ENG 108-04
Race, Religion, and Resistance in American Literature
Instructor: Andrew Pisano
Class Meeting: Curry 247; MW 2:00-3:15
Office: MHRA 3112-C
Phone: 334-5837
Email: ampisano@uncg.edu (preferred method of contact)
Office Hours: 12-1 MW, and by appointment
Course Description:
“America” was a concept long before it was a collection of colonies itching for political unity and
independence. From the moment Europeans began speculating on starting new lives of religious and
social freedom in the “new world,” the concept of America has been invested with the guiding doctrines
of faith and law, self-reliance and blind determinism. Of course, these ideological forces, already set in
motion before Europeans landed on the inhabited shores of present day Virginia and Massachusetts, were
destined to confront other ways of understanding and being in the world. As history has shown, contact
with Native peoples’ ideas of faith and social norms often met with tragic ends. But despite these
tragedies, Native peoples and people of African descent also forged new beginnings out of their contact
with European thinking. It is this juncture, the point where people of color derive meaning from faiths and
social norms that excluded them from equal status that we must consider when we discuss American
literature. This course focuses on race and religion in American literature, and the ways in which people
of color sought to and continue to adapt religious ideas to their own circumstances in order to resist
prejudicial thinking. The first half of the course will examine selections of American literature from the
17th-19th centuries, exposing students to the diverse writings of the early American canon. The latter half
of the course will address American novels published within the last five years that illustrate many of the
themes and tensions addressed in earlier readings.
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for the GLT marker:
1. Demonstrate the reading skill required for the student of literary texts. (LG3)
2. Identify and/or describe some of the varied characteristics of literary texts. (LG3)
3. Demonstrate orally, in writing, or by some other means, a fundamental ability to use some of
the techniques and/or methods of literary analysis. (LG 1 and LG 3)
4. Identify and/or describe some of the various social, historical, cultural, and/or theoretical
contexts in which literary texts have been written and interpreted. (LG3)
Those SLOs labeled (LG3) relate to UNCG’s Learning Goal #3 for General Education, which says
students will “Describe, interpret, and evaluate the ideas, events, and expressive traditions that have
shaped collective and individual human experience through inquiry and analysis in the diverse disciplines
of the humanities, religions, languages, histories, and the arts.”
((http://web.uncg.edu/reg/Bulletin/Current/UnivReq/GECProgram.aspx)
Required Materials
Baker, Kyle. Nat Turner. New York: Abrams, 2008. ISBN: 978-0-8109-7227-8
Baym, Nina Ed. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Vol. 1 Shorter 7th ed. New York:
WW Norton, 2008. ISBN: 978-0-393-93056-6
Erdrich, Louise. The Round House. New York: Harper, 2012. ISBN: 978-0-062-06524-7
Gray, Thomas R. The Confessions of Nat Turner and Related Documents. 1831. Kenneth S. Greenberg
Ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 1996. ISBN: 978-0-312-11207-3
Morrison, Toni. A Mercy. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2008. ISBN: 978-0-307-26423-7
**Access to Blackboard and funds for printing primary readings for class
Graded Assignments
Participation 15% [SLOs 1-4]
I take participation very seriously. Students are expected to have done all readings prior to class and must
be ready to contribute to class discussion. Some examples of substantive participation: students who raise
questions regarding readings; connect themes or arguments across readings; and raise questions or make
observations about a text’s style, structure, or historical context.
Grade Scale for Class Participation:
A: Student arrives on time with required books, demonstrates knowledge of material, and consistently
contributes insightful comments that further class discussion.
B: Student occasionally contributes meaningful thoughts to discussion and mostly brings books to class.
C: Student is aware of material being discussed and occasionally brings books to class but rarely
contributes to the general conversation.
D-F: Student is occupying a seat in the class, but not paying attention. Never or rarely brings books to
class. Student is uninformed about the day's discussion.
Annotated Bibliography 15% [SLOs 3-4]
Students will write an annotated bibliography of three scholarly sources pertaining to a writer of their
choice. Students may choose to research the same writer they wrote on for their short essay. Further
instructions will be given in class.
Short Analytical Essay 10% [SLOs 1-4]
Students will compose an essay (minimum of five full pages) that analyzes a specific theme, motif, or
other literary device specific to a writer assigned this semester. Essays must have a clear thesis and use
textual evidence for support. No outside sources are permitted. A works cited page is not required. Essays
are to be written in MLA style.
Group Presentations 15% [SLOs 2-4]
In groups of three or four, students will sign-up to present on a designated day’s reading. Students will be
assigned a group grade; however, if someone does not contribute their fair share, that student will be
graded individually. The intent of this assignment is to compel students to further discuss the readings and
ideas outside of class as means of further enriching in-class discussion. Presentations should be no shorter
than 5 minutes and no longer than 15 minutes. Visuals are encouraged but not required. Each group
should provide the class (and instructor) with a handout composed of the following:
1. A paragraph summarizing that day’s reading(s)
2. Three key passages from the assigned reading that you think are important to the meaning of the
text. Be sure to include corresponding page numbers.
3. Four questions for class discussion. These questions should not be simple plot-related inquiries.
Instead, they should encourage the class to analyze a specific element of that day’s reading, make
connections across readings, and/or draw from class discussion.
Midterm
20% [SLOs 1-4]
An assortment of multiple choice, identification, and short essays.
Final
25% [SLOs 1-4]
Will mostly focus on material following midterm. An assortment of multiple choice, identification, and
short essays.
Attendance Policy
Students in MW classes are allowed a maximum of three absences without a grade penalty. Each
absence exceeding three absences will result in a ½ letter grade reduction from the final grade. Students
who miss more than six classes on a MW schedule will fail the course.
Students are by state law allowed two excused absences due to religious holidays. These absences do not
count toward the total maximums allowed above. If a student plans to miss class due to a religious
holiday, he or she must notify the instructor at least 48 hours prior to the absence.
Academic Integrity
“Academic integrity is founded upon and encompasses the following five values: honesty, trust, fairness,
respect, and responsibility. Violations include, for example, cheating, plagiarism, misuse of academic
resources, falsification, and facilitating academic dishonesty. If knowledge is to be gained and properly
evaluated, it must be pursued under conditions free from dishonesty. Deceit and misrepresentations are
incompatible with the fundamental activity of this academic institution and shall not be tolerated” (from
UNCG’s Academic Integrity Policy). To ensure that you understand the university’s policy on academic
integrity, review the guidelines and list of violations at <http://academicintegrity.uncg.edu>. I expect you
to abide by the Academic Integrity Policy. Students who violate the Academic Integrity policy will fail
the assignment, possibly fail the course depending on the severity of the violation and the value of the
assignment in the final grade, and will be formally documented with UNCG officials for plagiarism.
Accommodations
Students with documentation of special needs should arrange to see me about accommodations as soon as
possible. If you believe you could benefit from such accommodations, you must first register with the
Office of Disability Services on campus before such accommodations can be made. The office is located
on the second floor of the Elliott University Center (EUC) in Suite 215, and the office is open 8am to
5pm, Monday - Friday. Telephone: 334-5440; e-mail: ods@uncg.edu.
The Writing Center
The purpose of the Writing Center is to enhance the confidence and competence of student writers by
providing free, individual assistance at any stage of any writing project. Staff consultants are experienced
writers and alert readers, prepared to offer feedback and suggestions on drafts of papers, help students
find answers to their questions about writing, and provide one-on-one instruction as needed. Located in
the Moore Humanities and Research Building, room 3211.
COURSE CALENDER
Introductions
Mon 1/14: Introductions; Course Syllabus
Wed 1/16: Obama A More Perfect Union [youtube] and Chaplin “Race” on Blackboard (Bb)
Religion and Race in Early American Literature
Mon 1/21: NO CLASS/MLK Day
Wed 1/23: Pestana “Religion” and Sewall “The Selling of Joseph” Bb
Mon 1/28: Rowlandson A Narrative (selections)
Wed 1/30: Edwards “Personal Narrative”
Mon 2/4: Marrant Narrative of the Lord’s Wonderful Dealings Bb
Wed 2/6: finish Narrative
Mon 2/11: Occom “A Short Narrative of My Life” and Pontiac “Speech at Detroit”
Wed 2/13: Wheatley “On Being Brought from Africa to America,” “On the Death of the Rev. Mr. GW,”
“To the Right Honorable William, Earl of Dartmouth,” and “Letter to Samson Occom”
Mon 2/18: Jefferson Notes on the State of Virginia, “from Query IV” and “from Query XVII” Bb
Wed 2/20: Franklin Remarks Concerning the Savages of North America
Mon 2/25: Equiano The Interesting Narrative, chapters 1-5
Wed: 2/27: Equiano chapters 6 and 8
Mon 3/4: Review
Wed 3/6: Midterm
Mon 3/11: NO Class/Spring Break
SHORT ESSAY DUE
Wed 3/13: NO Class/Spring Break
19th Century
Mon 3/18: Apess “An Indian’s Looking-Glass for the White Man”
Wed 3/20: Black Hawk from The Life of Black Hawk and Petalesharo Speech of the Pawnee Chief
Mon 3/25: Greenberg “Introduction” and The Confessions of Nat Turner
Wed 3/27: continue Greenberg and Confessions; Baker’s Nat Turner
Mon 4/1 conclude Turner, if necessary; Douglass Narrative of the Life chap 1-5
Wed 4/3: chap 6-9
Mon 4/8: conclude Douglass
Wed 4/10: Research Methodologies; Gardner “On Research and Writing” Bb (Start reading Morrison)
21st Century
Mon 4/15: Morrison A Mercy p.1-100
Wed 4/17: finish A Mercy
Mon 4/22: Erdrich The Round House chap 1-6 ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHIES DUE
Wed 4/24: chap 7-9
Mon 4/29: chap 10-end
Wed 5/1: Reading Day
Wed 5/8: FINAL Exam, 12:00-3pm