Présentation

Thematic survey course from colonial literature (pre-United States) to the 19^th century organized around the broad notions of Space, Time, and Self.

The lectures will cover such themes as Nature writing, the Frontier, Religion in US literature…We will include some basic and advanced explorations of narrative voices, focalization, characters etc. to help with text analysis.

The classes will be organized around excerpts, short stories and poems.

We will encourage you to read and discuss your readings in each class. A list of novels, poems, plays, short stories will be handed out at the beginning of the semester for you to choose from as part of a book club project.

Continuous grading

Suggested poems:

Emily Dickinson, “I started early, took my dog”

Edgar Allan Poe, “The Raven” + Christopher Lee reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BefliMlEzZ8  + Omnia Version:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQyGWZWqKT8

Walt Whitman, “Song of myself”

Suggested Novels:

Louisa May Alcott, Little Women + films

Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin

Skills:

– Identify the different trends of colonial and US literature

– Summarize the main elements of a text: characters, setting, narrative voice, focalization…

– Understand the structure of a text

– Introduction to text analysis

– Share and discuss your thoughts on your readings