ENGL 2011 - American Literature to 1900

1. Pre-Colonial Period
   1. Historical and cultural analysis
      1. Social and cultural events (such as European colonization and exploration, examining what it means to be an American, etc.)
      2. Changes in racial, gender, sexual, and class perception and identity (such as examining women’s positions in this era, views on and by the indigenous population, etc.)
   2. Literary Elements
      1. Common elements of Pre-Colonial Literature (such as elements of Pre-Colonial Era narratives and poetry, the influence of religion in this era’s literature, etc.)
      2. Common themes of Pre-Colonial Literature (such as the definition of “American Literature,” questioning inclusion and exclusion in early American society, etc.)
2. Colonial Period
   1. Historical and cultural analysis
      1. Social and cultural events (such as the establishment of the American nation, continued examination of what it meant to be an American, etc.)
      2. Changes in racial, gender, sexual, and class perception and identity (such as questioning inclusion and exclusion in American society, positions on slavery, etc.)
   2. Literary Elements
      1. Common elements of Colonial Literature (such as elements of Colonial Era narratives and poetry, the influence of religion on this era’s literature, etc.)
      2. Common themes of Colonial Literature (such as the creation of an “American” national identity, the value and authenticity of narratives of enslaved people, etc.)
3. American Romanticism
   1. Historical and cultural analysis
      1. Social and cultural events (such as the Industrial Revolution, increasing urban population, Western expansion, the Civil War, etc.)
      2. Changes in racial, gender, sexual, and class perceptions (such as the Abolitionist movement and continued debates over the legitimacy of slavery, the onset of First Wave Feminism, the growing working and lower classes in American cities, etc.)
   2. Literary elements
      1. Common elements of American Romanticism (such as the elements of Romantic era fiction, the elements of Romantic era poetry, etc.)
      2. Common themes of American Romanticism (such as the importance of nature, the privileging of imagination over rational thought, the focus on individualism, etc.)
4. American Realism
   1. Historical and cultural analysis
      1. Social and cultural events (such as the closing of the American Frontier, revolutions in American commerce and transportation, continued industrialization and urbanization, etc.)
      2. Changes in racial, gender, sexual, and class perception and identity (such as the Great Migration, increased immigration, Jim Crow laws, etc.)
   2. Literary elements
      1. Common elements of American Realism (such as the contrast and comparison between Realism and Naturalism, the elements of Realism era fiction, the elements of Realism era poetry, etc.)
      2. Common themes of American Realism (such as how immigrants and/or women became subject matter and/or authors in this era, the focus on everyday life, the use of colloquial language, the importance of everyday realities, etc.)
5. Close reading
   1. Techniques for close reading and interpretation of fiction, poetry, drama, and/or non-fiction (e.g., literary elements and devices)
   2. Literary sub-genres (such as Native American oral traditions, captivity narratives, historical accounts, political documents, sentimental literature, narratives of enslaved people, Transcendentalism, Regionalism, Naturalism, etc.)

1. demonstrate awareness of the scope and variety of works in American Literature from its origins to 1900.
2. analyze those works as expressions of individual and human values within an historical and social context.
3. respond critically to works in American Literature from its origins to 1900.
4. articulate an informed personal reaction to works in American Literature.
5. analyze basic literary elements in works studied.
6. analyze the development and changing meanings of group identities in U.S. history and culture.
7. analyze and articulate the similarities and differences between their attitudes, behaviors, concepts, and beliefs regarding diversity, racism, and bigotry and those of the writers, characters, and situations encountered in American Literature.
8. articulate an informed reaction to the experiences and contributions of varied groups that shape American society and culture, in particular those groups that have suffered discrimination and exclusion.

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