Credit Points 10

Legacy Code 102099

Coordinator James Gourley Opens in new window

Description This subject explores twentieth century American literature. Issues to be examined include some of the following: the construction of a national literature, struggles for justice and human rights, the intersection of race, gender and sexuality, the ideology of American Exceptionalism, the rise and fall of 'The American Dream', place and time in American literature. A range of text types will be taught.

School Humanities & Comm Arts

Discipline Literature

Student Contribution Band HECS Band 1 10cp

Check your fees via the Fees page.

Level Undergraduate Level 3 subject

Equivalent Subjects LGYA 0895 - American Literature LGYA 0671 - Classic American Literature LGYA 0672 - Modern American Literature LGYA 0527 - American Literature

Restrictions

Successful completion of 60 credit points of study in currently enrolled program.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1. Analyse a broad range of American literary texts.
2. Relate America's literature to its ideological, political or physical landscape.
3. Identify political and/or theoretical elements in American literary texts.
4. Evaluate the historical and intellectual context of the subject's texts.
5. Use secondary criticism as part of analysis and argument-building.

Subject Content

- The 'American Dream' and its discontents
- 'Nativism' and 'Primitivism' in the early 20th century
- post-World War one Developments in American culture
- American literary responses to technological and geopolitical dominance
- modernist influences in American literature
- Postmodernist influences in American literature
- Urbanisation and industrialisation in the 20th century
- race, gender, sexuality, and immigration in American literature