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LIT 335: African American Literature

LIT 335: African American Literature. Daily Outline & Notes File. 1: Literacy

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LIT 335: African American Literature

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  1. LIT 335: African American Literature Daily Outline & Notes File

  2. 1: Literacy • Not just in the conventional sense of being able to read & write, but in the broader sense of having control over one’s voice … of being able to make a significant utterance … of becoming able to express oneself in a way that’s true. • Phyllis Wheatley(see Gates xli) • Roots(video) 2: Race & Writing Must a black man or woman write as a black man or woman? Can writing ever be objective in this sense? What is “black writing”? What is “white writing”? What is “Hispanic writing”? If we must always write from who we are and were we come from, to what extent does this predetermine the subject matter, perspective, and voice of our writing? 3: America “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness -- That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed -- That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it.” “Do unto others as you wouldhave them do unto you.” 1: How did you choose the works and authors that you chose? 2: Isn’t there any African American literature that’s just literature? (As oppose d to being all about race?) 3: Is an African American literature course relevant in a “post-racial society”? 4: Should I pretend that my race doesn’t exist in the classroom? Should I be careful? What if I say the wrong thing? Day One: Thursday, August 19Course Introduction • Roll. • Words. • Syllabus. (BRIEFLY) ------------------------------------------------------------------- • Big Themes. • FAQ. • Smokey Robinson getsthe last word. (Link)

  3. Day Two: Tuesday, August 24The Slave Narrative: Douglass • Narrative of the Life of Frederick DouglassDiscussion Starters.The “Slave Narrative.”Literacy. • SlaveryClip from Ken Burns’ The Civil WarGates intro: p.155.Timeline of the Atlantic Slave Trade. (Link)Why did slavery happen? One answer. (Link)Images. (Link)

  4. Reading & Writing Basics from a White Woman(409) Barter (411)The Columbian Orator (412) Ingenuity & Trickery (414) Writing = Escape (434) The Liberator (448) – William Lloyd Garrison Verbal Expression Metaphorical Muzzle (395 & 402-403) Slave as Puppet (397) The Great House Farm (400)Spirituals (Gates p.8) & Gospel (Gates p.19). The Columbian Orator (412) Speech to Himself (423) Teaching (431) “Silence” About Escape (440) … By Choice? The Importance of a Name (445) Finale (447) Whites Mr. Severe (400) Thomas Auld (419) Day Three: Thursday, August 26America (& Africa) • Business: Texts By Tuesday … MD … Early Missed Quizzes … QUIZ • Review: Why Slavery?Images. (Link) Timeline of the Atlantic Slave Trade. (Link) Why did slavery happen? One answer. (Link)Gates intro: p.155. • Review: Literacy in Douglass’ Narrative • America (& Africa)Gates Intro: 151-154DouglassWheatley, Whitfield, & Harper (compare to Smokey? [Link])Brain-Teaser: Which of the above was born free?

  5. Day Four: Tuesday, August 31Poetry of “Jim Crow” America • Business: Texts? … Mountain Day … Quizzes … New Quiz • Finish Slavery Unit • Images. (Link) • America (& Africa) • Gates Intro: 151-154 • Douglass • Wheatley, Whitfield, & Harper (compare to Smokey? [Link]) • “Jim Crow” America • Historical Overview from Gates • Some “Jim Crow” Laws (Link 1 … Link 2) • The Poetry • James Weldon Johnson • Paul Laurence Dunbar Ongoing Themes: - Voice - Africa - Primitivism(Scientific Racism) - “Folk” Literature(Uncle Remus)(also … and)

  6. Day Five: Thursday, September 2Fiction of “Jim Crow” America • Business: Quizzes … A Note About Notes • The Fiction: Charles Chesnutt • “The Passing of Grandison” • “The Wife of His Youth” • The Poetry • James Weldon Johnson (continued) • Paul Laurence Dunbar • More on “Jim Crow” America • Historical Overview from Gates • Ongoing Themes: • - Voice • - Africa • - Primitivism(Scientific Racism) • “Folk” Literature(Uncle Remus)(also … and) • Assimilation

  7. From Gates’ Intro to “Literature of the Reconstruction …”: • The Big Picture (541) • Women’s’ Rights Movement (542) • Plantations To Sharecropping (542) • Changes in National Culture& Economy (543) • What is “Reconstruction”? (543) • Constitutional Amendments,Black Rights & Reconstruction (544) • Federal Troops Withdrawal (544) • Affirmation of Jim Crow Laws (545)Plessy versus Ferguson [1896] • “The Great Migration” (546) • Conflicting Philosophies: Booker T. Washington vs. W.E.B. Dubois (546) Day Six: Tuesday, September 7Two Perspectives • Business: ??? • Historical Catch-Up • Themes Review • Voice, America, Africa, Primitivism, Assimilation • An Important One We Haven’t Talked About • “Folk” Literature and “Folksy” Characters (Uncle Remus) (also … and) • Review all this by tracing through Douglass, Wheatley, Whitfield, Harper, and Chesnutt • Look at Johnson & Dunbar (finally) • Two Perspectives • Washington • DuBois(Handout)

  8. From Gates’ Intro to“The Harlem Renaissance, 1919-1940” • Overview (953) • Migration North (954) • New York & Harlem (955) • Early Influential Works (955-956) • The New Negro (957) • Depression and Decline (961) Day Seven: Thursday, September 9Poetry of the Harlem Renaissance • Business: A Word About Tuesday’s Reading • Finishing the theme of “folksiness”: Reflection of a Culture… or Reinforcing of Stereotypes?(App Positive (?)… … App Negative 1 … App Negative 2) (Uncle Remus … AA1 … AA2) • Review: Washington & Dubois • The Harlem Renaissance: History • Video Clip: Against the Odds(Found here. We begin at 5:15) • Highlights of Gates Introduction • A Word from Alaine Locke Himself (985) • The Harlem Renaissance: Poetry • McKay (A word on the sonnet) • Cullen • Hughes

  9. Day Eight: Tuesday, September 14Fiction of the Harlem Renaissance • Business: A Word on Papers … Toomer Quiz • Poetry • McKay, Cullen, Hughes / Voice, America, Africa • Toomer’sCane Part I • Some Terms:Modernism … Genre (link) … Motif (link / link) … Vignette (Link) • Washington / DuBois • A Word on the Exam

  10. Exam Day • Please stow everything • Papers, books & notes in zipped-up bags • Electronic devices turned off and invisible • Visit the restroom before the exam starts • Yes, you may leave when you’re finished

  11. Day Nine/Ten: September 28/30Mid-Century Short Stories • Business: Exams/Appointments … Calendar Adjustment • Background • From Gates’ introduction to“Realism, Naturalism, Modernism 1940-1960” • Once and For All: Washington & DuBois • The Fiction • Discussion Starters! • James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues.” • Clip from Ken Burns’ Jazz(to about 5:40) • Ann Petry’s “Like a Winding Sheet. • Hands

  12. A few literary terms(1356) • (Urban) Realism as a reaction against the Harlem Renaissance (1357) • Richard Wright, Urban Realism, and Acquiescence versus Protest (1358-1360). • Modernism & Experimentation as a Reaction to Urban Realism (Ellison, etc.) (1360-1361). • Can one be Modernist and Black at the same time? (1361). • Overview: Gates Introduction (1355). • More migration (1356). • AA Literary shift: North & Urban (1356). • A look ahead at what will come next (1367). Day Eleven: Thursday, October 5Hansberry • Business: Old Quizzes … • Gates’ Historical Introduction • Hansberry Quiz • Scenes from film version: DVD 3, 4 (17:45), 10, 14/15, 21, 27 • Discussion Starters

  13. Day Twelve: Tuesday, October 7Mid-Century Poetry • Finishing Up A Raisin in the Sun • Discussion Starters • Topic: Male Stereotypes: DVD 4 (17:45), 10, 13, 28 • Also, Perhaps … • Scholarly Article Examples / Tragedy? / Freitag’s Pyramid • Poetry • Margaret Walker: • “For My People” (1619) [Ironic Whitman homage?] • “Prophets for a New Day” • Gwendolyn Brooks • “kitchenette building” • “the mother” • “a song in the front yard” • “Sadie and Maud” • “the vacant lot” • “the preacher ruminates behind the sermon” • “The Lovers of the Poor” • “We Real Cool” Realism/Expressionism Compare MW to GB AfAm Women (include Raisin) Implied Racial Criticism?(Compare to Walter)

  14. Day Thirteen: Thursday, October 19Mid-Century Fiction: Wright • Business: A word on email addresses & next week … Quiz • One more word on Margaret Walker • “The Man Who Lived Underground” • Realism / Expressionism? • Review of Naturalism • Symbolism and Allegory • So what’s this story “about”? • In terms of Plot • Allegorically

  15. The 1960’s (1831). • Civil Rights Movement (1832). • The Nation of Islam (1833-1834). • Other Black Activism (1835). • White Social Activism (1836). • The Black Arts Movement (1837). • Hoyt Fuller (1853 / 1856) • Amiri Baraka (1943 / 1960) • Poetry (1838) • Africa (1841) Day Fourteen: Tuesday, October 21Civil Rights Era: King • Business: A Word on Email … • Historical Background • Video (10:45 – 24:00) • Gates Intro • King’s “Letter From Birmingham Jail” • Compare to this • Now We Have Four Perspectives: • Washington • DuBois • King • Malcolm X • The Black Arts Movement • Tuesday Poetry Preview: Evans “Status Symbol” [1851] … Knight “For Black Poets Who Think of Suicide” [1910] … Baraka “Preface to a Twenty-Volume Suicide Note” [1939] / “A Poem for Black Hearts” [1940] … Sanchez “Homecoming” [1964] … Giovanni “For Saundra” [2096] / “Beautiful Black Men” [2097]

  16. Day Fifteen: Thursday, October 26Civil Rights Era Poetry • Cancelled

  17. Day Sixteen: Tuesday, November 2Civil Rights Era Drama: Baraka • A Word on Quizzes, Essay Submission, Beloved • Dutchman Quiz • Two Additional Historical Items For This Period • Brown vs Board of Education (1954) • Rosa Parks (1955) • Civil Rights Era Poetry • Review “Quiz Questions” • Mari Evans (1850) / Etheridge Knight (1908) / Amiri Baraka (1937) / Sonia Sanchez (1963) / Nikki Giovanni (2096) Nikki Rosa • Baraka’s Dutchman (p. 1946) Bessie Smith • A Word on the Exam

  18. Exam Day • Please stow everything • Papers, books & notes in zipped-up bags • Electronic devices turned off and invisible • Visit the restroom before the exam starts • Yes, you may leave when you’re finished

  19. Very good intro paragraph (2127) • Decline of the Black Arts Movement (2128) • 1970’s “Renaissance” (2130) • Overview … TV … Film … Music 1 … Music 2… Music 3 … • Continuing legacy of slavery (2130) • Roots • Miss Jane • Women (2131) • Maya (2156) • 1980’s & 1990’s (2133 … 2136 … 2137) Days 17 & 18: , November 9 & 11Late 20th Century Fiction • Business: This Week’s Schedule … Essay Due Date … Beloved Reminder … Exams • Historical Notes: “Literature Since 1965” • Ernest Gaines: “The Sky Is Gray” • Paule Marshall: “Reena” • Walter Mosley: “Equal Opportunity”

  20. Days Nineteen, Twenty & Twenty-One: Tuesday, November 16, 18, & 30Beloved • Morrison Bio … Interview • Characters • Literary Concepts: Gothic 12 … Framing/Embedded Narrative • Critical Article Selections • Margaret Garner … Fugitive Slave Laws • A Word On: Quizzes … Papers …The Exam

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