AJ45011 American Literature (20th Century)

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2011
Extent and Intensity
0/0/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
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
each even Friday 14:10–15:45 G32
Prerequisites (in Czech)
( AJ40999 Qualifying Examination || AJ41002 Practical English II ) && AJ44001 Intro. to Literary Studies
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Emphasizing the interconnections between literature and history, this course traces the development of US literature in the twentieth century. Reading a variety of genres, we will examine works by authors from different geographical regions and ethnic backgrounds, including Kate Chopin, Sandra Cisneros, David Guterson, Henry James, Scott Russell Sanders, Alice Walker, Booker T. Washington, and Zitkala-Sa.
The aims of the course include: to prepare students to read critically, to analyze both primary and secondary texts orally as well as in writing, to conduct literary research, to write research papers.
Syllabus
  • Week 1: Orientation
  • Week 2: Class session I on Oct. 7, introduction to course policies and assignments; contexts
  • Week 3: Oct. 14 Kate Chopin, The Awakening http://www.gutenberg.org/files/160/160-h/160-h.htm#2H_4_0001
  • Week 4: Oct. 21 Henry James, Daisy Miller: A Study, http://www.gutenberg.org/files/208/208-h/208-h.htm
  • Class session II on Friday, Oct. 21; response paper 1 due in ELF by midnight on Tuesday, Oct. 18. (Comments due in ELF by midnight on Wednesday, Oct. 19).
  • Week 5: Oct. 28 Zitkala-Sa, American Indian Stories, http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/10376/pg10376.html
  • Week 6: Nov. 4 Booker T. Washington, Up from Slavery, http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2376/2376-h/2376-h.htm
  • Class session III on Friday, Nov. 4; response paper 2 due in ELF by midnight on Tuesday, Nov. 1. (Comments due in ELF by midnight Wednesday Nov. 2).
  • Week 7: Nov. 11 Sandra Cisneros, The House on Mango Street
  • Week 8: Nov. 18 David Guterson, Snow Falling on Cedars
  • No class; response paper 3 due in ELF by midnight on Tuesday, Nov. 15. (Comments due in ELF by midnight on Wednesday Nov. 16).
  • Week 9: Nov. 25 Alice Walker, from Absolute Trust in the Goodness of the Earth
  • Week 10: Dec. 2 Scott Russell Sanders, Hunting for Hope
  • Class session IV on Friday, Dec. 2; response paper 4 due in ELF by midnight on Tuesday, Nov. 29. (Comments due in ELF by midnight on Wednesday Nov. 30).
  • Week 11: Dec. 9. Work on your research paper proposal and annotated bibliography.
  • Week 12: Dec. 16 Work on your research paper proposal and annotated bibliography.
  • Class session V on Friday, Dec. 16; research paper proposal and annotated bibliography due in ELF by midnight on Tuesday, Dec. 13. (Comments due in ELF by midnight on Wednesday Dec. 14).
Literature
    required literature
  • Chopin, Kate. The Awakening.
  • Washington, Booker T. Up from Slavery.
  • Alice Walker, Absolute Trust in the Goodness of the Earth
  • Zitkala-Sa, American Indian Stories
  • Sandra Cisneros, The House on Mango Street
  • Scott Russell Sanders, Hunting for Hope
  • James, Henry. Daisy Miller: A Study.
  • David Guterson, Snow Falling on Cedars
    recommended literature
  • Colombo, Gary, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle, eds. Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing.
Teaching methods
Class sessions will include short presentations, team-work, audio-visual learning, and discussion.
Assessment methods (in Czech)
Assessment:
Participation (10%) Response papers (40%) Paper proposal and annotated bibliography (20%) Research paper (30%)
Policies and other announcements: Attendance: You are expected to come to class regularly. The five class sessions will be discussion-oriented and your active participation is crucial to the success of the course. If you must miss a class, please e-mail or talk with me as soon as possible. I will excuse your absence only if there is a medical or family emergency.
Assignments: Since your preparation prior to class sessions is crucial, I can only accept late assignments in cases of serious and documented emergencies. Please upload your written work to ELF by the date and time when the particular assignment is due and also bring along a hard copy to submit in class. Whenever possible, samples of the types of work expected in the course will be shared in advance. You must complete all the assignments in order to receive a final grade for the course. For more information on each assignment, please read the assignment guidelines. Do not hesitate to e-mail or stop by during office hours if you have any further questions.
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. Part of your participation will be measured by your discussion questions and commentary on fellow students’ Response Papers (see Response Papers, below).
Response Papers
Purpose: To read critically, notice details, take notes, make connections, return to key passages, gain a deeper appreciation of the core texts; to clearly formulate one’s own thoughts in writing; to get personalized feedback from the instructor; to be prepared to participate in class discussion.
Content: No research, “only” your own creative / critical thoughts, discoveries and opinions based on both of the core texts (preferably a comparison of some kind); close textual analysis; narrow focus (particular themes, images, narrative techniques, relationships, issues, contexts, and so on); at the end, include 2-3 discussion questions that stem from your Response Paper to be used in class.
Form: Approximately three pages (about 1050 words); double-spaced; MLA format; title.
Style: Clear argumentation; careful organization (introduction, main body, conclusion); coherent paragraphs; integrated citations (of core texts/supplementary readings cited – no outside research required); academic language.
Due dates: Please upload your RP into the appropriate Echo Assignment page in ELF by midnight on the Tuesday before class (on Oct. 18, Oct. 25, Nov. 1, Nov. 8 and Nov. 15) and also bring along a hard copy to refer to and then submit in class.
Other: By midnight on the Wednesday before class (on Oct. 19, Oct. 26, Nov. 2, Nov. 9 and Nov. 16) you will need to have read at least two of your classmates’ Response Papers from ELF, and posted a comment in the Discussion Board (this counts toward your class participation grade).
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 the instructor; to get ready to write the research paper.
Content: A concise introduction to your topic and your methodology/critical approach(es); a preliminary version of your main argument; an outline of structure; an annotated list of the primary as well as secondary sources you have consulted so far and plan to integrate into your paper.
Form: Title; abstract (about 250 words); a list of at least five principal sources (with complete bibliographical information and a five-sentence summary of each secondary source highlighting why it is useful to you); MLA format; double-spaced.
Style: Academic language.
Due date: Please upload your PP&AB into the appropriate Echo Assignment page in ELF by midnight on Tuesday Dec. 13. Other: By midnight on Wednesday Dec. 14 you will need to have read at least two of your classmates’ Paper Proposals from ELF, and posted a comment in the Discussion Board (this counts toward your class participation grade).
Research Paper
Purpose: To examine some aspect of Twentieth-Century US 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, narrative technique, etc.) through one critical approach or another, but I especially welcome interdisciplinary perspectives that in some way connect literature with history and other fields. You are encouraged to draw on the themes that emerged (and re-emerged) in your response papers and in class discussions during the semester.
Form: Eight pages (about 2800 words), double-spaced; MLA format; endnotes or footnotes only for informative/explanatory notes, title.
Style: Strong, consistent argumentation; clear organization; coherent paragraphs; integrated references; academic language.
Due date: Please upload your paper into the appropriate Echo Assignment page in ELF by midnight on Tuesday, Jan. 3 (1st re-sit Jan. 17, 2nd re-sit Jan. 31).
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught once in two years.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: 5x2.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2009, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2017, Autumn 2019.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2011, recent)
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