Explore the rich and diverse world of American literature!  Build your knowledge of the different themes, styles, and genres of American literature, and as well the historical and cultural context in which these works were written.  Improve your ability to discuss and write about literature in an effective and powerful way.

This class can coordinate with my United States history course if desired.  

This 8 week, semester course will explore the 1st half of American Literature.  We will begin with early, colonial pieces, and trace the development of this literature into the mid 19th century.  This course will explore the historical context for each piece within the US, as well as the literary features of the writings.  We will read a variety of genres of writing from the most significant American writers of the 18th and early 19th centuries.  Our focus each week will be a particular author or piece as representative of each greater literary movement.  Students will be expected to read outside of class and come to class prepared to discuss their reading.  There will be writing assignments each week that students can submit for additional feedback and assessment.  This class is perfect for literary lovers, history lovers, or anyone just curious about American history and literary culture. 

I highly recommend you take my Literary Analysis Essay writing class prior or concurrent to this class to develop your literary analysis writing skills.  This class is ESL friendly.

From a former student, "Your literature classes really prepared me well for college but also continued developing my critical thinking skills, world view, and love of learning."

What you can expect from this class:
-an appreciation for American literature
-an understanding of the historical context for key pieces
-an increased ability to use literary analysis in discussion
-improvement in your literary analysis writing skills
-instructor feedback to help you meet your goals