Spring 2005

E 372M • American Realism

Course Description

This course will trace the origins and development of Realism as a literary movement and representational strategy in the United States from the 1880s through the turn-of-the-century. Given the radical social changes during this period in gender, racial, and class terms, how did Realism emerge as both symptom and critique of these conditions? The course will examine the features of this new literary aesthetic, and explore the variety of "realisms"--such as psychological realism, regionalism, and naturalism. Situating these texts within their historical contexts will be a major feature of this course.

Grading Policy

Completion of all writing projects and preparation of assigned readings and exercises; regular section attendance and participation

Texts

Kate Chopin, The Awakening
Stephen Crane, The Red Badge of Courage
Paul Laurence Dunbar,The Sport of the Gods
Rebecca Harding Davis, Life in the Iron Mills
Henry James, Daisy Miller
Sarah Orne Jewett, The Country of the Pointed Firs
Jack London, The Call of the Wild
Mark Twain, Tom Sawyer

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