Course Description
A survey of the state's literature, including fiction, essays, poetry, drama, and speeches.
Athena Title
Georgia Literature
Prerequisite
(Two 2000-level ENGL courses) or (one 2000-level ENGL course and one 2000-level CMLT course)
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Students in the class will learn to think critically about Georgia's rich literary heritage, which offers an alternate view of social and cultural history. Beginning with Native American poetry and slave narratives, and going on to classics of nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first century writing, the course will examine issues of race, gender, economics, class, and regionalism, while also attending to genre, voice, and aesthetics. Students in the course will also develop their abilities to think critically, argue persuasively, and write vigorous college-level prose. At the end of the course, students, having read a substantial body of literature, will be able to discuss the assigned works (orally and in writing) with critical sophistication, to read and interpret other works from the genre, and to converse with fellow students about texts and issues related to the subject matter of the course.
Topical Outline
The choice and sequence of topics will vary from instructor to instructor and semester to semester. The topics will consist of selected works by various authors, to be read outside of class and discussed in class, examined individually and comparatively in the context of the times and the circumstances of their composition and reception. Because the course will change from semester to semester, students are encouraged to refer to the English Department website for information concerning the course content for a specific semester. Sample topics might include the following: - Georgia History - Race and Narrative - Forms of Southern/Georgia Poetics - Literature of the Civil Rights Movement - African American Writing - Multi-ethnic Writing - Women’s Writing - The Gothic Tradition - Literary Realism and Naturalism - Religion and Literature Periodically during the semester, students will perform a number of graded tasks, including some combination of tests, critical essays, and in-class writing assignments. Assignments may also include class presentations and/or research outside of class.