Syllabus
English 223/001: Literature in the United States (3 credits)
Some U.S. literature and a few environments (1830s – 1930s)
Wed Sept 6 introduction: U.S. literature and performativity
Fri Sept 8 “The Cherokee Memorials”
Mon Sept 11 Emerson’s “The American Scholar”
Wed Sept 13 Thoreau’s “Resistance to Civil Government”
Fri Sept 15 group work
Mon Sept 18 Edgar Allan Poe: Selected Tales: introduction
“The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Imp of the Perverse”
Wed Sept 20 Poe, “The Man of the Crowd,””The Murders in the
Rue Morgue”
Fri Sept 22 Poe, “Berenice,” “Ligeia,” “The Raven” group work
Mon Sept 25 introduction to Dickinson, selected poems and
letters (TBA)
Wed Sept 27 continued work of Dickinson
Fri Sept 29 group work
Mon Oct 2 in-class essay
Wed Oct 4 introduction to Whitman, poems on pages 2922-41
Fri Oct 6 Whitman, “Song of Myself”
Mon Oct 9 no class – university closed
Wed Oct 11 Whitman, from Democratic Vistas
Fri Oct 13 group work
Mon Oct 16 Frank Norris, McTeague (first half)
Wed Oct 18 continued discussion
Fri Oct 20 group work
Mon Oct 23 Norris, McTeague (second half)
Wed Oct 25 Norris, “Zola as Romantic Writer,” “Fiction Is
Selection”
Fri Oct 27 group work
Mon Oct 30 W.E.B. Du Bois: “The Forethought,” “Of Our
Spiritual Strivings,” “Of the Dawn of Freedom”
Wed Nov 1 “Of the Meaning of Progress,” “Of the Quest of the
Golden Fleece,” “Of the Sons of Master and Man”
Fri Nov 3 “Of the Coming of John,” “The Sorrow Songs”
group work
Mon Nov 6 Nella Larsen, Passing
Wed Nov 8 Deborah McDowell, introduction to Passing
Fri Nov 10 group work
Mon Nov 13 no class – university closed
Wed Nov 15 Hammett: Introduction, “The Tenth Clew”
critical response assignment due
Fri Nov 17 group work
Mon Nov 20 Hammett, “The Girl with the Silver Eyes”
Wed Nov 22 Hammett, “The Whosis Kid”
Fri Nov 24 group work
Mon Nov 27 George Herriman, from Krazy and Ignatz
Wed Nov 29 Herriman, from Krazy and Ignatz
Fri Dec 1 review