The Making of the Twentieth Century

This course will focus on American writing produced between 1890 and 1910. Though much of our time will be spent reading novels and short stories—in particular, examples of realist, naturalist, and modernist fiction—we will approach the novel as just one of many narrative arts that played a crucial role in defining the nascent twentieth century. Other genres that we will consider include life writing, the tale, aesthetic and cultural criticism, reportage, photojournalism and the photo book, and protest writing. Our readings will be grouped into five units—"American Life, Writing, and Life Writing," "Race after Reconstruction," "Narrating City Life," "Between Asia and America," and "Modern Women"—and will be drawn from writers such as Henry Adams, Abraham Cahan, Charles Chesnutt, Stephen Crane, Theodore Dreiser, W.E.B. Du Bois, Sui Sin Far, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Henry James, Okakura Kakuzo, Jack London, Frank Norris, Jacob Riis, and Gertrude Stein.

Upon completion, students will be able to:

• Preparation for graduate level classes

Grade Basis: L
Credit hours: 3.0
Lecture hours: 3.0

Prerequisites:

• ENG 102 - Eco Literature