LITR 4333: American Immigrant Literature

Tuesday, 24 January: Examples of the Immigrant Narrative. Anzia Yezierska, “Soap and Water” (IA 105-110) [handout]; Nicholasa Mohr, “The English Lesson” (IA 21-34); Barbara Grizzuti Harrison, “Going Home: Brooklyn Revisited” (VA 158-169) [handout]

·        Text-objective discussion leader: Mark Chapa

Tuesday, 31 January: Asian American Immigrant Literature Sui Sin Far, "In the Land of the Free" (IA 3-11); Gish Jen, “In the American Society” (IA 158-171); Maxine Hong Kingston, from The Woman Warrior (VA 195-200) [handout]; Carlos Bulosan, from American is in the Heart [handout]

·        Text-objective discussion leader: Tammara Congdon

·        Text-objective discussion leader: Keri Duggan

Tuesday, 7 February: African American Minority vs. the immigrant narrative. James Baldwin, from No Name in the Street [handout]; Jewelle Gomez, “Don’t Explain” (182-190); Toni Cade Bambara, “The Lesson” (IA 145-152); Alice Walker, “Elethia” (IA 307-309)

·        Text-objective discussion leader: Telishia Woodard

Tuesday, 14 February: American Indian Minority vs. the immigrant narrative. Leslie Marmon Silko, “The Man to Send Rain Clouds” (IA 205-209); Louise Erdrich, "American Horse" (IA 210-220); Mei Mei Evans, “Gussuk” (IA 237-251)

·        Text-objective discussion leader: Laura Guerrero

Tuesday, 21 February: Mexican Americans: Immigrant / American Dream story, or Minority? Richard Rodriguez, from Hunger of Memory [handout]; Gary Soto, “Like Mexicans” [handout]; Nash Candelaria, "El Patron" (IA 221-228); Sandra Cisneros, "Barbie-Q" (IA 252-253)

·        Text-objective discussion leader: Christina Whitener

Tuesday, 28 February: Other Hispanic Americans: Immigrant / American Dream story, or Minority? Junot Diaz, "How to Date a Browngirl . . . “ (IA 276-279); Oscar Hijuelos, “Visitors, 1965” (IA 310-325) Judith Ortiz Cofer, "Silent Dancing" [handout]

·        Text-objective discussion leader: Shlena Freeman

Tuesday, 28 March: Indian & Pakistani American Literature Chitra Divakaruni, “Silver Pavements, Golden Roofs” (70-83); Tahira Naqvi, “Thank God for the Jews” (IA 229-236); Bharati Mukherjee, “A Wife’s Story” (IA 57-69); Bharati Mukherjee, “Love Me or Leave Me” [handout]

·        Text-objective discussion leader: Marina Collier

Tuesday, 4 April: Jewish-American: Chosen People in the New World. Anzia Yezierska, Bread Givers (1925)

·        Text-objective discussion leader: Matasha A. Lewings

Tuesday, 11 April: selections from the Exodus story in the Old Testament of the Bible 

·        Text-objective discussion leader: Sara Moreau

Tuesday, 18 April: The Pilgrims and the Hebrew model of national migration; prototype of white exclusiveness and purity? William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation (introduction, esp. p. xxii; chapters I-IV).

·        Text-objective discussion leader: Kristin Long

Tuesday, 25 April: The Pilgrims, the Hebrew model of national migration, and late Anglo-American culture / vertical immigration.  Of Plymouth Plantation (V, 29-32;VI, 45 middle paragraph; VII, 49-50, 57; VIII, 59-61; IX; X; XI, 83-89; XII, 96-100, 107 bottom paragraph; XIV, 128-129, 132-134, 143-146; XV, 160-161; XIX, 224-232; ch. 21, p. 62; XXIII, 281-283; XXXII, 351; XXXIII, 364-368; 370-1); Jonathan Raban, from Hunting Mr. Heartbreak: A Discovery of America [handout]

·        Text-objective discussion leader (Raban article): J. Elizabeth Meche