GENESEE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

COURSE INFORMATION OUTLINE

COURSE NO. LIT 210 TITLE African American Literature

CREDIT HOURS 3 CONTACT HOURS 3

FULL CATALOG DESCRIPTION:

Examines the binding, common themes of African American literature from the late eighteenth century to the present. Establishes useful definitions for the novel, the short story, poetry, drama, and literary non-fiction (e.g. autobiography, essay, oratory) as they apply to African American literature in particular. Prerequisite: ENG 101.

COURSE OBJECTIVES (STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES):

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. *Classify and analyze, through a minimum of three short-answer and objective tests, the historical development of the commonly agreed upon periods of African American Literature (where such agreement exists) from the Colonial period to the present, to demonstrate skills in literary historical classification and analysis;
2. Describe in writing or in oral presentation the historical and sociopolitical context of each of the commonly agreed upon periods, to demonstrate knowledge of distinct characteristics of African American literary history;
3. Discuss in writing or in oral presentation a minimum of three commonly agreed upon themes and/or aesthetic concerns particular to African American Literature;
4. Discuss in writing or in oral presentation a minimum of three commonly agreed upon literary devices, structures, and/or forms of expression particular to African American literature;
5. Write a standard MLA-style paper (two to five pages) analyzing literary works of nonfiction including autobiography, essay, and oratory, in order to identify at least one literary device appropriate to each literary form under study;
6. Discuss in writing at least five concepts—character, development, point of view, setting, imagery, and theme—to demonstrate analysis of prose fiction;
7. Write a standard composition analyzing four concepts in poetry, in order to demonstrate familiarity with speaker, figures of speech, patterns of rhyme and meter, and theme;
8. Write a standard composition analyzing six concepts in drama, in order to demonstrate familiarity with plot, character, setting, dialogue, movement, and theme.

* This course objective has been identified as a student learning outcome that must be formally assessed as part of the College’s Comprehensive Assessment Plan. All faculty teaching this course must collect the required data (see Assessing Student Learning Outcomes form) and submit the required analysis and documentation at the conclusion of the semester to the Office of Assessment and Special Projects.

INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES:

Lecture, class critiques, reading, discussion.

CRITERIA FOR GRADING:

A student’s final grade is determined on the basis of successful completion of all assigned writing exercises, oral presentations, tests and quizzes, as well as participation and attendance.

REQUIRED TEXT(S):

To be determined by full-time faculty.

SUPPLEMENTARY READING/PRINCIPAL REFERENCES:

Discretion of the instructor. Anthology and/or individual works

BRIEF OUTLINE OF COURSE CONTENT

COURSE NO. LIT 210 TITLE: African American Literature

I. 18th century

A. Historical and sociopolitical contexts appropriate to (but not limited to) the Colonial Period

B. Analysis of selected literature from the period(s)

II. 19th century

A. Historical and sociopolitical contexts appropriate to (but not limited to) the Antebellum and Reconstruction Periods

B. Analysis of selected literature from the period(s)

III. 20th century

A. Historical and sociopolitical contexts appropriate to (but not limited to) the Harlem Renaissance, the Protest Movement, the Black Aesthetics Movement, and the Neorealism Movement.

B. Analysis of selected literature from the period(s)

IV. In depth attention to and analysis of 20th century manifestations of:

A. Literary Nonfiction

B. Poetry

C. Short Story

D. Novel

E. Drama

Description Revised: Spring 2004

Dated: Fall 2002