Girlhood in African American Literature
AFAM 115
Fall 2008
| Section:
01
|
| Crosslisting:
ENGL 122 |
This course will explore the visual and literary construction of girlhood in African American newspapers, literature, conduct manuals, and magazines from the early nineteenth century to the late twentieth century. This course is designed to expose students to a broad array of African American texts and visual images that will include Phillis Wheatley's frontispiece, advertisements and articles from the early black press, book covers and images in select nineteenth-century novels, sketches and photographs from early black conduct books and art from Kara Walker's NARRATIVES OF A NEGRESS. The assigned texts span more than two centuries of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry that we will examine to consider the important cultural work that representations of girlhood performed in the fight for citizenship and legitimacy throughout African American literary history. The figure of the girl will operate as a lens through which we will investigate and interrogate ideologies of race, gender, sexuality, class, culture, nation and diaspora represented in major literary texts published during these two centuries. |
|
Essential Capabilities:
None |
| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA AFAM |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
|
Fulfills a Requirement for: None |
|
Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 | | Special Attributes: FYI |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Texts include selections from black newspapers such as FREEDOM'S JOURNAL (1827-1829) and CHRISTIAN RECORDER (1854-present). Other works include Harriet Wilson, OUR NIG (1859), Frances E. W. Harper, TRIAL AND TRIUMPH (1888-1889), Mrs. N.F. Mossell, LITTLE DANSIE'S ONE DAY AT SABBATH SCHOOL (1902), Silas X. Floyd, FLOYD'S FLOWERS, or DUTY AND BEAUTY FOR COLORED CHILDREN (1905), Zora Neale Hurston, DUST TRACKS ON A ROAD (1942), Gwendolyn Brooks, ANNIE ALLEN (1949), Toni Morrison, THE BLUEST EYE (1970), BLACK GIRL 1972 (film) directed by Ossie Davis, and Toni Cade Bambara, GORILLA, MY LOVE (1972).
|
Examinations and Assignments:
Weekly one-page response papers.
Three typed papers, the first two are 5 pages, the last 8-10 pages.
Students will give presentations.
Active class participation. |
| Instructor(s): Wright,Nazera S. Times: ..T.R.. 09:00AM-10:20AM; Location: FISK413; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 19 | | SR major: X | JR major: X | | |
| Seats Available: 9 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: X | JR non-major: X | SO: 9 | FR: 10 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
|
|