AMERICAN

LITERATURE

Umm-Al Qura University 2023

Description
In this course the students are interested in the
main characteristics of the different significant
periods of American Literature from the 17 th to
the 20th century. The main focus is the changes
which took place in both the form and the
content of the literary text of these periods. The
influence of some European schools of thought
will also be addressed. All these aims are to be
achieved through reading and analyzing texts by
major American writers. These texts include
short stories, medium-length essays, popular
poems, and one-act play.
Objectives

1- Students will be exposed to the social and

political background of America.
2- Getting students familiarized with 1960’s
when puritans started immigrating to the New
World.
3- Introducing the American Revolution 1775-
1783 and its impact upon life in America.
4- Introducing students to the Reconstruction
Era (the years after the civil war(1865) ).
5- Introducing students to the life of Afro-
Americans before and after their
emancipation and how the literature written
by Afro-American writers was impacted
accordingly.
6- Introducing students to major American
writers and their works.
Some works are chosen from their historical
importance, others for their aesthetic
virtues.
Taken as a whole, they form a rich collection
of imaginative and critical writings.
Our goal will be to analyze these
works as diverse representations of
American experience, ideas, and
values. As it is created, literature in
its widest sense can function as
moral instruction, personal
expression, and casual
entertainment.
Much classroom discussion will
involve close textual commentary
upon the assigned works.
Basic Qualities of American Writers

1) Independent
2) Individualistic
3) Critical
4) Innovative