American Literature

American Literature is a semester long course in which students will explore the creation of a uniquely American voice in literature by studying themes, forms, and writing styles across literary periods.  They will read speeches, essays, short stories and poems online from the Colonial Period, the Romantics, the Realists, the Moderns, and contemporary American Writers.   Central themes that travel across all of these literary periods are the American dream, nature, religion, war and death.  The course also includes several online videos, discussion forums, multimedia projects, and short writing assignments. Students will consider these essential questions:  What makes a literary voice uniquely American?  How have generations of American writers influenced each other?

Syllabus