Afro-American Novel after the 1930s: Practice and Critical Perspectives

elective courses

Remote learning

The course is a survey of African American Novel after the 1930s. It analyses thematic and stylistic developments of African American fiction throughot the past decades. It looks at the legacy of black protest fiction of the 40s and 50s, African American modernism, postmodern experimentation and the female novel since the 1980s and 1990s.

The course is a survey of African American Novel after the 1930s. It analyses thematic and stylistic developments of African American fiction throughot the past decades.It looks at the legacy of black protest fiction of the 40s and 50s, African American modernism, postmodern experimentation and the female novel since the 1980s and 1990s. The course enriches the discussion of the works of fiction by the inclusion of secondary sources such as literary polemics, sociological essays and documentaries. The writers discussed are Richard Wright, James Baldwin, Ralph Ellison, Zora Neale Hurston, Alice Walker, Toni Morrison. John Edgar Wideman, Ishmael Reed and Percival Everett.

Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God.

Richard Wright, Native Son.

James Baldwin, short stories.

Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man.

Alice Walker, The Color Purple.

Toni Morrison, Sula.

Ishmael Reed, The Last Days of Louisiana Red.

John Edgar Wideman, Two Cities.

Percival Everett, Erasure.

• knowledge: the student develops the knowledge of major evolutionary strands after the year 1930 and is capable of recognizing and discussing the works by major African American fictional writers of the 20th and 21st century; the student is introduced into various cultural codes and familiarizes itself with the ways they determine cross-cultural communication especially in the U.S.;

• skills: the student develops the ability to discuss, order and synthesize narratives and cultural artifacts in their linguistic, cultural, social, historical and economic dimensions; s/he is capable of assessing the applicability of various theoretical construct to everyday cultural practices

• social competence: the student develops the attitude of tolerance of alterity and difference and is capable of respecting cultures others than his/her own. S/he is a conscious participant in his own national culture and respects the American cultural heritage; s/he develops the attitude of understanding and openness towards various national cultures.

In class discussions students acquire skills of expressing their thoughts in a clear, coherent, logical and precise manner, with the use of language which is correct grammatically, lexically and phonetically.

attendance (two absences are allowed), class participation, one presentation in class, a midterm and a final test.

Students taking classes have to demonstrate the knowledge of English at the B2+ level

retake session: the test