Identifying Data 2019/20
Subject (*) North American Literature 1 Code 613G03024
Study programme
Grao en Inglés: Estudos Lingüísticos e Literarios
Descriptors Cycle Period Year Type Credits
Graduate 2nd four-month period
Third Obligatory 6
Language
English
Teaching method Face-to-face
Prerequisites
Department Letras
Coordinador
Liste Noya, Jose
E-mail
jose.listen@udc.es
Lecturers
Liste Noya, Jose
E-mail
jose.listen@udc.es
Web
General description Introducción e estudo de autores e textos representativos da literatura norteamericana dende os seus oríges coloniáis ata a Guerra Civil norteamericana.

Study programme competencies
Code Study programme competences
A1 Coñecer e aplicar os métodos e as técnicas de análise lingüística e literaria.
A2 Saber analizar e comentar textos e discursos literarios e non literarios utilizando apropiadamente as técnicas de análise textual.
A3 Coñecer as correntes teóricas da lingüística e da ciencia literaria.
A6 Ter un dominio instrumental avanzado oral e escrito da lingua inglesa.
A9 Elaborar textos orais e escritos de diferente tipo en lingua galega, española e inglesa.
A10 Ter capacidade para avaliar criticamente o estilo dun texto e para formular propostas alternativas e correccións.
A14 Ser capaz para identificar problemas e temas de investigación no ámbito dos estudos lingüísticos e literarios e interrelacionar os distintos aspectos destes estudos.
A15 Ser capaz de aplicar os coñecementos lingüísticos e literarios á práctica.
A16 Ter un coñecemento avanzado das literaturas en lingua inglesa.
A17 Coñecer a historia e a cultura das comunidades anglófonas.
A18 Dominar a gramática da lingua inglesa.
A19 Coñecer a situación sociolingüística da lingua inglesa.
B1 Utilizar os recursos bibliográficos, as bases de datos e as ferramentas de busca de información.
B3 Adquirir capacidade de autoformación.
B4 Ser capaz de comunicarse de maneira efectiva en calquera contorno.
B5 Relacionar os coñecementos cos doutras áreas e disciplinas.
B6 Ter capacidade de organizar o traballo, planificar e xestionar o tempo e resolver problemas de forma efectiva.
B7 Ter capacidade de análise e síntese, de valorar criticamente o coñecemento e de exercer o pensamento crítico.
B8 Apreciar a diversidade.
B10 Comportarse con ética e responsabilidade social como cidadán/á e profesional.
C2 Dominar a expresión e a comprensión de forma oral e escrita dun idioma estranxeiro.
C4 Desenvolverse para o exercicio dunha cidadanía aberta, culta, crítica, comprometida, democrática e solidaria, capaz de analizar a realidade, diagnosticar problemas, formular e implantar solucións baseadas no coñecemento e orientadas ao ben común.
C7 Asumir como profesional e cidadán a importancia da aprendizaxe ao longo da vida.

Learning aims
Learning outcomes Study programme competences
A1
A2
A6
A10
A14
A15
A16
A18
B1
B3
B4
B5
B6
B7
B8
B10
C2
C4
C7
A1
A2
A3
A6
A15
A16
A17
A18
B3
B5
B7
B8
C2
A1
A2
A3
A6
A15
A16
A17
A18
A19
B3
B4
B5
B7
B8
B10
C2
Special attention will be paid for evaluation purposes to the student's ability to read closely and analyse critically, creatively and in an informed manner the set readings. Emphasis is placed on the development of one's writing skills through the articulation of personal and coherent responses to one's reading. A1
A2
A6
A9
A10
A15
A16
A18
B1
B5
B7
C2

Contents
Topic Sub-topic
1. The Literature of the Colonial and Republican periods: 1620-1820

1.1. Captives of/in the New World: Puritans and Native-Americans

Mary Rowlandson, A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson.

1.2. Becoming American

Thomas Jefferson, “The Declaration of Independence”.
J. Hector St. John de Crévecoeur, Letters from an American Farmer (selections)
Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography (Parts One & Two).
Thomas Jefferson, “The Declaration of Independence”.
Washington Irving, “Rip Van Winkle”.
2. The American "Renaissance": 1820-1865

2.1. America and American identity
Ralph Waldo Emerson, "The American Scholar"
Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter

2.2. Captive selves / captivated selves

Edgar Allan Poe, "The Fall of the House of Usher"
Walt Whitman, "Song of Myself"
Herman Melville, "Benito Cereno"
Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave.
Emily Dickinson, selected poems
3. American crisis: realism and regionalism after the Civil War 3.1. America in conflict

Mark Twain, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Planning
Methodologies / tests Competencies Ordinary class hours Student’s personal work hours Total hours
Case study A1 A2 A6 A9 A10 A15 A18 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7 B8 C2 10 17 27
Workbook A1 A2 A6 A10 A18 B3 C4 C7 0 34 34
Document analysis A1 A2 A3 A6 A9 A10 A14 A15 A16 A17 A18 A19 10 20 30
Supervised projects A1 A2 A6 A9 A10 A14 A15 B1 B3 B4 C2 0 18 18
Collaborative learning B4 B5 B6 B8 B10 C4 C7 0 10 10
Directed discussion A6 A10 B4 B5 B7 B8 B10 C2 C4 15 9 24
 
Personalized attention 7 0 7
 
(*)The information in the planning table is for guidance only and does not take into account the heterogeneity of the students.

Methodologies
Methodologies Description
Case study Critical reading and analysis of primary texts in class and at home.
Workbook Reading and analysis by students of primary texts and selected critical bibliography.
Document analysis Critical analysis of primary texts and brief exploration of bibliographical resources.
Supervised projects Writng of essays in English in response to reading of primary texts, developing an original argument and analysis on set topics.
Collaborative learning In-class discussion and comparision of different approaches to primary texts.
Directed discussion Teacher-guided discussion and debate of primary texts and their problems; class activities of various types that test student's comprehension of set texts and their discussion.

Personalized attention
Methodologies
Collaborative learning
Supervised projects
Description
1. Supervision of all written work. Required revisions if necessary.
2. Incitement to required participation in class.
3. Co-ordination of voluntary group or individual presentations.

Assessment
Methodologies Competencies Description Qualification
Supervised projects A1 A2 A6 A9 A10 A14 A15 B1 B3 B4 C2 Two essays requiring an original and critical analysis of selected texts. Essay topic will be chosen either from a set list of questions or in consultation with me. If necessary, the student will be asked to revise his/her essay in order to improve his/her mark. The first essay (750-1000 words) will be worth 20% of your final grade, while the 2nd essay (1250-1500 words) will be worth 30%. They must be handed in at set times to be announced during the course.

One take-home exam to be returned the same day it is handed out, halfway through the course. It will consist of an essay question. This exercise is worth 10% of your final mark.

Depth and originality of analysis, as well as consistency and coherence of argumentation, are required. An appropriate level of English is essential. No work will be accepted after the set hand-in date which will be the last day of class.
60
Document analysis A1 A2 A3 A6 A9 A10 A14 A15 A16 A17 A18 A19 A final exam covering all course work. This will be 30% of your final grade. The exam consists of two short essay questions in which students will be required to analyze selected primary texts on the basis of set topics. Close reading of the texts is essential. 30
Directed discussion A6 A10 B4 B5 B7 B8 B10 C2 C4 Class participation in discussion of texts with short written exercises in response to set readings, both primary and secondary. Short class activities of this sort will be set virtually every week. All exercises and activities, as well as class participation, will be graded and will form part cumulatively of the 10% awarded in total for this part of your course work. Voluntary oral presentations will be included within this percentage as an improvement of your final marks. 10
 
Assessment comments

All graded work must score at least 4/10. You must do at least 50% of the work required to be eligible for a final grade. You will be considered as eligible for grading if you have done at least 50% of the required work. Those students who do not score at least 50% will have to sit for the July exam period.

July exam period:

Final marks will be awarded on the basis of two exercises, each worth 50%:

1. Final exam

2. Essay (1250 words minimum)

Students that have been granted leave of absence will be graded according to the requirements for the July exam period (50% final exam and 50% essay).



Students that sit for the December exam period will be assessed according to the requirements of the July exam period.

Essays
may be tested through Turnitin in order to detect wrong citations, plagiarism
or any other type of fraud. Should this occur, the rules for plagiarism will be
applied. (Normas
de avaliación, revisión e reclamación das cualificacións dos estudos de grao e
mestrado universitario). Turnitin recognises papers
previously turned in by other people (or the student him/herself) at this
university or other universities, as well as other material found on Internet


Sources of information
Basic Nina Baym, gen. ed. (2012). The Norton Anthology of American Literature, Volume A (1700-1820) & Volume B (1820-1865). New York: Norton

All required readings are from the Norton Anthology of American Literature, Volumes A & B (8th edition). All other secondary readings will be provided either in photocopied format or on the Moodle platform. 

  

  American Literature of the Colonial and Republican periods.

1.2. Colonials and Native-Americans: Inhabiting America

Mary Rowlandson, A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson.

 

1.3. Becoming American

Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur, Letters from an American Farmer (selections)

Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography (Parts One & Two).

Thomas Jefferson, “The Declaration of Independence”.

Washington Irving, “Rip Van Winkle”.

 

2. American Literature 1820-1865: American (Re)naissance.

Ralph Waldo Emerson, "The American Scholar"

Edgar Allan Poe, "The Fall of the House of Usher"

Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter

Herman Melville, "Benito Cereno"

Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave

Walt Whitman, "Song of Myself".

Emily Dickinson, selected poems

3. America after the Civil War

Mark Twain, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Complementary

American Literature I: Bibliography

0. Literary Histories

Elliott, Emory, gen. ed. Columbia Literary History of the United States. New York: Columbia University Press, 1988.

Gray, Richard. A History of American Literature. Oxford: Blackwell, 2004.

Ruland, Richard & Malcolm Bradbury. From Puritanism to Postmodernism: A History of American Literature. London: Routledge, 1991.

More advanced:

Bercovitch, Sacvan, gen. ed. The Cambridge History of American Literature, Vol. 1: 1590-1820. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994.

---, gen. ed. The Cambridge History of American Literature, Vol. 2: Prose Writing 1820-1865. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995.

0.1. General web sites for Am. Lit.

Voice of the Shuttle: American Literature - http://vos.ucsb.edu/browse.asp?id=2739

- One of the premier web sites for American literature and general literary resources

PAL: Perspectives in American Literature- http://www.csustan.edu/english/reuben/pal/table.html

- Research and study guide for American literature by professor Paul Reuben (California State University)

0.2. Literary texts on the Web

Project Gutenberg - http://www.gutenberg.org/

The Internet Archive - http://archive.org/details/texts

Open Library - http://openlibrary.org/

The Poetry Foundation - http://www.poetryfoundation.org/

Further references will be provided on individual authors on the course Moodle page.


Recommendations
Subjects that it is recommended to have taken before

Subjects that are recommended to be taken simultaneously

Subjects that continue the syllabus
North American Literature 2/613G03035
North American Literature through its Texts/613G03047

Other comments

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.



(*)The teaching guide is the document in which the URV publishes the information about all its courses. It is a public document and cannot be modified. Only in exceptional cases can it be revised by the competent agent or duly revised so that it is in line with current legislation.