Northwest-Shoals Community College
Syllabus: ENG 299 /African American Literature
Spring 2003
Instructor:
Mr. Michael Patrick McClung, B.A., M.A.
Department of English
Phil Campbell Campus
2080 College Road
Phil Campbell, Alabama 35581
E-mail: mcclung@nwscc.edu
Phone: 256.331.6313
Textbook: The Norton Anthology of African American Literature, Gates & McKay (1997)
Nature of the Course: ENG 299/African American Literature is, this semester, a distance
education web course. In many ways, this course is similar in nature to an independent
study course. Students will read assignments week by week and periodically submit
critical analysis essays to the instructor via e-mail. The instructor will also answer
questions and correspond with students via e-mail and telephone.
Success in this type of course requires a highly-disciplined, responsible, conscientious
student. Many who begin a web course drop out or fail because they fall behind on
readings and written assignments. Please be advised as you begin African American
Literature.
Make-up Work: Students will be given one week to send late assignments to the
instructor. No work will be accepted beyond this extra time allowance. If you wish to
send a printed copy of your essays to the instructor in addition to sending the work
through e-mail, simply use the U.S. mail address above.
Grades: Your final course grade will come from performance on four (4) literary analysis
essays—which will stress critical thinking and the student’s overall understanding of the
works—and one (1) full-length research paper. The research paper will count for 30% of
the final course grade, and the essays will each count 17.5% of the final course grade.
About Your Instructor: Mr. McClung received his B.A. degree in English from the
University of North Alabama (1993) and his M.A. degree in English from the University
of Alabama at Birmingham (1995). He has taught in the English Departments of UAB,
UNA, and NW-SCC.
Course Schedule:
Week 1: Spirituals, 5-16
Blues, 22-23, 25-27, 31-32
Rap, 60-69
Sermons, 69-70, 80-89
Study Guidelines for Writing About Literature and sample literary analysis
essays printed below this syllabus
Week 2: Write Essay #1 from one of the topics listed below. Send the essay to
Mr. McClung using the e-mail address above. The paper is due by x/x/03.
1. Discuss at least three prominent themes presented in the Spirituals that you
read and studied in the textbook last week.
2. Discuss at least three prominent themes presented in the Blues selections
that you read and studied in the textbook last week.
3. Discuss at least three prominent themes presented in the Rap selections that
you read and studied in the textbook last week. Helpful to your discussion
would be some mention and analysis of more recent Rap songs and artists
as well.
4. Discuss at least three prominent themes presented in any of the Sermons
printed in your textbook.
Week 3: Folktales, 102-25
P. Wheatley, 164-73
S. Truth, 196-201
Week 4: F. Douglass, 299-368
B. Washington, 488-90; “A Slave Among Slaves,” 490-98 and “The Struggle
for Education,” 505-13
Week 5: Write Essay #2 from one of the topics listed below. Send the essay to
Mr. McClung using the e-mail address above. The paper is due by x/x/03.
1. Discuss at least three prominent themes presented in the Folktales
selections that you read and studied in the textbook last week.
2. Write a critical analysis of one of P. Wheatley’s poems. In an analysis you
may focus on themes, style, language, images, etc.
3. Write a critical analysis of “Ar’n’t I a Woman?” by S. Truth. In an
analysis you may focus on themes, style, language, images, etc.
4. Discuss the theme of literacy as earthly salvation in F. Douglass’ Narrative
of the Life.
5. Discuss three prominent themes that B. Washington presents in “A Slave
Among Slaves” or “The Struggle for Education.”
Week 6: W.E.B. DuBois, “A Litany of Atlanta,” 606-12
P. L. Dunbar, 884-86; “Ode to Ethiopia,” 886-87; “Worn Out,” 887-88;
“The Colored Soldiers,” 889-91; “We Wear the Mask,” 896
Week 7: C. McKay, 981-83; “Harlem Shadows,” 984; “Africa,” 985; “America,”
985-86; “Enslaved,” 986
Z. N. Hurston, 996-999; from Their Eyes Were Watching God, 1041-50
Week 8: L. Hughes, 1251-54; “Salvation,” printed below syllabus; All poetry on pages
1254-67; “Feet Live Their Own Life,” 1297-99
C. Cullen, 1303-05; “Yet Do I Marvel,” 1305; “Incident,” 1306
Week 9: Write Essay #3 from one of the topics listed below. Send the essay to
Mr. McClung using the e-mail address above. The paper is due by x/x/03.
1. Write an analysis focusing on at least three prominent themes presented in
“A Litany of Atlanta” by W. E. B. DuBois. In an analysis you may focus
on themes, style, language, images, etc.
2. Write an analysis focusing on at least three prominent themes presented in
the poems of P. L. Dunbar. In an analysis you may focus on themes, style,
language, images, etc.
3. Write an analysis focusing on at least three prominent themes presented in
the poems of C. McKay. In an analysis you may focus on themes, style,
language, images, etc.
4. Write an analysis focusing on at least three prominent themes presented in
the work of Z. N. Hurston. In an analysis you may focus on themes, style,
language, images, etc.
5. Write an analysis focusing on at least three prominent themes presented in
either the poems or short stories of L. Hughes. In an analysis you may
focus on themes, style, language, images, etc.
6. Write an analysis focusing on at least three prominent themes presented in
the poems of C. Cullen. In an analysis you may focus on themes, style,
language, images, etc.
Week 10: R. Ellison, “Battle Royal,” 1525-35
G. Brooks, “a song in the front yard,” 1580, “Sadie and Maud,” 1580-81, “the
preacher ruminates . . . ,” 1581-82
Week 11: M. L. King, “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” 1854
M. Angelou, “Still I Rise,” 2039, “My Arkansas,” 2040, from I Know Why the
Caged Bird Sings, 2040-50
Week 12: Write Essay #4 from one of the topics listed below. Send the essay to
Mr. McClung using the e-mail address above. The paper is due by x/x/03.
1. Write an analysis of R. Ellison’s “Battle Royal.” In an analysis you may
focus on themes, style, language, images, etc.
2. Discuss at least three prominent themes as presented in the poetry of G.
Brooks.
3. Write an analysis of M. L. King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” In an
analysis you may focus on themes, style, language, images, etc.
4. Write an analysis of one of the works of M. Angelou that were printed in
your book.
Weeks 13-15: Write a research paper focusing on one of the authors you have studied
this semester in ENG 299. The paper should be 6-8 pages, plus a Works
Cited page. You are to use MLA documentation format for citing your
sources both within the text of the paper and on the Works Cited page, just
as you learned to do in ENG 102 for the research paper. Focus on some
theme or element or aspect of your author’s literary work instead of
simply writing a biographical account. The paper is due x/x/xx, and you
may send it to me at the mailing address above or send it to me in a
Microsoft Word attachment file via e-mail.
____________________________________________________________________
Other resources:
Example of a Literary Analysis Essay on Poetry:
Stacey Cole
Poetry Essay
ENG 102
Analysis of “My Last Duchess”
In Robert Browning’s “My Last Duchess,” the Duke is negotiating for a
woman’s hand in marriage. He tells the Ambassador that he really loves this woman, and
he does not care about dowry from her father. Actually, the Duke is only marrying this
woman to gain financially, but he does not share this with the Ambassador, because he is
trying to impress him. The Duke is a very proud man. He likes to show off his
expensive belongings and boast about himself to others. The Duke is an arrogant,
possessive, and ruthless character.
The Duke begins telling the Ambassador about his last Duchess. He pulls back
a curtain, and asks him to sit and look at her portrait on the wall. He brags to the
Ambassador by telling how he hired a famous painter to paint her portrait. When people
look at the picture of the Duchess, they say she looks happy, and that her cheeks are
glowing. The arrogant Duke says that she looks like that because he was there when her
picture was being painted. He is so arrogant that he always makes the conversation about
himself. He brags to the Ambassador about his other paintings and belongings by saying,
“Notice Neptune, though, / Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity, / which Claus of
Innsbruck cast in bronze for me!” (54-56). The Duke takes very much pride in what he
owns, and especially in his name. He calls his name a gift, and he wanted his last
Duchess to think of it as a gift, too. He says that she ranked his gift of a nine-hundredyears-old name with anybody’s gift, and this highly upset him. The Duke’s actions
reflect his arrogance.
The Duke is also very possessive. He was extremely jealous of his last
Duchess, because he says, “she liked whate’er / She looked on, and her looks went
everywhere” (23-24). He wanted to be the only one she smiled at, and the only one she
flirted with, but that was not her nature. He did not approve of her friendliness to other
men, mainly because he was not the center of her attention. He wanted her to make a big
fuss over him all the time, and he did not understand why she did not do that. He was
very possessive over his last Duchess.
The Duke says, “She had / A heart-how shall I say? – too soon made glad, /
Too easily impressed” (21-23); he is complaining about his last Duchess being so kindhearted. He wants her to be ruthless like he is. Finally, he could not bear her kind, happy
ways any longer, and he says, “I gave commands; / Then all smiles stopped together”
(45-46). The Duke had his Duchess killed. His arrogance and domineering ways drove
him to become absolutely ruthless.
The Duke’s character is not the least bit enchanting. His arrogance comes
from his high-ranking social and political status. It leads him to think that he should be
the main focus of his Duchess, but when he is not, he becomes insanely jealous. This
possessive behavior makes him a ruthless human being. He has his last Duchess killed,
and now he wants a new wife. He wants a duchess that will not disobey him, but will
give him her full attention. The Duke is only interested in himself.
Example of a Literary Analysis Essay on a Short Story:
Lindsey Fincher
English 102
Character Analysis of Eudora Welty’s Phoenix Jackson
First published in the 1940’s, “A Worn Path” tells the story of Phoenix Jackson’s
journey that she makes to town. It is not just a typical journey; it serves an important
purpose. She is a Negro woman who lives back in the woods of the Natchez Trace in
Mississippi. Phoenix travels a long, tiring path through the woods into town just to
acquire one thing. Why would she make the long journey to pick up just one thing? Her
reason is justifiable and she proves to be an admirable human being for that. In Eudora
Welty’s “A Worn Path,” Phoenix Jackson exhibits the characteristics of being
determined, aged, and loving.
Phoenix Jackson portrays the characteristic of being very determined. First,
she reveals this by being confident. When Phoenix begins her journey, she begins with
confidence by “look[ing] straight ahead”(223). She does not look down or to the side as
if she is scared or afraid of the journey ahead of her. Also, when Phoenix reaches a log
that she has to cross, she boldly steps onto the log with her right foot and “shut[s] her
eyes” (224) as she confidently marches across to the other side. Second, Phoenix proves
to be very persistent. For example, when a hunter approaches Phoenix and tells her to go
back home because she is too old and far away from home to make the tiring journey, she
simply states that she is ‘“bound to go to town”’(227). Nonetheless, Phoenix firmly
presses onward and continues her long journey to town as “she walk[s] on” (228) down
the path. Third, Phoenix’s strong will exemplifies her confidence. For instance, at the
beginning of her journey, Phoenix states for all the wild animals to get out of her
pathway. She says she cannot be hindered because she has ‘“got a long way”’ (223) to
go. Also, when a hunter tries to scare Phoenix by pointing his gun in her face, Phoenix
does not seem to be alarmed. She replies that she has ‘“seen plenty go off”’ (227) in her
lifetime; she is not scared of them.
Phoenix also illustrates the characteristics of being very old and slightly crazy.
First, she shows to be very aged. For example, when asked how old she is, Phoenix slyly
replies that ‘“there is no telling”’ (227) how old she is. Phoenix has outlived everybody
she has grown up with, therefore making her the oldest person that she knows. She also
states that her ‘“senses [are] gone”’(225) because she is merely too old. Second, Phoenix
portrays to be mentally confused at times. Her eyes seem to play tricks on her on several
occasions. For instance, while in the woods, Phoenix hallucinates and thinks she sees a
little boy bringing her “a plate with a slice of marble cake on it” (224). She reaches to
accept the plate of cake only to find that nothing is there. Later on, Phoenix arrives at a
field of tall dead cornstalks. She sees a skinny, black moving figure amongst the field
and her failing senses portrays it as being a ghost. Phoenix reaches out to touch the
swaying figure and to her surprise it is merely a scarecrow. She laughs and says that she
‘“ought to be shut up for good”’ (225) for thinking that it was a ghost. Third, Phoenix’s
actions exhibit that she may be demented. For example, Phoenix seems to go into a
trance after arriving at the medical building in town. The nurse asks her questions but
Phoenix stares “straight ahead, her face very solemn and withdrawn into rigidity” (229).
She sits there “silent, erect and motionless” (229) for several moments until she comes
back into reality. Phoenix apologizes and replies to the nurse that her ‘“memory had
left”’ (229) her and she had ‘“forgotten why [she] made [her] long trip”’(229).
Phoenix most importantly exemplifies a great deal of love for her grandson. She
first demonstrates this love by being unselfish. Phoenix does not make the long trips to
town for herself; she makes the trips for her grandson. Despite her old age and failing
health, Phoenix ‘“makes these trips just as regular as clockwork”’ (229). Also, she uses
the only money that she has to buy a paper windmill for her little grandson who would
‘“find it hard to believe” (230) that there is such a toy. Second, she is very reliable and
dependable. For instance, Phoenix’s grandson depends a great deal on her. They are
‘“the only two left in the world”’ (230) from their family. If Phoenix does not take care
of him then no one else will be there for him because he is ‘“not able to help himself”’
(229). Phoenix also expresses her dependability when she tells the nurse that she will not
‘“forget him again”’ (230). She vows that she will always be there for him. Third,
Phoenix portrays an enormous amount of commitment to her journeys into town. For
example, the doctor told Phoenix that as long as she could find a way to make it to town
then he would give her the medicine that her grandson needed for free. So ever since her
grandson swallowed lye and became sick she continues to make ‘“ trip[s] [to town] for
the soothing medicine”’ (229). She has been making the trips for almost three years.
After walking all day to town to get the medicine, Phoenix simply turns back around and
“beg[ins] on the stairs, going down” (230) making her journey continue through the night
to get back home.
Despite her old age and the obstacles encountered in her pathway, Phoenix is
determined to make it to town in order to get some soothing medicine for her grandson.
She does not let anything get in the way for the love she has for him. Although she is
aged, Phoenix allows her determination and love to keep her continuously going down
that old, worn path. She may be old and a little bit crazy; however, Phoenix’s love and
determination undoubtedly portray her to be both respectable and admirable in the end.
"Salvation"
by Langston Hughes (1940)
I was saved from sin when I was going on thirteen. But not really saved. It happened like this.
There was a big revival at my Auntie Reed's church. Every night for weeks there had been much
preaching, singing, praying, and shouting, and some very hardened sinners had been brought to
Christ, and the membership of the church had grown by leaps and bounds. Then just before the
revival ended, they held a special meeting for children, "to bring the young lambs to the fold."
My aunt spoke of it for days ahead. That night I was escorted to the front row and placed on the
mourners' bench with all the other young sinners, who had not yet been brought to Jesus.
My aunt told me that when you were saved you saw a light, and something happened to you
inside! And Jesus came into your life! And God was with you from then on! She said you could
see and hear and feel Jesus in your soul. I believed her. I had heard a great many old people say
the same thing and it seemed to me they ought to know. So I sat there calmly in the hot, crowded
church, waiting for Jesus to come to me.
The preacher preached a wonderful rhythmical sermon, all moans and shouts and lonely cries and
dire pictures of hell, and then he sang a song about the ninety and nine safe in the fold, but one
little lamb was left out in the cold. Then he said: "Won't you come? Won't you come to Jesus?
Young lambs, won't you come?" And he held out his arms to all us young sinners there on the
mourners' bench. And the little girls cried. And some of them jumped up and went to Jesus right
away. But most of us just sat there.
A great many old people came and knelt around us and prayed, old women with jet-black faces
and braided hair, old men with work-gnarled hands. And the church sang a song about the lower
lights are burning, some poor sinners to be saved. And the whole building rocked with prayer and
song.
Still I kept waiting to see Jesus.
Finally all the young people had gone to the altar and were saved, but one boy and me. He was a
rounder's son named Westley. Westley and I were surrounded by sisters and deacons praying. It
was very hot in the church, and getting late now. Finally Westley said to me in a whisper: "God
damn! I'm tired o' sitting here. Let's get up and be saved." So he got up and was saved.
Then I was left all alone on the mourners' bench. My aunt came and knelt at my knees and cried,
while prayers and song swirled all around me in the little church. The whole congregation prayed
for me alone, in a mighty wail of moans and voices. And I kept waiting serenely for Jesus,
waiting, waiting -- but he didn't come. I wanted to see him, but nothing happened to me. Nothing!
I wanted something to happen to me, but nothing happened.
I heard the songs and the minister saying: "Why don't you come? My dear child, why don't you
come to Jesus? Jesus is waiting for you. He wants you. Why don't you come? Sister Reed, what is
this child's name?"
"Langston," my aunt sobbed.
"Langston, why don't you come? Why don't you come and be saved? Oh, Lamb of God! Why
don't you come?"
Now it was really getting late. I began to be ashamed of myself, holding everything up so long. I
began to wonder what God thought about Westley, who certainly hadn't seen Jesus either, but
who was now sitting proudly on the platform, swinging his knickerbockered legs and grinning
down at me, surrounded by deacons and old women on their knees praying. God had not struck
Westley dead for taking his name in vain or for lying in the temple. So I decided that maybe to
save further trouble, I'd better lie, too, and say that Jesus had come, and get up and be saved.
So I got up.
Suddenly the whole room broke into a sea of shouting, as they saw me rise. Waves of rejoicing
swept the place. Women leaped in the air. My aunt threw her arms around me. The minister took
me by the hand and led me to the platform.
When things quieted down, in a hushed silence, punctuated by a few ecstatic "Amens," all the
new young lambs were blessed in the name of God. Then joyous singing filled the room.
That night, for the first time in my life but one for I was a big boy twelve years old -- I cried. I
cried, in bed alone, and couldn't stop. I buried my head under the quilts, but my aunt heard me.
She woke up and told my uncle I was crying because the Holy Ghost had come into my life, and
because I had seen Jesus. But I was really crying because I couldn't bear to tell her that I had lied,
that I had deceived everybody in the church, that I hadn't seen Jesus, and that now I didn't believe
there was a Jesus anymore, since he didn't come to help me.