American Literature Lm

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.

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.