345
ENGL345 EL: American Literature in a Global Context
Fall 2020
Course Author: Dr. Victoria Lamont
Course Instructor, Fall 2020: Dr. Kate Lawson
Course Description
Traditional literary study began as the study of the literature of nations. The study of British, American, and Canadian literature attempts to define what is unique about a nation´s literary output. While this is certainly a valuable course of study, much literature does not neatly fit national boundaries or express a unified national identity because it arises from the movement of and exchange between different communities. In this course, we will study American narratives (primarily novels) that have arisen from conditions of migration and intercultural exchange. These include narratives about slavery, immigration, border conflicts, colonization, and global capitalism. We will focus on topics including the fluidity of identity, the idea of race and racial hybridity, colonialism, and intercultural exchange.
Required Reading
Equiano, Olaudah, 1789. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano. Gutenberg Edition: 2005. (PDF)
Jackson, Helen Hunt, 1884. Ramona. Gutenberg edition. 2013. (PDF)
Cather, Willa. 1926. My Antonia. Gutenberg edition. 2008. (PDF)
Alexie, Sherman. Reservation Blues. New York: Grove Press, 1995. (Available electronically through the UW library website)
Yamashita, Karen Tei. Tropic of Orange. Minneapolis, MN: Coffee House Press, 1997. (Available electronically through the UW library website). Note: page references to Tropic of Orange in the lectures are for the 1997 edition. If you are using another edition, your pagination may be different.
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Grade Breakdown | ||
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Activities and Assignments |
Weight (%) | |
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Introduce Yourself/Read and Reflect Activities |
Ungraded | |
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Discussions |
20% | |
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Comparative Reflections |
20% (10% each) | |
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Research Essay and Peer Review |
30% (Essay 25%/ Peer Review 5%) | |
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Final Examination |
30% | |
Learning Objectives: In this course you will learn how to:
- Explain and compare the historical context of select literary texts with respect to migration and intercultural exchange.
- Explain how select literary texts engage with these contexts.
- Explain and compare literary form and content of narratives of migration and intercultural exchange.
- Explain and compare how author/readership relationships influence narratives of migration and intercultural exchange.
Course Schedule: ENGL 345
Important: ALL TIMES EASTERN - Please see the University Policies section of your Syllabus for details
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Week |
Module |
Readings and Other Assigned Material |
Activities and Assignments |
Due Date |
Weight (%) |
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Week 1 |
Module 1: The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano (Part 1) |
Equiano, Oludah, 1789. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano. Gutenberg Edition: 2005. (PDF) Selections: 1. Preface (acknowledgements and letter by Equiano). 2. Chapter I: beginning (page 1) to page 3 (end of paragraph 2). 3. Chapter II: all 4. Chapter III: beginning (page 21) to page 23. |
Groups for Discussion Forums will be created by Technical Support |
Check after Friday, September 11, 2020 at 4:30 PM | |
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Introduce Yourself |
Monday, September 14, 2020 at 11:55 PM |
Ungraded | |||
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Read and Reflect |
Ungraded | ||||
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Week 2 |
Module 2: The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano (Part 2) |
Equiano, Oludah, 1789. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano. Selections: 1. Chapter IV: all 2. Chapter V: Page 44 to page 47. 3. Chapter VI: all 4. Chapter VII: beginning (page 65) to the end of letter by Terry Legay, page 69. |
Participate in this module's Discussion Forum. |
Participate, first post by: Friday, September 18, 2020 at 11:55 PM |
Counts toward your discussion Participate, mark of 20% |
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Participate, first post by: Friday, September 18, 2020 at 11:55 PM | |||||
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Read and Reflect |
Ungraded | ||||
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Week 3 |
Module 3: Ramona (Part 1) |
Jackson, Helen Hunt, 1884. Ramona.Gutenberg edition, 2013. pp. 5-127 (beginning through Chapter 13). (PDF |
Groups for Peer Review will be created by Technical Support |
Participate, first post by: Friday, September 25, 2020 at 11:55 PM |
Counts toward your discussion mark of 20% |
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Participate in this module's Discussion Forum. |
Participate, Discussion ends by: Monday, September 28, 2020 at 11:55 PM | ||||
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Read and Reflect |
Ungraded | ||||
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Week 4 |
Module 4: Ramona (Part 2) |
Jackson, Helen Hunt, 1884. Ramona. Gutenberg edition, 2013. pp. 129-283 (Chapter 13 through to end of novel). (PDF) |
Participate in this module's Discussion Forum. |
Participate, first post by: Friday, October 2, 2020 at 11:55 PM |
Counts toward your discussion mark of 20% |
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Participate, Discussion ends by: Monday, October 5, 2020 at 11:55 PM | |||||
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Read and Reflect |
Ungraded | ||||
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Week 5 |
Module 5: My Antonia (Part 1) |
Cather, Willa. 1926. My Antonia, Gutenberg edition, 2008. pp. 9-115 (Books I and II). (PDF) |
Comparative Reflection 1 |
Friday, October 9, 2020 at 11:55 PM |
10% |
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Read and Reflect |
Ungraded | ||||
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Reading Week (Saturday, October 10, 2020 to Sunday, October 18, 2020) | |||||
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Week 6 |
Module 6: My Antonia (Part 2); |
Cather, Willa. 1926. My Antonia, Gutenberg edition, 2008. pp. 117-end (Books III-V). (PDF) |
Participate in this module's Discussion Forum. |
Participate, first post by: Friday, October 23, 2020 at 11:55 PM |
Counts toward your discussion mark of 20% |
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Participate, Discussion ends by: Monday, October 26, 2020 at 11:55 PM | |||||
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Read and Reflect |
Ungraded | ||||
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Week 7 |
Module 7: Reservation Blues (Part 1) |
Alexie, Sherman. Reservation Blues. New York: Grove Press, 1995. Print. From beginning to to the end of Chapter 5. |
Participate in this module's Discussion Forum. |
Participate, first post by: Friday, October 30, 2020 at 11:55 PM |
Counts toward your discussion mark of 20% |
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Participate, Discussion ends by: Monday, November 2, 2020 at 11:55 PM | |||||
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Read and Reflect |
Ungraded | ||||
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Week 8 |
Module 8: Reservation Blues (Part 2) |
Alexie, Sherman. Reservation Blues. New York: Grove Press, 1995. Print. Chapter 6 to the end of the novel. |
Participate in this module's Discussion Forum. |
Participate, first post by: Friday, November 6, 2020 at 11:55 PM |
Counts toward your discussion mark of 20% |
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Participate, Discussion ends by: Monday, November 9, 2020 at 11:55 PM | |||||
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Read and Reflect |
Ungraded | ||||
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Week 9 |
Module 9: Tropic of Orange (Part 1) |
Yamashita, Karen Tei. Tropic of Orange. Minneapolis, MN: Coffee House Press, 1997. Part I (through chapter 21, pp. 134). |
Comparative Reflection 2 |
Monday, November 16, 2020 at 11:55 PM |
10% |
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Read and Reflect |
Ungraded | ||||
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Week 10 |
Module 10: Tropic of Orange (Part 2) |
Yamashita, Karen Tei. Tropic of Orange. Minneapolis, MN: Coffee House Press, 1997. Part II (Chapter 22 to the end). |
Participate in this module's Discussion Forum. |
Participate, first post by: Friday, November 20, 2020 at 11:55 PM |
Counts toward your discussion mark of 20% |
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Participate, Discussion ends by: Monday, November 23, 2020 at 11:55 PM | |||||
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Following the Peer Review Instructions, prepare and share your Research Essay Introduction with your Peer Review Group |
Monday, November 23, 2020 at 11:55 PM |
Counts toward your Research Essay mark of 30% | |||
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Read and Reflect |
Ungraded | ||||
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Week 11 |
Module 11: Course Review (Part 1) |
Following the Peer Review Instructions, submit your peer reviewed introductory paragraph to the appropriate |
Monday, November 30, 2020 at 11:55 PM |
Counts toward your Research Essay mark of 30% | |
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Week 12 |
Module 12: Course Review (Part 2) |
Research Essay |
Monday, December 7, 2020 at 11:55 PM |
30% | |
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Final Exam |
The Final Exam will be posted on Tuesday, December 8, 2020 by 4:00 PM. The Final Exam is due on Friday, December 11, 2020 by 11:55 PM |
30% | |||