Introduction to Asian American Literature
ENGL 230
Fall 2009
| Section:
01
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| Crosslisting:
AMST 264 |
While the term "Asian American" dates back only to the 1970s, Asians have inhabited the U.S.-and the U.S. cultural imagination--for more than a century. This survey will examine texts by and about Asians in America, broadly conceived, from Herman Melville's MOBY-DICK (1850) to Jhumpa Lahiri's INTERPRETER OF MALADIES (1999). The course is organized chronologically, keyed to important moments in the history of U.S.-Asian interactions (Manifest Destiny, Asian exclusion, World War II, the Cold War, the Vietnam War, etc.) to emphasize the ways in which these cultural artifacts reflect and influence their social and historical contexts. In the latter half of the course, as we enter the period in which Asian American literature becomes an institutional category in its own right, we will add to this historical framework a number of other analytical perspectives that have emerged from within Asian American studies itself: cultural nationalism, gender and sexuality, postcoloniality, cultural assimilation, and globalization. |
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Essential Capabilities:
Interpretation, Writing
This seminar will require students to analyze closely a range of literary and cultural texts through several short written assignments and two longer papers.
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA ENGL |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (AMST)(CEAS-MN)(CEAS)(CEAS-Lit&Cult)(ENGL)(ENGL-Literature) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Course reader with short stories by Frank Norris, Jack London, Sui Sin Far, Toshio Mori and others.
Kogawa, Joy. OBASAN; FLOWER DRUM SONG (1961 film)
Chin, Frank. THE CHICKENCOOP CHINAMAN
Kingston, Maxine Hong. THE WOMAN WARRIOR
Linmark, R. Zamora. ROLLING THE R'S
Hagedorn, Jessica. DOGEATERS
Lee, Chang-rae. NATIVE SPEAKER
Yamashita, Karen Tei. THROUGH THE ARC OF THE RAINFOREST
Lahiri, Jhumpa. INTERPRETER OF MALADIES
Ozeki, Ruth. MY YEAR OF MEATS
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Examinations and Assignments:
Grade based on class attendance and participation; bi-weekly response papers; midterm paper (5-7 pages); final paper (8-10 pages). |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
This course meets the Literature of Difference requirement for the English major. |
| Instructor(s): Tang,Amy Cynthia Times: .M.W... 11:00AM-12:20PM; Location: BTFDA413; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 30 | | SR major: 8 | JR major: 7 | | |
| Seats Available: 1 | GRAD: 0 | SR non-major: 5 | JR non-major: 5 | SO: 5 | FR: 0 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 1 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 1 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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