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American Literature

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  1. INTRODUCTION & MATERIALS

    What You Need To Know & Buy Before You Begin
    2 Steps
  2. Introduction to American Lit & The Foundation of Story
    2 Steps
  3. The American Story Begins
    2 Steps
  4. THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS
    Lecture - "A Country That Neither Was Destined to Retain" - The Last of the Mohicans
    2 Steps
  5. Lecture - "Ashamed to Prove Other Than a Hero"
    2 Steps
  6. Lecture - "To Fight With His Father's Brother"
    2 Steps
  7. Lecture - "The Curse of My Ancestors Has Fallen Heavily on Their Child."
    2 Steps
  8. SHORT STORIES: HAWTHORNE, et al.
    Lecture - "Interlude: Selected Poetry & Short Stories to 1850"
    1 Step
  9. THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN
    Lecture - "The Point of Humor Part 1"
    2 Steps
  10. Lecture - "The Point of Humor Part 2"
    2 Steps
  11. ESSAYS: THOREAU, ET AL.
    Lecture - "Truth, Error, and Culture"
    2 Steps
  12. THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE
    Lecture - "A Slang Phrase"
    2 Steps
  13. LITTLE WOMEN
    Lecture - "Distinguishing Characters Part 1"
    2 Steps
  14. Lecture - "Distinguishing Characters Part 2"
    2 Steps
  15. SHORT STORIES
    Lecture - "The Gift of the Magi"
    1 Step
  16. Lecture - "The Lady or the Tiger?"
    2 Steps
  17. THE GREAT GATSBY
    Lecture - 'The Great Gatsby" (Pt. 1)
    2 Steps
  18. Lecture - "The Great Gatsby" (Pt. 2)
    2 Steps
  19. POETRY
    Lecture - "Dickinson, Frost, and Eliot"
    2 Steps
  20. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
    Lecture - "To Kill a Mockingbird"
    2 Steps
  21. Snow Day Homework
    1 Step
  22. Lecture - "To Kill a Mockingbird"
    2 Steps
  23. SHORT STORIES
    Lecture - Short Stories
    2 Steps
  24. TRAVELS WITH CHARLEY
    Lecture - "Travels with Charley Part 1"
    2 Steps
  25. Lecture - "Travels With Charley Part 2"
    2 Steps
  26. Lecture - “Travels With Charley Part 3”
    2 Steps
  27. PEACE LIKE A RIVER
    Lecture - “Peace Like a River”
    2 Steps
  28. Lecture - "Peace Like a River"
    2 Steps
  29. PAPER PRESENTATIONS
    Lecture - Thesis Defense Preparation
    2 Steps
  30. Thesis Defense
    2 Steps
  31. Final Lecture
    1 Step
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All handouts for the course can be found in a single file on the Materials section of this course’s homepage. You can download it directly here.

Reading

Read Deuteronomy chs. 1-11, “Apologia” by Christopher Columbus, The Mayflower Compact, and “A Modell of Christian Charity” by John Winthrop (this will be the most challenging task this week), and the Declaration of Independence

Journals

Students, write down these things in your choice of journal, notebook, or looseleaf paper:

  1. Write one paragraph: How does Moses help the children of Israel understand where they are in God’s story?
  2. Write one good sentence: What was Columbus’s purpose in sailing to the New World?
  3. Write one good sentence: Restate the purpose of the agreement in your own words.
  4. Write one good sentence: In what ways did Winthrop mean the colony would be a “city upon a hill”?
  5. Write one paragraph: Why do the American authors tell a story of their troubles instead of just listing what they are going to do?

Discussion

Have a dinner table discussion with your family this week around the following question: What makes a good American story? Report your findings either in discussion or in writing.

Download the complete Course Materials for American Literature in one file