The course is conceived in conjunction with "Literatura Norteamericana 2" as a review of the literature of what is now known as the United States from its colonial beginnings to its contemporary writers. Limitations of time naturally restrict the number of works to be treated in class and economic considerations determine the choice of the Norton anthology as the source of the texts analyzed. But within these limits our aim is to survey the variety and diversity of American literature through close analysis of a series of what could be considered representative texts. At the same time, our readings of these texts will include a reflection on what makes these or any texts "representative", in this case, of a body of work considered “American” literature. These texts will be treated, roughly, in chronological order, with attention being paid to their historical contexts and their reflection of the literary and rhetorical concerns of their period. This is especially the case of early American literature (Puritan and colonial writings) where, beside the literary value and rhetorical strategies of these texts, we will be interested in identifying the appearance of characteristic American themes and cultural forms that constantly reappear in the later literature. Focusing on these aspects, we will try to sketch out what is peculiarly "American" about American literature and why it is of interest to non-Americans. Most, if not all, class-work will concentrate on close analysis of the texts themselves. This course is not only an introduction to American literature; it is also an exploration of how texts work, what reading and writing strategies they demand (i.e., both how the reader "reads" and how the writer "writes" in response to other texts), and how this affects the way we respond to them. As we shall see, this is especially pertinent to American literature given its concern with how "America" itself should be read and written.