Images of America in German Literature

What was, has been, and is America to Germans? Some believe America to be moving in the right direction, and others imagine America as thoroughly evil from the very beginning. Literature, however, does not say this or that. It displays complex images, plays with prejudices, idols, ideals, and stereotypes to show their inner mechanisms and conceptual limits. And, of course, it generates images and counter-images. By examining some canonical texts on this topic, the seminar reconstructs the major perceptions, attributions and ascriptions with which German authors over times have envisioned the United States – even without travelling there.