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2021/2022

Love and Death in American Literature

Code: 42291 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
4313157 Advanced English Studies OT 0 0
The proposed teaching and assessment methodology that appear in the guide may be subject to changes as a result of the restrictions to face-to-face class attendance imposed by the health authorities.

Contact

Name:
Carme Font Paz
Email:
Carme.Font@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
english (eng)

External teachers

Nicholas Spengler

Prerequisites

-Students should be interested in reading classic and modern texts

-Previous knowledge and reading of English and American literature

Objectives and Contextualisation

To understand the deep changes that have affected novels and short stories between the late 19th century and the beginning of 21st century. The course will be focused on one of the greatest themes in Western literature: the links between love and death.

Competences

  • Analyse and synthesise information at an advanced level.
  • Analyse the relationship between factors, processes or phenomena in the acquisition of English as a second language, its learning and teaching methods, and its literature, history and culture.
  • Apply methodological knowledge of statistical analysis and data generation, treatment and codification of multilingual databases, analysis of literary texts, etc. to research.
  • Communicate the knowledge acquired and the contributions of one’s research correctly, accurately and clearly both orally and in writing.
  • Critically argue, issue judgements and present ideas on the basis of the analysis of information originating from scientific production in these areas.
  • Develop autonomous learning skills applicable to the research process.
  • Distinguish and contrast between the different methodological and theoretical models applied to the academic study of the acquisition, teaching and use of English as a second language in multilingual and multicultural contexts, literary studies and cultural studies.
  • Show respect towards the opinions, values, behaviours and/or practices of others.
  • Use the English language for academic and professional purposes related to research into the acquisition, teaching and use of English as a second language in multilingual and multicultural contexts, literary studies and cultural studies.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse and interpret at an advanced level primary texts from North American Literature in relation to the representation of love and death.
  2. Analyse and interpret at an advanced level secondary texts on North American Literature.
  3. Analyse and synthesise information at an advanced level.
  4. Communicate the knowledge acquired and the contributions of one’s research correctly, accurately and clearly both orally and in writing.
  5. Develop autonomous learning skills applicable to the research process.
  6. Distinguish and contrast the different theoretical and methodological models applied to the academic study of North American Literature in relation to love and death
  7. Make oral presentations in English about subjects and texts related to advanced research into the issues of love and death in North American literature.
  8. Read and analyse literary and cultural representation in the English language on the issue of love and death in North American literature.
  9. Show respect towards the opinions, values, behaviours and/or practices of others.
  10. Write texts defending an idea in relation to a literary text in English from North American Literature applying secondary sources to the critical argumentation.

Content

1. Henry James, 'The Aspern Papers' (1888)

2. William Faulkner, As I Lay Dying (1930)

3. James Baldwin, Giovanni's Room (1956)

4. Louise Erdrich, Tracks (1988)

5. Toni Morrison, Jazz (1992)

6. Ocean Vuong, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous (2019)

Methodology

The sessions are very dynamic and we expect the students' contribution to in-class debates and discussions of both primary and secondary sources. Participation and attendance are extremely important.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Textual analysis, interpretation, debates. 50 2 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 5, 6, 8, 7, 10
Type: Supervised      
Tutorials 15 0.6 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 5, 6, 8, 7, 10
Type: Autonomous      
Reading of primary and secondary sources 40 1.6 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 5, 6, 8, 10

Assessment

Students will be assessed with a series of exercises:

-An essay written in class  20%

-A final paper 30%

-4 short essays with several questions to choose from  40%

-Participation: debates, discussions and oral presentations  10%

On carrying out each assessment activity, lecturers will inform students (on Moodle) of the procedures to be followed for reviewing all grades awarded, and the date on which such a review will take place.

Students will obtain a Not assessed/Not submitted course grade unless they have submitted more than 40% of the assessment items.

In the event of a student committing any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade awarded to an assessment activity, the student will be given a zero for this activity, regardless of any disciplinary process that may take place. In the event of several irregularities in assessment activities of the same subject, the student will be given a zero as the final grade for this subject.

In the event that tests or exams cannot be taken onsite, they will be adapted to an online format made available through the UAB’s virtual tools (original weighting will be maintained). Homework, activities and class participation will be carried out through forums, wikis and/or discussion on Teams, etc. Lecturers will ensure that students are able to access these virtual tools, or will offer them feasible alternatives.

Re-assessment:

Re-assessment for this subject requires a content-synthesis test, for which the following conditions are applicable:

-The student must previously have submitted a minimum of two-thirds of the course-assessment items.

-The student must previously have obtained an average overall grade equal to or higher than 3.5.

-The student must previously have passed 50% of the subject’s assessment requirements.

-The maximum grade than can be obtained through re-assessment is 7.0.

 

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
4 short essays 40% 15 0.6 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10
Final paper 30% 18 0.72 1, 2, 3, 9, 5, 6, 8, 10
In-class essay 20% 2 0.08 1, 3, 9, 8
Participation 10% 10 0.4 3, 4, 9, 7

Bibliography

This is only a selection of some background bibliography. As the course progresses, students will receive other author/topic-specific bibliography.

FIEDLER, Leslie. Love and Death in the American Novel. New York: Stein and Day, 1975.

GRAY, Richard. A History of American Literature. Malden: Blackwell, 2004.

KALAIDJIAN, Walter. The Cambridge Companion to American Modernism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005.

LAMB, R.P. A Companion to American Fiction 1865-1914. Malden: Blackwell, 2005.

ROUGEMONT, Denis de. Love in the Western World. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1983.

SOLLORS, Werner. A New Literary History of America. Cambridge: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2009.

Software

This subject does not require specific computer equipment.