American Literature Lm
A.Y. 2022/2023
Learning objectives
The course is offered in a double annuality as a specialized exploration of selections of US literary production, which will be conducted either from a thematic point of view or from a recent and current critical perspective. The course will present the fundamental theory and methodology of one or more critical approaches. Literary works will be read in class with the aim of training students in the skill of applying literary theory to critical text analysis.
Expected learning outcomes
Required knowledge: at the end of the course, students should demonstrate that they have understood the critical perspectives illustrated in class, and that they have become able to apply them to their analysis of literary texts. Moreover, they should prove their in-depth knowledge of all the literary works included in the course reading list. Required linguistic skills: at the end of the course, students should demonstrate the ability to read the original versions of the literary works included in the reading list, and to translate them into Italian (or to paraphrase them in English, in the case of international students). Moreover, they should demonstrate, in English, their capacity to interpret the literary texts correctly, and to discuss their interpretations, as well as their application of the acquired theory and methodology to literary analysis. Required literary skills: at the end of the course, students should be able to conduct a critical interpretation of the literary works included in the reading list according to the acquired theory and methods, and to perform a literary analysis of the same from both a thematic and a formal point of view. Finally, they should show the ability to make connections between the various authors and works they have been studying.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
The title of the course is Contemporary American Literature and is divided into three didactic units: A: The Tranquilized Fifties and counterculture ; B - Self-reflective literature, Maximalism, Minimalism; C - Ethnic voices, New Writings
Students from Lingue who major in American Literature must attend the whole course, which provides 9 credits, and are required to complete the whole course syllabus.
The course syllabus is valid until July 2024.
Students from Lingue who major in American Literature must attend the whole course, which provides 9 credits, and are required to complete the whole course syllabus.
The course syllabus is valid until July 2024.
Prerequisites for admission
The course is open to students from all degree courses. It is completely delivered in English. Lectures, materials and bibliography require a sound knowledge of the English language.
International students and Erasmus students are welcome as long as they own the required linguistic skills.
International students and Erasmus students are welcome as long as they own the required linguistic skills.
Teaching methods
The course is mainly delivered as lectures, in which students will be involved through the reading and interpretation of literary texts, and the discussion of theoretical and critical essays. Students are required to come to class having prepared the readings assigned for the week's syllabus. Audio-visual materials may be used in class.
Teaching Resources
Unit A: The Tranquilized Fifties and counterculture
RICHARD WILBUR p. 327; "The Beautiful Changes", p. 328
ROBERT LOWELL, p. 286, "Skunk Hour", p. 301;
SYLVIA PLATH, p. 620, "Lady Lazarus", p. 622, "Daddy", p. 626
TENNESSEE WILLIAMS, p. 73, A Streetcar Named Desire, pp. 76-138
ARTHUR MILLER, p. 218, Death of a Salesman, pp. 221-286
FLANNERY O'CONNOR, p. 426 - "The life You Save May Be Your Own", pp. 427-435, "A Good Man is Hard to Find", pp. 449-459.
ALLEN GINSBERG, p. 485- From Howl, p. 487-495; "A supermarket in California", 495
HUNTER S. THOMPSON, "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas", pp. 1099-1100; JOAN DIDION, "Slouching Towards Bethelehem", pp. 1101-1103.
Unit B - Self-reflective literature, Maximalism, Minimalism
JOHN ASHBERY, p. 511, From "Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror", p. 515
THOMAS PYNCHON, p.730, "Entropy", pp. 731- 741.
DON DELILLO, p. 700, from White Noise, pp. 702-719.
RAYMOND CARVER, p. 742, "Will You Please Be Quiet Please" (PDF - Teams); "Cathedral", pp. 743-753
SAM SHEPARD, True West
AUGUST WILSON, Fences
Unit C - Ethnic voices, New Writings
GRACE PALEY, p. 355 "A Conversation with My Father", pp. 356-360; "Here", p. 360.
TONY MORRISON, p. 605, "Recitatif", pp. 607-619.
LESLIE MARMON SILKO, p. 1006, "Lullaby", pp. 1007-1013
SANDRA CISNEROS, p.1060, "Woman Hollering Creek", pp. 1061-1068.
MAXINE HONG KINGSTON, The Woman Warrior, pp. 798-807
JUNOT DIAZ, "Drown", 1168-1176; JUMPA LAHIRI, 1150; "Sexy", 1152-1167.
DAVID FOSTER WALLACE, Consider the Lobster, 1104-1108; 9/11; THIS IS WATER
Novels (not included in the Norton Anthology):
RALPH ELLISON, Invisible Man (1952)
J. D. SALINGER, The Catcher in the Rye (1951)
KURT VONNEGUT, Slaughterhouse N. 5 (1969)
PHILIP ROTH, American Pastoral (1997)
One of the following novels:
SAUL BELLOW, Dangling Man (1944)
JAMES BALDWIN, Giovanni's Room (1956)
JACK KEROUAC, On the Road (1957)
TRUMAN CAPOTE, In Cold Blood (1962)
THOMAS PYNCHON, The Crying of th Lot 49 (1966)
N SCOTT MOMADAY, House Made of Dawn (1968)
LESLIE MALMON SILKO, Ceremony (1977)
TONI MORRISON, The Bluest Eye (1970)
DAVID FOSTER WALLACE, Girl with Curious Hair (1989)
CORMAC MCCARTHY, Blood Meridian (1996)
DON DE LILLO, Cosmopolis (2003)
One of the following plays
EUGENE O' NEILL, Long Day's Journey into Night, (Norton Vol D, pp. 389-466)
EDWARD ALBEE, Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf? (1962)
LEROI JONES, The Duchman (1964)
JOHN GUARE, Six Degrees of Separation (1990)
TONY KUSHNER, Angels in America (1993)
Criticism:
Il Novecento USA. Narrazioni e culture letterarie del secolo americano, a cura di Sara Antonelli e Giorgio Mariani. Roma, Carocci, 2009, capitoli 9, 11, 12, 13, 14.
Cristina Iuli, Paola Loreto, a cura di, La Letteratura degli Stati Uniti dal Rinascimento americano ai nostri giorni, Carocci, 2017: capitoli 11, 12, 13, 14.
Other essays will be available on the Ariel Website/Team.
RICHARD WILBUR p. 327; "The Beautiful Changes", p. 328
ROBERT LOWELL, p. 286, "Skunk Hour", p. 301;
SYLVIA PLATH, p. 620, "Lady Lazarus", p. 622, "Daddy", p. 626
TENNESSEE WILLIAMS, p. 73, A Streetcar Named Desire, pp. 76-138
ARTHUR MILLER, p. 218, Death of a Salesman, pp. 221-286
FLANNERY O'CONNOR, p. 426 - "The life You Save May Be Your Own", pp. 427-435, "A Good Man is Hard to Find", pp. 449-459.
ALLEN GINSBERG, p. 485- From Howl, p. 487-495; "A supermarket in California", 495
HUNTER S. THOMPSON, "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas", pp. 1099-1100; JOAN DIDION, "Slouching Towards Bethelehem", pp. 1101-1103.
Unit B - Self-reflective literature, Maximalism, Minimalism
JOHN ASHBERY, p. 511, From "Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror", p. 515
THOMAS PYNCHON, p.730, "Entropy", pp. 731- 741.
DON DELILLO, p. 700, from White Noise, pp. 702-719.
RAYMOND CARVER, p. 742, "Will You Please Be Quiet Please" (PDF - Teams); "Cathedral", pp. 743-753
SAM SHEPARD, True West
AUGUST WILSON, Fences
Unit C - Ethnic voices, New Writings
GRACE PALEY, p. 355 "A Conversation with My Father", pp. 356-360; "Here", p. 360.
TONY MORRISON, p. 605, "Recitatif", pp. 607-619.
LESLIE MARMON SILKO, p. 1006, "Lullaby", pp. 1007-1013
SANDRA CISNEROS, p.1060, "Woman Hollering Creek", pp. 1061-1068.
MAXINE HONG KINGSTON, The Woman Warrior, pp. 798-807
JUNOT DIAZ, "Drown", 1168-1176; JUMPA LAHIRI, 1150; "Sexy", 1152-1167.
DAVID FOSTER WALLACE, Consider the Lobster, 1104-1108; 9/11; THIS IS WATER
Novels (not included in the Norton Anthology):
RALPH ELLISON, Invisible Man (1952)
J. D. SALINGER, The Catcher in the Rye (1951)
KURT VONNEGUT, Slaughterhouse N. 5 (1969)
PHILIP ROTH, American Pastoral (1997)
One of the following novels:
SAUL BELLOW, Dangling Man (1944)
JAMES BALDWIN, Giovanni's Room (1956)
JACK KEROUAC, On the Road (1957)
TRUMAN CAPOTE, In Cold Blood (1962)
THOMAS PYNCHON, The Crying of th Lot 49 (1966)
N SCOTT MOMADAY, House Made of Dawn (1968)
LESLIE MALMON SILKO, Ceremony (1977)
TONI MORRISON, The Bluest Eye (1970)
DAVID FOSTER WALLACE, Girl with Curious Hair (1989)
CORMAC MCCARTHY, Blood Meridian (1996)
DON DE LILLO, Cosmopolis (2003)
One of the following plays
EUGENE O' NEILL, Long Day's Journey into Night, (Norton Vol D, pp. 389-466)
EDWARD ALBEE, Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf? (1962)
LEROI JONES, The Duchman (1964)
JOHN GUARE, Six Degrees of Separation (1990)
TONY KUSHNER, Angels in America (1993)
Criticism:
Il Novecento USA. Narrazioni e culture letterarie del secolo americano, a cura di Sara Antonelli e Giorgio Mariani. Roma, Carocci, 2009, capitoli 9, 11, 12, 13, 14.
Cristina Iuli, Paola Loreto, a cura di, La Letteratura degli Stati Uniti dal Rinascimento americano ai nostri giorni, Carocci, 2017: capitoli 11, 12, 13, 14.
Other essays will be available on the Ariel Website/Team.
Assessment methods and Criteria
Oral: the exam is an interview, during which students will demonstrate their capacity to read and translate the literary texts listed in the course syllabus (non-Italian students will be asked to paraphrase the same in English); their knowledge of the historical, cultural, and literary context of both the texts and writers proposed; their knowledge of the literary works proposed; their critical abilities (i.e., their capacity to analyze the literary works, and to connect different authors, texts and literary trends).
LM students from Lingue are required to take their exam in English. Students from other-than-Lingue degree courses may choose to take their exam either in Italian or in English.
The final score is expressed in thirtieths, 18/30 being the pass score. Students may accept or reject the result (in which case the record will be "ritirato," and they will have to take the whole exam again in a future session).
International or Erasmus incoming students are kindly requested to contact the teacher. Also students with any disabilities should contact the teacher in order to agree on alternative examination methods, in agreement with the competent office.
It is mandatory to bring along an academic edition of all the literary texts listed in the syllabus.
LM students from Lingue are required to take their exam in English. Students from other-than-Lingue degree courses may choose to take their exam either in Italian or in English.
The final score is expressed in thirtieths, 18/30 being the pass score. Students may accept or reject the result (in which case the record will be "ritirato," and they will have to take the whole exam again in a future session).
International or Erasmus incoming students are kindly requested to contact the teacher. Also students with any disabilities should contact the teacher in order to agree on alternative examination methods, in agreement with the competent office.
It is mandatory to bring along an academic edition of all the literary texts listed in the syllabus.
Unità didattica A
L-LIN/11 - ANGLO - AMERICAN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unità didattica B
L-LIN/11 - ANGLO - AMERICAN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unità didattica C
L-LIN/11 - ANGLO - AMERICAN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor(s)
Reception:
Office hours: Wednesday, 11-12,30; Teams: by appointment. Contact by mail in advance to confirm an appointment.
Piazza S. Alessandro 1, English Department, second floor