ENG 245 Diverse Voices in American Literature

1. Read a literary work at a literal level:  accurately describe genre, subject, structure, style, theme, character, and setting. 
2. Read a literary work at a figurative level:  recognize literary devices and identify their function within a particular text and among different texts. 
3. Read a literary work at a critical level:  question, interpret, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate. 
4. Identify the cultural, social, political contexts that give rise to literary critical lenses and be able to identify how different lenses affect interpretation of texts. 
5. Situate literature from the various periods covered in this course within their socio-historical and biographical contexts. Demonstrate awareness of the importance of race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ability, time, and place in shaping a given text. 
6. Examine the way their own experiences, expectations, and historical moment shape their readings of texts; employ literary theory to identify their approaches to literature and understand other approaches. 
7. Use discussion to create reading communities within the classroom (online or face-to-face). 
8. Articulate and defend plausible interpretations of texts and the ideas of major critics. 
9. Write critical analyses of literary works, including at least one analytical essay that uses MLA style documentation and paper format. 

Statewide General Education Outcomes:

1. Interpret and engage in the Arts and Letters, making use of the creative process to enrich the quality of life. 
2. Critically analyze values and ethics within a range of human experience and expression to engage more fully in local and global issues. 

Cultural Literacy (DPR) Outcome:

1. Identify and analyze complex practices, values, and beliefs and the culturally and historically defined meanings of difference. 

 

Content Outline

• Approaches to the study of Literature and Reading Strategies 
  • Close Reading 
  • Responding to texts both formally and informally 
  • Terminology 
• Literary Genres and Elements (should cover at least three genres) 
  • Non-fiction genres (such as travel narratives, slave narratives, diaries, autobiographies, histories, letters, sermons, essays, etc.) 
    • Content and themes 
    • Historical and cultural contexts from varied American traditions 
    • Audience 
    • Rhetorical strategies 
    • Literary devices and elements 
  • Fiction genres (short story, satires, novels, composite novels) 
    • Historical and cultural attitudes toward fiction from varied American traditions 
    • Common themes 
    • Elements of fiction (plot and themes, narrative form, point of view, style, tone, characterization, setting, and figurative language) 
  • Poetry 
    • Historical and cultural attitudes toward poetry 
    • Themes 
    • Forms (ballad, sonnet, etc.) 
    • Elements of poetry (devices of sound, rhythm, diction and syntax, tone, figurative language, imagery, point of view) 
  • Drama 
    • Historical and cultural attitudes toward drama from varied American traditions 
    • Purpose of drama and audience 
    • Forms (satire, allegory, etc.) 
    • Common themes 
    • Elements of drama (plot and theme, characterization, structure, style, setting, figurative language, stage direction) 
• Literary Theory and criticism 
• Relevance of Studying American Literature/Questions of  Canon and competing voices, literary and cultural traditions 
• Underrepresented Groups (cover a minimum of three) 
  • African American 
  • Native American 
  • Latin/x 
  • Asian-American 
  • Muslim 
  • LGBTQ 
  • Immigrant/First Generation 
  • Poverty 
  • Physical Disability 
  • Mental Illness 
• Theme(s) (cover at least 4) 
  • Role and responsibility of the individual in society 
  • Gender roles (preserved or rejected) 
  • Uses and abuses of power 
    • Relational 
    • Political 
  • Definition and portrayal of the “other” 
  • Influence of religion and/or ideology 
  • The family (haven or prison) 
  • Racism, Sexism, Class, Ableism, Ageism, religious bias 
  • Immigration 
• Methods of Literary Analysis 
  • Discussion 
  • Conventions of the Literary Essay 
    • Establishing a thesis 
    • Incorporating details from a text, including quotation 
    • MLA format 
• Literary criticism and theory