ENGL 655 Multicultural American Literature

the famous rabbit-duck picture Gregory Eiselein

ENGL 655 Multicultural American Literature | Gregory Eiselein | Fall 2004

Course Description

Zitkala-Sa

An examination of the diversity of American literature from the European conquest of the continent to the present, this course focuses on selected masterpieces from six different cultural traditions. We will begin with "White" literature (is there such a thing?) and move to Latino/a, American Indian, African American, American Jewish, and Asian American literary texts. We will explore questions such as: What differentiates these traditions? What connects these texts from different traditions and makes each "American"? What do these texts reveal about the cultural history of America? Why are these texts celebrated as literary-cultural landmarks in American history?

Authors to be studied are Mark Twain, Cabeza de Vaca, Zitkala-Sa, Harriet Jacobs, Emma Lazarus, Langston Hughes, Saul Bellow, Maxine Hong Kingston, Leslie Marmon Silko, and Ana Castillo.

Course requirements include a final examination, two papers, a presentation, and some shorter writing assignments.

Course Texts (available at The Dusty Bookshelf, 700 N. Manhattan Ave, in Aggieville across the street from Varney's)

Mark Twain, Pudd'nhead Wilson
Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, Adventures in the Unknown Interior of America
Zitkala-Sa, American Indian Stories, Legends, and Other Writings
Harriet Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
Emma Lazarus, Selected Poems and Other Writings
Langston Hughes, Selected Poems
Saul Bellow, The Adventures of Augie March
Maxine Hong Kingston, Tripmaster Monkey
Leslie Marmon Silko, Ceremony
Ana Castillo, My Father Was a Toltec, and Selected Poems

Plus a small coursepack of readings available in the Eisenhower Hall copy center.