LT203-5-FY: UNITED STATES LITERATURE SINCE 1850
Year: 2013/14
Department: Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies
Essex credit: 30
ECTS credit: 15
Available to Study Abroad / Exchange Students: Yes
| Module is taught during the following terms |
| Autumn |  | Spring | | Summer | |
Module Description
This course examines some of the major texts, problems, and issues of twentieth-century United States literature. Attention will be focused, first and last, on the individual texts. However, these texts will be discussed with reference to such issues as the relationship between American writing and American history, American 'difference' and differences within American society, nationalism and regionalism, and conflicts of race. Some plays will be included, but the main emphasis will be on poetry and fiction; and some attempt will be made to relate American literature to other aspects of American culture.
See CMR for full details.
Module Supervisor's Research into Subject Areas
Dr Jak Peake's research largely focuses on American, and specifically Caribbean literature from the nineteenth to the twenty-first centuries. His research examines issues of colonialism, slavery, indentureship, miscegenation, race, migration and travel - themes all pertinant to study of the Americas. His PhD thesis on the literature of Western Trinidad formed a component of the AHRC-funded Essex project, 'American Tropics'. Adopting a non-national approach in line with the project's rationale, the thesis investigated literature with respect to issues of place, locality, region and geography. He is currently interested in issues of colonialism, postcolonialism, transnational exchange-particularly between US and Caribbean 0 travel writing and crime writing.
Learning & Teaching Methods
Weekly lecture (one hour) and weekly class (of one hour).
Assessment
50 per cent Coursework Mark, 50 per cent Exam Mark
Coursework:
30 per cent Essay 1 + 60 per cent Essay 2 + 10 per cent participation mark
Other details:
Essay 1 will have 2000 words; Essay 2 will have 3500-4000 words
Exam Duration and Period
3:00 hour exam during Summer Examination period.
Other information
Available to those who already have some foundation in nineteenth-century US literature.
Compulsory for:
BA English and United States Literature students, BA United States and Latin American Literature students
Bibliography
- See the CMR for each year's reading lists