American Literature Part 1: Literature in Historical Context FLEX Class

For parental guidance, the works we will read might have moments of violence or deal with sensitive subjects such as slavery.  In particular, Rowlandson addresses a violent encounter with Native Americans, Poe often alludes to violence in his stories, and Twain addresses the issue of slavery.   Some of these historic pieces of literature include slurs, negative depictions, and/or mistreatment of Indigenous People that are harmful and wrong. At Outschool, we strive to meet our own high standard of inclusivity and the goal of barring discrimination and prejudice.  This course will incorporate critical analysis of the problematic content as a critical learning goal by critically evaluating such problematic descriptions in light of their historical context and cultural context, while also acknowledging our modern understandings of race, prejudice, and discrimination.  We will address both the context that led to such depictions, as well as evaluating how we can understand the subjects of mistreatment in a more inclusive light.