English Major in Writing Courses, Undergraduate Programs at Northwestern University School of Professional Studies - Northwestern School of Professional Studies

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English literature courses carry humanities credit. 

ENGLISH 300-CN : Seminar in Reading and Interpretation: Great American Novel

Description

In this class, we will examine the related ideas of the Great American Novel and "the American Dream" to explore the ongoing construction of American identity, values, and literature. We will operate from two basic points: America can be understood as a text, constantly being rewritten, revised, and contested; and American identity is relational, situated in culture, history, and the body. The questions we will examine include: In a racially and ethnically diverse (even divided) nation, what constitutes American identity, the quality of "Americanness"? Who, if anyone, speaks for all Americans? What sort of literary voice best expresses American realities and ideals? How does the dynamic of culture and counter-culture, dominant and marginal, get worked out aesthetically and ideologically? Texts wil include: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Awakening, The Great Gatsby, On The Road, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and Song of Solomon.

Students who enroll should have fulfilled the SPS writing requirement or taken equivalent writing courses. This course was formerly ENGLISH 298.