Academic Year/course:
2023/24
416 - Degree in English
27826 - American Literature I
Syllabus Information
Academic year:
2023/24
Subject:
27826 - American Literature I
Faculty / School:
103 - Facultad de Filosofía y Letras
Degree:
416 - Degree in English
ECTS:
6.0
Year:
2
Semester:
Second semester
Subject type:
Compulsory
Module:
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1. General information
The main objective of this subject is to provide students with specialized knowledge about the origins of US literature. This will be achieved through the study of a significant textual corpus from various theoretical frameworks, taking into account relevant notions such as identity, nation, race, gender, and social class. The course aims to emphasize the relation between each text and the history and culture of the United States and Western society as a whole. These approaches and objectives are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations' Agenda 2030 (https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/), particularly those related to eradicating poverty (SDG 1), quality education (SDG 4), gender equality (SDG 5), reducing inequalities (SDG 10), and climate action (SDG 13).
2. Learning results
In order to pass this subject, the student must accomplish the following learning goals:
• Define the different periods that structure North American literature from its origins until the mid-19th century.
• Name and chronologically locate the main authors, texts, genres, and literary trends of the period.
• Explain the connection of each text and author with their specific historical-literary context.
• Analyze the compulsory texts included in the course syllabus, paying attention to both form and content, correctly applying the techniques of close reading and the studied theoretical frameworks.
• Compare the formal and content aspects of the different texts in the syllabus.
• Generate hypotheses on specific topics related to the contents and works of the program.
• Handle bibliographic sources to obtain additional information on topics related to the program, selecting the most relevant ones among those available and properly indicating the consulted sources.
• Assess the relevance of each of the texts and authors included in the syllabus for the understanding of North American literature and, more broadly, the cultural history of the United States.
• Summarize the most relevant characteristics of American literature from its origins to the mid-19th century.
• Use the English language with a higher degree of accuracy, both orally and in writing, applying all the above at a C1.1 level of the CEFR.
3. Syllabus
1. COLONIAL PERIOD (1492-1765)
Native American oral tradition: Iroquois Creation Story”, Winnebago Trickster Cycle
Literature of exploration: General History, J. Smith; Of Plymouth Plantation, W. Bradford
Puritanism: “The Prologue”, “To My Dear and Loving Husband”, A. Bradstreet; Captivity Narrative, M. Rowlandson
2. AMERICAN REVOLUTION AND DEMOCRACY (1765-1829)
Enlightenment and revolutionary literatura: “Remarks…”, Autobiography, B. Franklin.
Fiction: “Rip Van Winkle”, W. Irving; The Last of the Mohicans, J. F. Cooper.
3. ORIGINS OF ROMANTICISM (1829-1865)
Transcendentalism: Nature, R. W. Emerson; Walden, H. D. Thoreau
Literature and reform: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, F. Douglass; Uncle Tom’s Cabin, de H. B. Stowe.
4. Academic activities
- Theory sessions
The course will cover historical and cultural contexts, main characteristics of authors, works, and critical and methodological concepts.
- Practice sessions and group seminars
Critical analysis of the compulsory literary texts will be conducted through guided commentary in both large group settings and small discussion groups.
- Supervised activities
Individual and group tutorials will be conducted.
- Autonomous activities
Reading the compulsory texts corresponding to each unit, reviewing concepts discussed in class, consulting bibliographic sources, and accessing additional materials on the course's Moodle page.
- Global exam
5. Assessment system
1st CALL
CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT (if no practice teaching group exceeds 25 students):
1) Completion of two partial exams (reading tests and analysis of quotes from compulsory texts), weeks 7, 11 and 15 [40% of the final grade].
2) Completion of a written test (essay question relating two or more texts and/or authors from the syllabus) [60% of the final grade].
Requirement: participation and attendance of at least 80% of the classes.
Evaluation criteria: knowledge of the subject matter, effective development of argumentation, ability to analyze texts in depth considering form and content, and appropriate expression in English at a C1.1 level according to the CEFR.
GLOBAL ASSESSMENT
Completion, on the date specified in the academic calendar, of an exam divided into two parts:
1) Short questions on topics, concepts, texts, authors [40% of the final grade].
2) Essay question relating two or more texts and/or authors from the syllabus [60% of the final grade].
For both continuous and global assessment, failing to achieve a minimum of 4.5 out of 10 points in either part will result in a failing grade. The average score of the exams must reach 5.0 points to pass the course.
Evaluation criteria: knowledge of the subject matter, effective development of argumentation, ability to analyze texts in depth considering form and content, and appropriate expression in English at a C1.1 level according to the CEFR.
2nd CALL
GLOBAL ASSESSMENT
Identical to the global assessment of the 1st call.