The course tells the story of the rise and growth of the American novel from its beginnings in the early republic to the end of the twentieth century. We shall be sampling a rich variety of fictional styles, ranging from the gothic and the sentimental to the emergence of realism and the development of the postmodern novel. Along with these shifting styles comes, as we shall see, a diverse collection of themes and controversies that reflect the problems, paradoxes, and possibilities of life in a nation that perceives itself to be democratic. These issues shall include questions of equality and representation, the allure and dangers of the mass market, race and social justice, nationalism and the immigrant experience, among other things.

Lectures will provide the literary and historical background necessary for appreciating the goals and context for each of the novels and will also explore the connections between them.

Readings will include: Charles Brockden Brown, Wieland, Nathaniel Hawthorne, The House of the Seven Gables, Herman Melville, Moby-Dick, Anzia Yezierska, Bread-Givers, Theodore Dreiser, Sister Carrie, William Faulkner, Go Down, Moses, Willa Cather, The Professor’s House, Toni Morrison, Beloved, Brett Easton Ellis, American Psycho.

Course Requirements:

Written requirements: three 5 to 7 page essays and a final exam.

Intended Audience:

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Class Format:

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