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Description: |
Race-based slavery in America ended over a century ago, but our nation continues to grapple with the legacies of "the peculiar institution." Specifically, slavery has haunted the literary imaginations of African-American writers of the last century. This course surveys a range of African-American novels in order to analyze the ways in which these texts both portray and represent slavery's lasting effects on American culture, society, and politics. Readings include works by Steven Barnes, Arna Bontemps, Octavia Butler, Pauline Hopkins, Charles Johnson, Edward P. Jones, Gayl Jones, Toni Morrison, Margaret Walker, and more. Students will be evaluated on class participation, bi-weekly reading responses, and two formal papers. |