English 251-02: Major American Authors: Colonial to Romantic (Fall 2013)
Jim Clark - Office: 3304 Humanities (334-5459) jlclark@uncg.edu
Hours: (M-Th) 10-12:15, 1:45-3
Text: Norton Anthology of American Literature, Vol. A&B, 8th ed.
Attendance: You are expected to come to class prepared to discuss the assigned material. After your third
unexcused absence, you will be placed on probation; after your fourth, you will receive a grade of WF.
Grades: There will be three essay exams, each counting 30% of your course grade. A late exam is penalized one
letter grade for each day late. You must keep a copy of each exam you submit. No emailed exams, unless directed.
Each day you come to class there will be a quiz on the assigned reading (these quizzes count as part of your class
participation grade, which is 10% of your course grade). Grade Danger: Cell phones off, laptops closed, during
class. During class discussions, private talk with neighboring students will lower severely your participation grade.
Honor Code: The quizzes and the final exam are governed by the UNCG Academic Integrity Policy as stated in the
Student Handbook. Each exam must have a signed statement of the Policy.
Tentative Schedule
Aug. 20 (T)
Aug. 22 (Th)
Aug. 27 (T)
Aug. 29 (Th)
Sept. 3 (T)
Sept. 5 (Th)
Sept. 10 (T)
Sept. 12 (Th)
Sept. 17 (T)
Sept. 19 (Th)
Sept. 24 (T)
Sept. 26 (Th)
Oct. 1 (T)
Oct. 3 (Th)
Oct. 8 (T)
Oct. 10 (Th)
Oct. 17 (Th)
Oct. 22 (T)
Oct. 24 (Th)
Oct. 29 (T)
Oct. 31 (Th)
Nov. 5 (T)
Nov. 7 (Th)
Nov. 12 (T)
Nov. 14 (Th)
Nov. 19 (T)
Nov. 21 (Th)
Nov. 26 (T)
Dec. 5 (Th)
Introduction
“Beginnings to 1700,” pp. 3-20; Iroquois Creation Story, pp. 21-25; Cabeza de Vaca, pp. 43-51;
“First Encounters,” pp. 52-54
Bradford, pp. 121-148, 154-155, Morton, pp. 157-165
Bradstreet, pp. 207-209, 213-238
Wigglesworth, pp. 238-243; Rowlandson, pp. 256-288
Taylor, pp. 289-307
Mather, pp. 327-333; Edwards, pp. 396-401, 409, 430-441
Exam #1 due in Room 3304 Moore Humanities by 1:45
“American Literature 1700-1820, pp. 365-378; “Native Americans” Contact and Conflict, pp.
442-443; Red Jacket, pp. 450-453; Franklin, pp. 455-463, 476-480, 534-539
“Women’s Poetry,” pp. 722-723; Murray, pp. 737-745; Wheatley, pp. 762-764; “American
Literature 1820-1865,” pp. 3-24; Irving, pp. 25-41
Irving, pp. 41-62
Cooper, pp. 62-65, 72-79; Bryant, pp. 121-129; Sedgwick, pp. 86-106
Emerson, pp. 211-217, 243-256, 256-269, 295-310
Thoreau, pp. 961-980
Douglass, pp. 1170-1216, 1237-1238, 1251-1254
Essay Exam #2 due in Room 3304 Moore Humanities by 1:45
Hawthorne, pp. 369-386
Hawthorne, pp. 386-395
Hawthorne, pp. 409-418
Hawthorne, pp. 430-450
Poe, pp. 629-633, 691-695, 695-701
Poe, 714-719, 654-667
Melville, pp.1424-1427, 1483-1509
Melville, pp.1587-1643
“Slavery, Race,” pp. 787-788; Stowe, pp.805-818; Jacobs, pp. 920-942; Fern, pp. 905-908, 912
Dickinson, pp. 1659-1663, and selected poems
Whitman, pp. 1310-1329, 1387-1392, 1402-1408
Whitman, “Passage to India” (Blackboard)
Final Essay Exam must be hand-delivered to Jim Clark in 3304 Moore Humanities by 3 pm
Learning Goals: At the completion of this course, you should be able to 1) identify and understand varied
characteristics of literature 2) apply techniques of literary analysis to texts 3) use literary study to develop skills in
careful reading and clear writing 4) demonstrate understanding of the diverse social and historical contexts.