FF:AJ15001 American Literature 1865-1910 - Course Information

AJ15001 American Literature: 1865-1910

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 of Seminar Groups

AJ15001/A: Tue 8:20–9:55 G31, K. Prajznerová
AJ15001/B: Tue 10:00–11:35 G31, K. Prajznerová

Prerequisites (in Czech)

AJ09999 Qualifying Examination

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 60 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/60, only registered: 0/60, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/60

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

Covering a variety of genres, this course maps the territory of US literature 1865-1910.

Syllabus

• week 1: February 20: Introduction to the course and class policies Unit A: Literature of the South week 2: February 27: Kate Chopin, The Awakening week 3: March 6: Mark Twain, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn week 4: March 13: Mark Twain, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn week 5: March 20: Zora Neale Hurston, “How It Fells to Be Colored Me,” Jean Toomer, from Cane Charles W. Chesnutt, “The Goophered Grapevine” Unit B: Literature of the Northeast week 6: March 27: Robert Frost, poems week 7: April 3: F. Scott Fitzgerald, “Winter Dreams,” Ernest Hemingway, “The Snows of Kilimanjaro,” Henry James, Daisy Miller: A Study week 8: April 10: Sarah Orne Jewett, The Country of the Pointed Firs (IS) week 9: April 17: Sarah Orne Jewett, The Country of the Pointed Firs (IS) book reviews due Unit C: Literature of the West week 10: April 24: Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, “Impressions of an Indian Childhood,” “The School Days of an Indian Girl,” “An Indian Teacher among Indians,” Black Elk, from Black Elk Speaks week 11: May 1: no class, read: Robinson Jeffers, poems Bret Harte, “The Outcasts of Poker Flat” week 12: May 8: no class, read: Hamlin Garland, “Under the Lion’s Paw,” Edith Wharton, “Ethan Frome,” Willa Cather, “Neighbor Rosicky,” Sherwood Anderson, from Winesburg, Ohio week 13: May 15: discussion of the reading from weeks 11 and 12, conclusion, course evaluation paper proposals due by Monday noon Research papers are due on Monday, May 28 by 12 pm (1st re-sit June 11, 2nd re-sit June 25).

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

Assessment methods

Assessment: For full credit: Class participation 10% In-class response papers 30% Oral presentation or book review 20% Paper proposal and annotated bib. 10% Final research paper 30% For partial credit: Class participation 30% In-class response papers 70% In-class response papers purpose: to read critically, notice details, 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 personalized feedback from the instructor, be prepared to participate in class discussion, practice writing about literature in preparation of the state exam form: answer one of the three 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, in thinking questions analytic mini-essay rather than a record of personal impressions, 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 sentence, integrated citations, academic language Presentations purpose: to orally yet clearly articulate complex arguments, use a variety of audiovisual aids, lead a discussion, respond to comments form: fifteen 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 supplementary essays) 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 Book reviews purpose: to analyze and critique a book-length study of US literature, investigate how and why scholars make certain assertions about literature, determine whether or not the author fulfills the stated aim of the book form: two pages, double spaced, MLA format, title, four to six paragraphs content: summary and evaluation of the ideas (are they well supported by convincing evidence or highly speculative?), information (is it systematically researched or one-sided? does the author maintain the stated focus or include extraneous material?), and organization (is it balanced and logical or haphazard and confusing? how do the major points relate to one another?), connecting points with the course (if applicable), remember that you need to re-see the book, not to re-tell it style: clear organization: introduction (general topic, wider context, author’s purpose, your approach, your thesis about the author’s thesis, brief overview of the book’s structure and relevant background information), main body (a few selected key points in the book and your assessment of each), conclusion (weaknesses and strengths and why / least effective elements and most effective elements and why); concise, precise, “academic” language Research papers 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 I 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 / book review. form: five to seven pages, MLA format, endnotes or footnotes only for informative/explanatory notes style: strong argument, clear organization, coherent paragraphs, integrated citations and references, academic language

Language of instruction

English

Further Comments

Study Materials
The course is taught annually.

• Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2009, recent)
  
• Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2009/AJ15001