ENGL 10AC: |
Introduction to Literary Study
:
American Cultures and Global Contexts |
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| Spring 2008 |
| Instructor: Bret Brinkman |
| Meets on: TR 3:30 PM - 5:10 PM HSSB 1232 |
| Prerequisites: Writing 2 or equivalent Writing 2. |
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| Satisfies second half of GE requirement for area A |
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| One of the following is required for the major and recommended for the minor: English 10, English 10AC, English 10EM, or English 10LC. |
Course recommended as alternative to Writing 50 or 109 for students who plan to major in English or literary study.
English 10AC: “American Junk”
The category of “junk” exists at a threshold between the disposable and the enduring. It
suggests things that are meant to be discarded, yet often destined to be found again and
treasured or hoarded. This class will interrogate the notion of junk as an essential
trope of the American literary tradition, a foundational element for many American texts.
In addition to introducing the tools of literary study, we will look at how junk comes to
be used (and abused) in many diverse genres of the American literary tradition, including
poetry, the short story, drama, and the novel. Our investigation will center on the
relationship between junk and the literary imagination, taking us through various corners
of the American landscape—from junk shops and the junkyard to the museum and the mind of
the addict.
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