Module Details |
The information contained in this module specification was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change, either during the session because of unforeseen circumstances, or following review of the module at the end of the session. Queries about the module should be directed to the member of staff with responsibility for the module. |
Title | MODERN AMERICAN FICTION | ||
Code | ENGL331 | ||
Coordinator |
Dr DM Hering English D.Hering@liverpool.ac.uk |
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Year | CATS Level | Semester | CATS Value |
Session 2018-19 | Level 6 FHEQ | Second Semester | 30 |
Aims |
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The aim of the module is to survey a cross-section of American fiction from c.1920 to the early 21st century. It follows a roughly chronological sequence and sets out to reveal the thematic concerns and narrative modes linking different works in this area. We shall be considering these writers'' treatment of ethnic minorities, rural displacement, technological progress and particularly shall be concentrating on their stance towards America. In the course of discussions the module also aims to develop a vocabulary for the critical analysis of this fiction. |
Learning Outcomes |
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On completing this module students will have: - acquired a knowledge and understanding of a range of twentieth and twenty-first-century American fiction |
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- developed a vocabulary for the critical analysis of this literature
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- gained an appreciation of the historical and cultural contexts in which this literature was produced
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- gained an appreciation of the place of this literature within the traditions of literature in English
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Syllabus |
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1 |
1
Topics and themes typically include: American Modernism (Hemingway, Faulkner, etc.) African American fiction (Ellison, Walker, etc.). Pioneer narratives Americans in Europe Epics of the Road Digital America American Metafiction America and visual art/cinema |
Teaching and Learning Strategies |
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Lecture - 1x1hr lecture Lectures introduce key themes and perspectives. One 1 hour lecture per week |
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Seminar - 1x2hr seminar |
Teaching Schedule |
Lectures | Seminars | Tutorials | Lab Practicals | Fieldwork Placement | Other | TOTAL | |
Study Hours |
12 1x1hr lecture |
24 1x2hr seminar |
36 | ||||
Timetable (if known) |
Lectures introduce key themes and perspectives. One 1 hour lecture per week
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Private Study | 264 | ||||||
TOTAL HOURS | 300 |
Assessment |
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EXAM | Duration | Timing (Semester) |
% of final mark |
Resit/resubmission opportunity |
Penalty for late submission |
Notes |
Unseen Written Exam | 3 hours | 2 | 50 | Yes | Standard UoL penalty applies | Assessment 2 Notes (applying to all assessments) Written project of c.4,000 words One two-question written examination, 3 hours |
CONTINUOUS | Duration | Timing (Semester) |
% of final mark |
Resit/resubmission opportunity |
Penalty for late submission |
Notes |
Coursework | 4,000 words | 2 | 50 | No reassessment opportunity | Standard UoL penalty applies | Assessment 1 There is no reassessment opportunity, |
Recommended Texts |
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Reading lists are managed at readinglists.liverpool.ac.uk. Click here to access the reading lists for this module. Explanation of Reading List: Willa Cather, My Antonia Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell To Arms Nella Larsen, Passing Djuna Barnes, Nightwood F Scott Fitzgerald, Tender is the Night (Important: there are 2 versions of this novel in print. Use the version which begins "On the pleasant shore of the French Riviera...") Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar David Foster Wallace, Brief Interviews with Hideous Men Toni Morrison, Beloved Jennifer Egan, A Visit from the Goon Squad |