This class tells the story of the development of the American novel, focusing on the twentieth century. We’ll sample a variety of literary styles, from romanticism to realism, the emergence of modernism and beyond. These different styles reflect the themes and controversies of a nation always in the process of creating itself: the relationship between citizenship and forgiveness, place and environment, travel and movement, immigration and displacement, equality and representation, democracy and the market, among others. As we trace the story of the American novel, our readings will include works by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Willa Cather, William Faulkner, Nella Larsen, Flannery O’Connor, and Marilynne Robinson. Weekly course meetings will be synchronous.