin, from The Land of Little Rain: “The Land of Little Rain” http://www.gutenberg.org/files/365/365-h/365-h.htm#2H_4_0002 “Water Borders” http://www.gutenberg.org/files/365/365-h/365-h.htm#2H_4_0012 Hamlin Garland, from Main-Travelled Roads: “Up the Coulee” http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/2809/pg2809.html “Mrs Ripley’s Trip” http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/2809/pg2809.html Week 12/ December 8: Paper proposal and annotated bibliography due on Monday, Dec. 6 Student conferences Week 13/ December 15: Evaluations, Conclusion
Literature
  • Jewett, Sarah Orne, The Country of the Pointed Firs
  • BAYM, Nina. The Norton anthology of American literature. 3rd ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1989, xxxiv, 285. ISBN 0393957381. info
Teaching methods
The class sessions will include short lectures, students presentations, team work, class discussion, and response papers.
Assessment methods
Assessment: For full credit: Class participation 10% In-class response papers 30% Oral presentation or keyword definition 20% Paper proposal and annotated bib. 10% Research paper 30% For partial credit: Class participation 30% In-class response papers 70% Assignment Guidelines Participation You are expected to attend all class sessions, to have read the assigned readings for each week, and to actively participate in class discussion. If you must miss a class due to serious illness or family emergency, please e-mail Kateřina Prajznerová at 68450@mai.muni.cz with an explanation in advance or soon afterwards. In-class response papers Purpose: To read critically, notice details, take notes, make connections, return to key passages, gain a deeper appreciation of the assigned texts, take notes and gradually build up a course portfolio, clearly formulate one’s own thoughts in writing, get regular personalized feedback from the instructor, be prepared to participate in class discussion, practice writing about literature in preparation for the state exam. Form: Answer one of the two suggested thinking questions or discuss a topic/issue of your choice. Content: No research, “only” your own creative / critical thoughts and discoveries and opinions based on the primary reading, close textual analysis, narrow focus (particular themes, images, narrative techniques, characters, relationships, issues, contexts, and so on). Style: Clear argumentation, logical organization (introduction, main body, conclusion), a coherent paragraph written in complete sentences, integrated citations, academic language. Due dates: In class on Oct. 13, Oct. 20, Oct. 27, Nov. 3, Nov. 10, Nov. 24, and Dec. 11. Presentation (optional) Purpose: To orally yet clearly express your own observations, articulate and support an argument, use a variety of audiovisual aids, lead a discussion, respond to comments from the class. Form: Fifteen to twenty minutes of being in charge of the class, written outline (including a title) and bibliography, additional materials pertinent to the topic (optional). Content: Your own creative / critical thoughts and discoveries and opinions based on the primary reading and supported by / in dialogue with two or three secondary sources (you may use the suggested readings). Style: Easy to follow argumentation, logical organization (preview, introduction of the thesis and secondary sources, main points, supporting evidence, conclusion, discussion), appropriate pacing, variety of presentation strategies (textual examples and audiovisual aids), interaction with the audience (eye-contact, gestures, rhetorical questions, check-up questions, discussion questions), use of spoken discourse markers (pauses, repetitions and restatements, sign posting and transitions, short sentences, simple words, loud voice, clear articulation), you may refer to your notes occasionally but do not read. Due date: Sign up during the first or second class session. Then submit the presentation outline and bibliography as an echo-assignment in elf by noon on the previous Monday. Key-word definition (optional) Purpose: To begin the first stages of research related to the course and potentially to the research paper. Content: Your own definition of a particular concept, place, relationship, phenomenon, event, feature, etc., inspired by the primary readings and supported by information from at least two secondary sources (you may use the suggested readings). Form: One page, a works cited list, double spaced, MLA format. Style: A fully developed paragraph, integrated citations, academic language. Due date: Submit as an echo assignment in elf by noon on Monday, Nov. 22. Paper proposal and annotated bibliography Purpose: To organize the results of your research, to articulate your main argument regarding a topic of your choice, to receive feedback from your instructor, to get ready to write the research paper. Content: A concise introduction to your topic, a list of your research questions, a preliminary version of your main argument, an outline of structure, a list of the primary as well as (about four substantial) secondary sources you have consulted so far and plan to integrate into your paper, a five-sentence summary of each source highlighting why it is useful to you. Form: Title, a full paragraph or a detailed outline (about 300 words), an annotated list of sources, MLA format, double-spaced. Style: Academic language, complete bibliographic information. Due date: Submit as an echo-assignment in elf by noon on Monday, Dec. 6. Research paper Purpose: To examine some aspect of American literature that interests you, to develop your ideas with the help of a variety of sources, to formulate an argument and support it by convincing evidence. Content: Preferably, your paper will focus on one (or two or three) of the works we have studied. You may also discuss an author whose work we have not looked at but who is in some way connected to the issues we have covered. You may analyze various literary features (the use of imagery, sources, style) through one critical approach or another, but we especially welcome interdisciplinary perspectives that in some way connect literature with history, geography etc. You are encouraged to draw on the themes that emerged (and re-emerged) in class discussions, in your response papers, and / or your presentation / keyword definition. Form: Five to six pages (about 2000 words), MLA format, endnotes or footnotes only for informative / explanatory notes. Style: Strong argument, clear organization, coherent paragraphs, integrated citations and references, academic language. Due date: Submit as an echo-assignment in elf by noon on Wednesday Jan. 12 by noon (1st re-sit Jan. 26, 2 re-sit Feb. 9).
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2000, Spring 2002, Spring 2003, Spring 2004, Spring 2005, Spring 2006, Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2011, Spring 2013, Autumn 2017, Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2021.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2010, recent)
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