AJ45011 American Literature (20^th Century)

                         Autumn 2017, G31, Fridays 15.50-17.20, 6 credits


Instructors: Mgr. Martina Horáková, Ph.D., Mgr. Katarína Havranová, Mgr. Tomáš Varga


Syllabus:

Session 1, Oct 6^th: American Historical Novel (Martina Horáková)

Readings: David Guterson, Snow Falling on Cedars (1994)

Assignment: response paper (submit in ELF)


Session 2, Oct 20^th: American Drama (Tomáš Varga)

Readings: Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire (1947)

Assignment: response paper


Session 3, Nov 3^rd: Mexican American (Chicano) Literature (Katarína Havranová)

Readings: Sandra Cisneros, House on Mango Street (1984)

 Assignment: response paper


Session 4, Dec 1^st: African American Novel (Martina Horáková)

Readings: Toni Morrison, Beloved (1987)

Assignment: response paper


Session 5, Dec 15^th: Native American Storytelling (Martina Horáková)

Readings: Louise Erdrich, Tracks (1988)

Assignment: response paper


List of books for final essays:

Jonathan Safran Foer, Everything is Illuminated (2002)

Charles Frazier, Cold Mountain (1997)

E. L. Doctorow, Ragtime (1975)

Arthur Miller, Death of a Salesman (1949)

David Mamet, American Buffalo (1975)

Sam Shepard, True West (1980)

Rodolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima (1972)

Zora Neal Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937)

Alice Walker, Colour Purple (1982)

Ernest J. Gaines, A Gathering of Old Men (1983)

N. Scott Momaday, House Made of Dawn (1969)

Leslie Marmon Silko, Ceremony (1977)

Sherman Alexie, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven (1993)


Assignments and Guidelines:

Readings and attendance: students must come to classes prepared, having read ALL assigned materials
in advance; they should participate actively in both group and class discussions; attendance in ALL
five sessions is compulsory, the only exception being illness in which case a certificate from a
doctor should be handed in the study department;

Response papers: throughout the semester, students will write 5 short response papers; these are
critical-analytical responses to primary readings submitted BEFORE the class discussion; response
papers should focus on a particular detail, narrative strategy, imagery, character development,
theme, etc. and analyze it in depth, using textual evidence; students have to submit ALL five
response papers in order to be allowed to write the final essay; teachers will give feedback with
marks out of 10 points (with 6 points being the minimum to pass);

Final essays: students will submit a 6 page (excluding bibliography) final research essay during
the exam period; the essays must follow the 8^th edition of MLA Handbook (double-spaced, correct
heading, title, correct format of the paragraphs and bibliography); student must do research for
this essay and enter at least three reliable, scholarly, secondary sources;

Plagiarism and evaluation: plagiarism in any form is unacceptable and will result in failing the
course; students will be assessed on their performance in class (15%), response papers (35%) and
their final essays (50%); evaluation scale is A (100-85), B (84-80), C (79-75), D (74-70), E
(69-60), F (59-0). The pass/fail line is 60% (or 60 points);