Literary Form and the Experience of Race (AL)
What does it mean to be a person of color in America? In this course we will look at how African American, Asian American, Chicana, Latina, and Native American writers have dealt with this question in fiction, autobiography, poetry, and film. We will analyze the differences and similarities between the literatures of these cultural groups. We will also look at how these writers have used the distinctly literary nature of their texts in grappling with race in America. Authors may include Julia Alvarez, Octavia Butler, Lorraine Hansberry, Maxine Hong Kingston, Malcolm X, Richard Rodriguez, Leslie Silko, and Amy Tan. 3 hrs. lect./disc.