AJ15001 American Literature: 1865-1910

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2011
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: Wed 7:30–9:05 G32, K. Prajznerová
AJ15001/B: Wed 9:10–10:45 G32, K. Prajznerová
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 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
Course objectives
The readings for this course offer a map of US literature in the period generally known as the Late Nineteenth Century (1865-1910). Examining a variety of genres, we will discuss 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.
The course objectives include:
1. To become familiar with the diversity of American writing in the period 1865-1910.
2. To improve critical thinking and academic writing skills.
3. To gain a deeper appreciation of how literature affects us and enriches our perception of the world.
Syllabus
  • Week 1/ February 23:
  • Introduction to the course and the period
  • Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, “A Double Standard” (handout)
  • Paul Laurence Dunbar, “We Wear the Mask” (handout)
  • Week 2/ March 2:
  • Kate Chopin, The Awakening
  • http://www.gutenberg.org/files/160/160-h/160-h.htm#2H_4_0001
  • Week 3/ March 9:
  • Charles W. Chesnutt, The Wife of His Youth and Other Stories
  • http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/11057/pg11057.html
  • Week 4/ March 16:
  • 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 5/ March 23:
  • Zitkala-Sa, American Indian Stories
  • http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/10376/pg10376.html
  • Week 6/ March 30:
  • Henry James, Daisy Miller: A Study
  • http://www.gutenberg.org/files/208/208-h/208-h.htm
  • Week 7/ April 6:
  • No class (reading week)
  • Week 8/ April 13:
  • Edith Wharton, The House of Mirth
  • http://www.gutenberg.org/files/284/284-h/284-h.htm
  • or
  • Stephen Crane, The Red Badge of Courage
  • http://www.gutenberg.org/files/73/73-h/73-h.htm
  • Week 9/ April 20:
  • Mark Twain, Life on the Mississippi (Chapters I-XX)
  • http://www.gutenberg.org/files/245/245-h/245-h.htm
  • Week 10/ April 27:
  • Sarah Orne Jewett, The Country of the Pointed Firs
  • http://www.gutenberg.org/files/367/367-h/367-h.htm
  • Week 11/ May 4:
  • Sign up for a brief conference next week
  • 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/ May 11:
  • Paper proposal and annotated bibliography due by noon on Monday, May 9
  • Student conferences
  • Week 13/ May 18:
  • Evaluations, Conclusion
  • Research paper is due in ELF by noon on Monday, May 30 (1st re-sit June 13, 2nd re-sit June 27).
Literature
    required literature
  • Kate Chopin, The Awakening
  • Stephen Crane, The Red Badge of Courage
  • Charles W. Chesnutt, The Wife of His Youth and Other Stories
  • Jewett, Sarah Orne, The Country of the Pointed Firs
  • Booker T. Washington, Up from Slavery
  • Zitkala-Sa, American Indian Stories
  • Hamlin Garland, from Main-Travelled Roads:
  • Mark Twain, Life on the Mississippi (Chapters I-XX)
  • Edith Wharton, The House of Mirth
  • Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, “A Double Standard” (handout)
  • W. E. B. Du Bois, from The Souls of Black Folk:
  • Henry James, Daisy Miller: A Study
Teaching methods
This class is a seminar that emphasizes student-oriented activities such as small group discussions, oral presentations, peer-review workshops, and in-class response papers.
Assessment methods
Assessment:
For full credit:
Class participation 10%
In-class response papers 30%
Oral presentation 20%
Paper proposal and annotated bib. 10%
Research paper 30%
For partial credit:
Class participation 30%
In-class response papers 70%
Assignment Guidelines
Participation and Other Policies
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 me at 68450@mai.muni.cz with an explanation in advance or soon afterwards.
Please note that, in order to facilitate discussion and minimize distraction, the use of laptops and other personal electronic devices is not permitted during class.
In-class response papers
Purpose: To read critically, notice details, take notes (and/or keep a reading journal), make connections, return to key passages, gain a deeper appreciation of the assigned texts, 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. This is an open-book test, you are encouraged to refer to the primary text(s) and draw on your notes.
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). Comparisons with previous readings are welcome.
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 Mar. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, Apr. 13, 20, 27, and May 4.
Presentation
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.
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. If you would like to write on an author who belongs to this period but is not included in this class, you need to obtain permission from me first.
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, May 9.
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 (if I have approved your topic). 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.
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 Monday May 30 by noon (1st re-sit June 13, 2nd re-sit June 27).
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, Autumn 2010, Spring 2013, Autumn 2017, Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2021.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2011, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2011/AJ15001