STANDARD COMPETENCIES:

 

 The student will be able to:

 1. trace the development of American literary thought from the Civil War era up through modern times.

 2. analyze how such broad terms as Naturalism and Realism only partially reflect the writings of an era, yet still impact our concepts of life today.

 3. gain a knowledge and appreciation of major American writers from the mid-nineteenth century up through modern day.

 4. examine American prose which, depending upon the Era, serves to mirror the sociological ills of American society, psychological patterns of American thought, and/or aesthetic values of the artistic mind.

 5 read and thoughtfully discuss the works assigned.

 6 critically evaluate the content and form of each literary piece.

 7. examine the impact these writings may or may not have had on the American mind and culture of today.

 TOPICAL OUTLINE:

 

 I.      Introduction to American Literature:  Identifying and defining the major American literary periods from the Civil War to the present.

 II.     Thematic and Topical Approaches to Literature:  Reading, identifying and analyzing various literary forms, themes, modes, and genres.

 III.    Individual Works and Writers:  Assessing the influence of individual works and the accomplishments of individual writers.

 IV.     Technical Elements of Literature: Analyzing the techniques of fiction, autobiography, poetry, drama, and historical writing.

 V.      Personal Responses to Literature:  Defining the personal value and functions of literature.