EN220/IN250, American Identity, O'Conner

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Course Introduction

EN220/IN250,
American Identity. What is an American? Changing American Identity in 20th Century
Dr. Michael O'Conner

Course Description:
This course will examine the subject of American identity, seeking an answer to the question that Crevecoeur first posed in 1782, "what is an American?" Using literary texts mostly from 20th century American literature, we will examine this subject from the point of view of many voices and multicultural perspectives. Starting with the dominant voices of the 18th and 19th centuries as a springboard, we will then turn to the waves of immigrants and workers who came to this country seeking a better way of life or who were originally brought here as slaves, from Europeans to African Americans to Asians to Latinos. We will look especially at the resistance these people ran into in their quest to be recognized as Americans. Texts will be wide-ranging, with works examined by Sinclair, Steinbeck, Bulosan, Viramontes, Rivera, Hughes, Ellison, Baldwin, Brooks, Roth, Momaday, Ehdrich and many others.

Textbooks for this course:

Steinbeck, John, Grapes of Wrath Centenial Edition
Penguin USA (Paper); ISBN: 0142000663

Bulosan, Carlos, America is in the Heart
University of Washington Press, ISBN 029595289-X

Ellison, Invisible Man
Vintage Books; ISBN: 0679732764; 2nd edition (March 1995)

Momaday, Scott. The Way to Rainy Mountain
Univ. of New Mexico Press, ISBN: 0-8263-0436-2

Viramontes, Helena Maria. Under the Feet of Jesus
Plume. ISBN 0-452-27387-0