ENGL 611B American Realism and Naturalism (Spring 2006)

Tuesday 6:30-9:15

Kinard 201

Dr. John Bird

Office: 260 Bancroft

Phone: 323-3679

birdj@winthrop.edu

birdj@access1.net

Office Hours: 2:00-3:30 MTWR

or by appointment

DESCRIPTION:

A study of American realism and naturalism, 1865-1910, with attention to authors, works, themes, movements, historical relationships, and criticism. The class will be conducted as a seminar, with students contributing a great deal of the content.

GOALS:

See attached sheet.

REQUIREMENTS:

  • attendance and participation

  • keep up with all reading

  • oral reports and presentations (10%)

  • two 4-6 pp. papers (15% each)

  • one 10 p. seminar paper (35%)

  • online discussion group (10%)

  • final exam

    •

    ATTENDANCE: Attendance is crucial in a seminar such as this one, where the students are responsible for much of the course content. Except for emergencies, you should not miss any classes, but if you find that you must, please let me know, beforehand if possible.

    TEXTS:

    Mark Twain, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, ed. Graff and Phelan (Bedford/St. Martin= s, 2nd ed.)

    William Dean Howells, The Rise of Silas Lapham, ed. Cook (Norton Critical Edition)

    Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady, ed. Bamberg (Norton Critical Edition, 2nd ed.)

    Charles W. Chesnutt, Selected Writings, ed. Ferguson (New Riverside Editions)

    Charlotte Perkins Gilman, A The Yellow Wallpaper,@ ed. Bauer (Bedford Cultural Edition)

    Kate Chopin, The Awakening, ed. Culley (Norton Critical Edition, 2nd ed.)

    Frank Norris, McTeague, ed. Pizer (Norton Critical Edition, 2nd ed.)

     

     

    SYLLABUS (students are responsible for any changes):

    T January 10

    Introduction; Mark Twain, A The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County@

    T January 17

    Mark Twain, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: A The Life of Samuel Clemens and the Reception of Huckleberry Finn@ (19); text of novel (27)

    T January 24

    Mark Twain, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

    reading: A Why Study Critical Controversies?@ (1); A The Controversy Over the Ending: Did Mark Twain Sell Jim Down the River?@ (279); A The Controversy Over Race: Does Huckleberry Finn Combat or Reinforce Racist Attitudes?@ (335); A The Controversy Over Gender and Sexuality@

    Report: Huckleberry Finn manuscript and composition history

    Report: Twain= s A Fenimore Cooper= s Literary Offenses@

    T January 31

    William Dean Howells, The Rise of Silas Lapham

    reading: selections from Composition and Backgrounds (325); selections from Contemporary Responses (385)

    Report: Howells and Realism

    T February 7

    		  

    Howells, The Rise of Silas Lapham

    reading: Pizer (430); Hart (440); Tanselle (462); Holman (487); Howells (496)

    Report: Howells and Twain

    short paper #1 due

    T February 14

    Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady

    reading: selections from Henry James and the Novel (635); selections from Contemporary Reviews (657)

    Report: Howells and James

    Report: James= s New York edition prefaces

    T February 21

    James, The Portrait of a Lady

    reading: Mazzella (597); Baym (620); Auchincloss (720); Report: James= s biographers

    T February 8

    James, The Portrait of a Lady

    Holland (700); Feidelson (711); Veeder (729)

    Report: James and Sexuality

    T March 7

    		  

    Charles W. Chesnutt, Selected Writings

    reading:

    IntroductionB Charles W. Chesnutt: An American Signifier (1)

    Historical, Social, and Literary PerspectivesB Journal Entries (17); A What Is a White Man?@ (24); A The Future American: What Race is Likely to Become in the Process of Time@ (47); A The White and the Black@ (52); A Superstitions and Folklore of the South?@ (58); A The Disenfranchisement of the Negro@ (65)

    Conjure Stories and Color-Line StoriesB A The Goophered Grapevine@ (118); A Po= Sandy@ (128); A Mars Jeems= s Nightmare@ (136); A The Conjurer= s Revenge@ (148); A Sis= Becky= s Pickaninny@ (157); A The Gray Wolf= s Ha= nt@ (166); A Hot-Foot Hannibal@ (176); A Dave= s Neckliss@ (188); A The Wife of His Youth@ (199); A Her Virginia Mammy@ (209); A The Sheriff= s Children@ (223); A The Passing of Grandison@ (268); A The Web of Circumstance@ (317); A Baxter= s Procrustes@ (331)

    Selected Critical PerspectivesB Thrasher, A Mr Chesnutt at Work@ (343); Baldwin, A The Art of The Conjure Woman@ (346); Britt, A Chesnutt= s Conjure Tales: What You See is What You Get@ (358); Andrews. A The Significance of Charles W. Chesnutt= s > Conjure Stories= @ (370); Hemenway, A > Baxter= s Procrustes= : Irony and Protest@ (394); Elder, A @ = The Future American Race= : Charles W. Chesnutt= s Utopian Illusion@ (419)

    short paper #2 due

    T March 14

    Spring Break

    T March 21

    		 

    Charlotte Perkins Gilman, A The Yellow Wallpaper@

    reading: Cultural and Historical Background (3); Conduct Literature and Motherhood Manuals (any three) (63); Invalid Women (Mitchell and two more) (130); Sexuality, Race, and Social Control (any three ) (189); Movements for Social Change (any two) (278); Literary Responses and Literary Culture (Gilman) (345)

    Report: Gilman= s Herland

    T March 28

    		  

    Frank Norris, McTeague

    reading: selections from Contexts (245); Pizer (306); Cain (328); Hochman (343); Caron (357)

    Report: Norris and Naturalism

    Report:

    T April 4

    Norris, McTeague

    T April 11

    		  

    Kate Chopin, The Awakening

    reading: selections from contexts (119); selected contemporary reviews (159); Wolff (231); Wolkenfeld (241); Gilbert (271); Ammons (309)

    Report: Chopin= s Rediscovery

    T April 18

    Chopin, The Awakening

    T April 25

    Study DayB Seminar Paper due

    TBA

    Final Exam