Topic Autumn 2015

The first half of the 20th century was a turbulent and transformative period for American culture.  Women and men began to define themselves in very different ways, and one of the tools they used to redefine themselves was literature.  The novels, short stories, and poetry of the early 20th century critiqued existing forms of identity and society (culture), suggested new alternative forms, and provided readers with a space in which to reflect on the ways in which they might transform themselves and their surroundings.  This course will explore some of the forms American literature took during the first half of the 20th century, and it will consider the continuing relevance of these texts to our contemporary situation.