This course is designed and devoted to an in-depth study of the American experience as captured in the seminal works of masters of American literature in the last 250 years. Students are challenged to study how various genres of writing and speaking transformed over time as Americans spread across the continent and built cities. The course focuses on historical as well as literary themes through reading, writing, listening/viewing, and speaking. The analysis, interpretation and appreciation of the many aspects of American literature is emphasized throughout the course. By the end of this course students will have developed an intimate familiarity with the American literary scene while also acquiring a firm grasp on the ways in which ideas can be communicated.
