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English 233: American Lit. 1865-1914 Between the Civil War and World War I, the United States of America underwent tumultuous changes, many of which still make their presence felt today. New definitions of personal success and failure; new understandings of work and play; new attempts at closing American borders and extending American imperialism; new ideas about what it means to be a man, a woman, and an American; new technologies--all of this newness attended the nation as reinvented itself in the final decades of the nineteenth century for life in what came to be known as the "American Century." Throughout this process, American writers reflected, critiqued, and created. In this course, we will read selected works in order to develop an understanding of the period?s historical and literary importance. We will focus on how authors represent, view, and shape debates about the following questions of the period: What will life be like after the Civil War? How will the divisions at the heart of that conflict (between regions, between races, between economies) be resolved? What possibilities exist for fully realized humanity in an age of increasing commodification and objectification? At all times, we will attend closely to matters of language and form. The reading list will probably include the following: I will lecture often but briefly. Discussion is expected. Written work will include two analytical essays (5-7 pages), and a final examination. Pre-requisites: None except some experience in writing college-level literary analysis. |
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