AML 4503: 51: Literature of the Harlem Renaissance

M. W. 2-3:30 Office Hours: Wed. 11-1 and by appointment. RM 350 AC 1

Dr. Donna Weir-Soley           Weir-sole@fiu.edu

 

Required Texts:

The Norton Anthology of African-American Literature: 

Gates, McKay, Christian.

Their Eyes Were Watching God:   Zora Neale Hurston

Quicksand and Passing:  Nella Larsen

Diana Hacker's Handbook on Writing, 4th edition 

In this course we will examine the literary production of Americans of African descent-- those born in the US mainland and those who immigrated from the Caribbean regions-- during the period from 1919-1940 popularly known as the Harlem Renaissance Period.  We will interrogate the problems of nationality and identity formation in a racially divided society whose popular definition of the term American denoted "whiteness' as a biological rather than a political construct.  We will also examine social issues relevant to Blacks during that period such as jim-crow in the South , under-representation  and racial inequities in political and social arenas of the North, urban riots, poverty,  passing, colorism and classism, and the diverse  responses to these social bogeys.  Through careful attention to the works of Black women writers from this period, we will foreground gender inequities and black women's responses/resistances to the triple-bind of race, class and gender in public and private spheres.   

Week 1

Aug 28  Welcome and Introduction.  Brief overview of course objectives and   requirements.

Week 2

Sept 2.  Labor Day.  No Class.

Sept. 4. "The Negro Digs up His Past":  Arthur Schomburg. Discuss.           

"The New Negro"  Alain Locke.  Write a brief analysis on either one of these two essays to be read in class.    

Week 3

Sept. 9  Read and Compare the literary styles of Langston Hughes and Countee Cullen.  What thematic concerns do they share?  How do they differ stylistically, rhetorically, etc? Sept. 11  Pick two poems from each author and write a response addressing issues of style, form, content.  Read responses to class.  

Week 4

Sept. 16  Read the poetry of Anne Spencer and Georgia Douglas Johnson. 

Sept. 18  Read the poetry of Gwendolyn Bennett and Helene Johnson.  Compare any two and write a brief analysis to be read in class.   

Week 5

Sept. 23.  Mandatory Library Session.  Lib RM 124.  Conduct research on Harlem Renaissance figures, issues, etc for mid-term paper.      

Sept. 25. Cane:   Toomer.  Read and analyze the short stories. Pages 1089-1140.             

Week 6

Sept. 30  Toomer continued.  Analyze two short stories and three poems.  Write a response to be read in class.

 Oct. 2.  Toomer Continued.  Student Responses.                                                      

Week 7

Oct. 7  "The Negro Artist and The Racial Mountain" Langston Hughes. 

Oct. 9  "The Negro Art Hokum" George Schuyler.            Discuss the rhetorical strategies each writer employs to advance his argument?  Which argument do you agree with?   Is the one you disagree with well-argued?  Explain your response in writing.    Draft of 7-8 page paper due.

Week 8

Oct. 14              Sterling Brown, Wallace Thurman, Arna Bontemps.  Discuss.

Oct. 16              Discussion continued.  One page response on any two poets.              

Week 9

Oct. 21            Excerpts from Plum Bun:  Jessie Redmond Fausett.  Discuss.                                   

Oct. 23            Passing: Nella Larsen.  First Paper Due (include works cited page)                             

Week 10

Oct. 28 Passing .  Discussion continued. Find and Read critique on text.

Oct. 30            Quicksand: Nella Larsen.  Discuss with the help of textual criticism.                                   

Week 11

Nov 4  Written comparison of two of the following:Quicksand, Passing and Plum Bun. Nov 6. Their Eyes Were Watching God:  Zora Neale Hurston.                                              

Week 12

Nov 11 Veteran's Day.  No Class.                                                 

Nov 13 Their Eyes Were Watching God:  Zora Neale Hurston. Discuss.

Week 13

Nov 18. Discussion of TEWWG continued

Nov 20  Using secondary criticism, write a one page response on TEWWG and read to class.                                       

Week 14

Nov 25 Group Presentation-Students will plan and execute this session.           

Nov 27 Group Presentation-Students will plan and execute this session.                                                           

Week 15

Dec 2   Group Presentation and/or Review for Final Exam.

Dec 4   Last day.  Final Exam.                                                
 

Course Requirements:

Do all readings by assigned dates. 

Attendance is very important.  You are allowed only one unexcused absence; use it wisely. Two significantly late appearances  (20 minutes) to class will count as one absence. You cannot expect to participate fully if you miss important discussions and lectures.  Three or more absences will significantly lower your grade, regardless of the reason you are out.  When you have an emergency situation and cannot attend, please bring paper-work to class if you want it counted as an excused absence.  

Late Papers: Late papers will not be accepted. However, if you are experiencing personal or job-related issues, you may ask for an extension ahead of time.  Ahead of time means a week in advance or, in extenuating circumstances, several days before the paper is due.

Writing Assignments:

In addition to the one page typed responses, you are expected to complete one research paper, an oral presentation and a final exam. Content and presentation are equally important in this class.   Papers must be neat, well organized and well researched. Your names must be on your papers and on your research articles. Please number your pages.  Follow the MLA format for research papers (outlined in the Diana Hacker Book or the MLA Handbook on Writing).  Pay attention to source documentation and bibliography.  For thesis building and problems with structure and/or grammar, the Diana Hacker book is an excellent resource.  

First Paper: 7-8 page research paper on a topic derived from the first half of this course.   You will be given some basic guidelines and suggested paper topics, but you are expected to come up with your own thesis based on class discussions and lectures.  Two secondary sources.  No More than 3 for a paper of this length. 

Drafts are not optional.  Anyone who does not turn in a draft, but turns in a flawless paper, is subject to having that paper scrutinized closely for plagiarism. 

Grading Guidelines:

First Paper                               20%

Responses                               10%

Attendance and Participation    10%

Oral Presentation                     20%

Final Exam                               40%                

 

If you do not turn in a final Exam you will fail the course. 

No Incompletes. The College of Arts and Sciences has very strict guidelines on incompletes.  The English Department strongly discourages incompletes.  

Plagiarism is defined as submitting any piece of work written in whole or in part by someone else as your own.  It is a serious offense and, if confirmed, will result in failure of the course.  All students are urged to read the section titled "Rights and Responsibilities of Students" located in the FIU Student Handbook that deals with academic misconduct in all forms and includes a complete definition of plagiarism.  

This Professor reserves the right to make changes to this syllabus if such changes are deemed necessary.