Novel America: The Story of the Story in American Literature to 1850 ((4 Credits))

Catalog description

Why are we so fascinated with stories? Is it just because we like identifying with characters and circumstances; peering into lives outside our own; escaping to a world not possible for us? Or is there something more essential to who we are? In the New World, millions of people with their countless stories forged an identity that collectively became the American narrative. How did that develop? Is there such a thing as an American Identity? If so, how could we define it? From selections of literature in the period 1607-1850 students will discover how Americans thought of themselves, of others, of the world they inhabited, and of the supernatural. Students will dig deep into their meaning; examine the role of thinking in the creation of literature; analyze how writers write; and ask questions that they might not be able to answer. The readings are a diverse selection of literature by an even more diverse assortment of authors, including works by preachers and drunks, philosophers and fools, heroes and slaves, and radicals and Romantics.