English 135AC

Other Readings and Media

G. Jones: Corregidora; O. Butler: Kindred; J.E. Wideman: Philadelphia Fire ; D. Allison: Bastard Out of Carolina ; C. Ozick: The Shawl; T. Olsen: Yonnondio: From the Thirties; H.M. Viramontes: Under the Feet of Jesus; R. Ruiz: Happy Birthday Jesus; D. Santiago : Famous All Over Town

Description

This course will focus on representations of repression and resistance in the fiction of three cultural groups: Chicanos, African Americans, and European Americans. We will examine various forms of repression (social, physical, and psychological) represented in these texts. Several questions inform the course theme: What solution, if any, do these works offer in response to the forms of repression they represent? Can the negative effects of repression be represented in such a way as to establish a positive conception of cultural identity? What are the formal aspects of a literature of repression and resistance? The comparative approach in this course will allow us to analyze the similarities and differences in the literatures of the three cultural groups. It will also provide us with a critical appreciation of the social significance of these literary works. Assignments will likely include two papers and two exams. This course includes discussion sections.