Course Resources Archive

This module will explore American literature since 1900, providing students with an opportunity to engage with the breadth and range of American writings from early 20th century Naturalism through to recent writings about 9/11 and its aftermath.  The module provides a mixture of lectures and seminars, and encourages student involvement and active engagement, through a variety of activities, such as discussion and informal group presentations.  Students who have taken the second-level module, EX218, which has a nineteenth-century focus, will be able to extend their interest and understanding of an American literary history.  The historical parameters will not dictate a strictly chronological or 'developmental' approach. Rather, some of the historical tags, such as 'the roaring twenties', 'the Depression', the 'Beat generation', 'Cold War', 'Civil Rights Movement' or 'postmodernism' will be explored within a variety of genres. Attention will be given to the textual (and sometimes visual) representation of issues of race, ethnicity, gender, nationalism and imperialism.

i. Knowledge and Understanding

By the end of the module students should have:
a) a well-informed sense of the complexity of American culture and its world-wide cultural domination.
b) deepened the superficial but strong sense of familiarity with American culture, through a variety of media, by a more thorough exploration of twentieth-century American texts.

ii. Skills
Students will further develop their skills of analysis, argument and close-reading. Varied methods of course delivery and assessment will enhance students' skills in the organisation and presentation of their learning.

The Library Catalogue contains full details of the current reading list for this module. Further details may also be found in the Module Guide.