everything.study
WGS.512

Major Authors: After the Masterpiece: Novels by Melville, Twain, Faulkner, and Morrison

Undergraduate · Historical course

Fall 2006

This seminar provides intensive study of exciting texts by four influential American authors. In studying paired works, we can enrich our sense of each author's distinctive methods, get a deeper sense of the development of their careers, and shake up our preconceptions about what makes an author or a work "great." Students will get an opportunity to research an author in depth, as well as making broader comparisons across the syllabus.

Readings

  • Melville, Herman. Moby-Dick . Edited by Andrew Delbanco. New York, NY: Penguin Books, 2002. ISBN: 9780142437247.
    Required
  • ———. Israel Potter . Chicago, IL: Northwestern University Press, 1998. ISBN: 9780810115910.
    Required
  • Twain, Mark. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn . New York, NY: Penguin Books, 2002. ISBN: 9780142437179.
    Required
  • ———. Pudd’nhead Wilson . New York, NY: Penguin Books, 1969. ISBN: 9780140430400.
    Required
  • Faulkner, William. The Sound and the Fury . New York, NY: Vintage Books, 1991. ISBN: 9780679732242.
    Required
  • ———. As I Lay Dying . New York, NY: Vintage Books, 1991. ISBN: 9780679732259.
    Required
  • Morrison, Toni. Beloved . New York, NY: Plume, 1998. ISBN: 9780452280625.
    Required
  • ———. Love . New York, NY: Vintage Books, 2005. ISBN: 9781400078479.
    Required
  • SES #: 2 · READINGS: Moby-Dick . Chapters 1-23 (include “Etymologies,” “Extracts”).
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 3 · READINGS: Moby-Dick . Chapters 24-50.
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 4 · READINGS: Moby-Dick . Chapters 51-79.
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 5 · READINGS: Moby-Dick . Chapters 80-108.
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 6 · READINGS: Moby-Dick . Chapters 109-“Epilogue.”
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 8 · READINGS: Israel Potter. “Dedication,” Chapters 1-13.
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 9 · READINGS: Israel Potter. Chapters 14-25.
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 10 · READINGS: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn . Chapters 1-16.
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 11 · READINGS: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn . Chapters 17-27.
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 12 · READINGS: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn . Chapter 28-“Chapter the Last.”
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 13 · READINGS: Pudd’nhead Wilson .
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 15 · READINGS: The Sound and the Fury . Section 1.
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 16 · READINGS: The Sound and the Fury. Section 2.
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 17 · READINGS: The Sound and the Fury . Section 3.
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 18 · READINGS: The Sound and the Fury. Section 4.
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 19 · READINGS: As I Lay Dying . pp. 3-136.
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 20 · READINGS: As I Lay Dying. pp. 137-261.
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 22 · READINGS: Beloved . pp. 3-165.
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 23 · READINGS: Beloved. pp. 169-235.
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 24 · READINGS: Beloved . pp. 239-275.
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 25 · READINGS: Love . pp. 3-106.
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 26 · READINGS: Love. pp. 109-202.
    Reading assignment
Fall 2003 · Major Authors: Melville and Morrison

Topics

  • Typee
  • Moby-Dick
  • “Bartleby, the Scrivener”
  • “Benito Cereno”
  • The Confidence-Man
  • Playing in the Dark
  • Sula 1
  • Sula II
  • Beloved
  • Jazz
  • Paradise
  • Conclusion

Readings

  • Melville, Herman. Typee. Penguin.
    Required
  • ———. Moby-Dick. Penguin.
    Required
  • ———. Tales, Poems, and Other Writings. Edited by John Bryant. Modern Library.
    Required
  • ———. The Confidence-Man. Oxford.
    Required
  • Morrison, Toni. Sula. Dutton, Signet.
    Required
  • ———. Beloved. Penguin.
    Required
  • ———. Jazz. Plume.
    Required
  • ———. Paradise. Plume.
    Required
  • ———. Playing in the Dark. Knopf.
    Required
  • SES #: 2 · TOPICS: Typee · READINGS: Chap. 1-18
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 3 · TOPICS: Typee · READINGS: Chap. 19- “Afterword”
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 4 · TOPICS: Moby-Dick · READINGS: Chap. 1-23
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 5 · TOPICS: Moby-Dick · READINGS: Chap. 24-50
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 6 · TOPICS: Moby-Dick · READINGS: Chap. 51-79
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 7 · TOPICS: Moby-Dick · READINGS: Chap. 80-108
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 8 · TOPICS: Moby-Dick · READINGS: Chap. 109-“Epilogue”
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 12 · TOPICS: The Confidence-Man · READINGS: Chap. 1-22
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 13 · TOPICS: The Confidence-Man · READINGS: Chap. 23-45
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 14 · TOPICS: Playing in the Dark · READINGS: Chap. 1-2
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 17 · TOPICS: Beloved · READINGS: Pp. 3-165
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 18 · TOPICS: Beloved · READINGS: Pp. 169-275
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 20 · TOPICS: Jazz · READINGS: Pp. 3-113
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 21 · TOPICS: Jazz · READINGS: Pp. 115-229
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 22 · TOPICS: Paradise · READINGS: Pp. 3-138
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 23 · TOPICS: Paradise · READINGS: Pp. 141-217
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 25 · TOPICS: Paradise · READINGS: Pp. 221-318
    Reading assignment
Sources