American Literature I

Catalog description

The objective of this course is to acquaint students with representative selections in early American literature, beginning with pre-Colonial oral traditions and continuing through the 19th century. Students will read a variety of texts, including nonfiction, short stories, poetry, plays, and/or novels. Various movements in American literature will be explained and discussed, along with the social, political, religious, historical, and economic conditions which helped to produce them. Authors will reflect a variety of backgrounds (gender, race, culture, etc.). As a result of their reading, students will come to appreciate the value of literature and how American literature evolved.