ENG 207 - African-American Literature

 
Description
This is a survey of literature by African Americans from the vernacular to the days of slavery, through Reconstruction, the Harlem Renaissance, Realism, Modernism, the Black Arts Movement and Neorealism to current contemporary authors. Students view African-American literature critically, theoretically, historically and politically. In addition, the course creates an understanding of how diversity and inclusion apply to literature in the context of the United States of America and the world.

1. Identify literary movements of African-American writers in historical sequence.
2. Analyze the literary and language characteristics of folk tales, poetry, essays, plays, fiction and autobiography writings of African Americans.
3. Identify social, cultural and political trends that shaped African-American identity in relationship to the dominant culture and intersections amongst African Americans that influenced literature past and present.
4. Critique how African Americans have recorded the history of America and its people through literature.
5. Apply literary theory to interpret African-American literature.
6. Apply literary criticism to interpret African-American literature.
7. Research a variety of authors’ work and related literary criticism.
8. Write analyses and arguments on the literature involving synthesis and documentation.

1. Principal historic movements, culture and political tendencies which influence a writer’s ideas and style
2. Language structure and characteristics of each author’s writings
3. Literary analysis of major works
4. Recurring themes in African-American literature
5. Representations of African-American identity in African-American literature
6. Literary theory
7. Literary criticism

• Communication
• Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
• Culture Society & Citizenship

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