LIT113

AMERICAN LITERATURE: 1945-PRESENT

(Former number and title: HU109T US Literature 1945-Present)

Texts: Anthology of American Literature: Vol. II, 9th Edition -- McMichael

Beloved -- Morrison
Instructor: Rhonda Eakins Office: 120 (Arts and Science Office)
Phone: 683-5154 or 664-1095 e-mail: reakins@indianhills.edu

Course Description
This course examines the growth of American literature from the end of WWII to the
present, with attention given to the voices of women and ethnic minorities. Emphasis is
on major writers, literary movements, and historical influences.
Prerequisites: None Total Hours: 44 lecture Semester Hours: 3

Course Goals
The following list of course goals will be addressed:
1. identify historical influences on post-WWII literature
2. identify characteristics of Modernism
3. analyze significant themes in post-WWII literature
4. identify characteristics of selected major writers of the period
5. identify characteristics of post-Modernism
6. examine trends in post-WWII short stories
7. examine trends in post-WWII poetry
8. examine trends in post-WWII drama
9. examine trends in post-WWII novel
10. analyze literary contributions of women and minorities

Expectations and Requirements

1. Make sure that all assignments are read on time. There will be reading quizzes from
time to time, so make sure you are prepared.
2. Make sure you attend class regularly. Class attendance is essential to success in this
class because class lecture and discussion provide a perspective on the readings that is
difficult to gain any other way. Also, in-class pop quizzes and group work cannot be
made up.
3. Take thorough notes and mark significant passages in your book.
4. All tests must be taken on time. If you miss a test, you must make it up within one
week , but late tests will be docked one letter grade. Tests cannot be made up after one
week from the test date.
5. If you need help, please ask!
 Cheating/Plagiarism
Any instances of cheating or plagiarism will result in failure of the course. For further
information, consult the Arts and Sciences Student Handbook.

Assessment
Indian Hills Community College conducts assessment of student learning in order to
determine whether students are meeting course, divisional, and institutional goals. From
time to time, some of the activities and assignments that we do will be used to assess
these goals. While assessment results may be shared with others at the college, your
personal results will remain confidential.

Evaluation
Your final grade will be based on points accumulated on the following:
Quizzes, in-class writings, group work (approximately 15% of total points)
Tests and an essay (approximately 85% of total points)

I will use the following grading scale to assign final grades:

90-100%=A; 80-89%=B; 70-79%=C; 60-69%=D; 0-59%=F

Course Schedule

NOTE: This is a tentative schedule. Any changes will be announced in class.

2/24 Introduction to Course and class members; Introduction to the Post WWII
Era;Why study literature?

3/1 Heller: from Catch 22 – p.1785

3/3 Ralph Ellison -- from Invisible Man -- p. 1674

3/8 Richard Wright: from Native Son – p. 1643

3/10 Gwendolyn Brooks: (handouts): “Kitchenette Building”; “The Mother”; “The

Lovers of the Poor” ; “The Chicago Defender Sends a Man to Little Rock” --
handouts

3/15 Theodore Roethke: “Dolor” p. 1731; “Cuttings” p. 1732; “Cuttings (Later)” p.

1732; “Root Cellar” p. 1732 ; “My Papa’s Waltz” p. 1733
Elizabeth Bishop: “The Fish” p. 1742

3/17 Allen Ginsberg: “Howl” p. 1803

Randall Jarrell: “Losses” p. 1735; “Death of the Ball Turret Gunner” p.1736;
James Dickey: “The Lifeguard” p. 1850
3/22 Adrienne Rich: “Living in Sin” p. 1822
Anne Sexton: “Ringing the Bells” p. 1834; “The Addict” p. 1836
Sylvia Plath: “Lady Lazarus” p. 1842

3/24 James Baldwin: “Sonny’s Blues” p. 1868

3/29 Test #1

3/31 Flannery O’Connor: “A Good Man is Hard to Find” p. 1890; “Good Country
People” (handout)
Tillie Olsen: “I Stand Here Ironing” p. 1931

4/5 Philip Roth: “The Conversion of the Jews” p. 1908

Bernard Malamud: “The Magic Barrel” p. 1919

4/7 Raymond Carver: “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love”
(handout); Bobbi Ann Mason: “Shiloh” p. 2119

4/12 Kurt Vonnegut: “Welcome to the Monkey House” p. 2027

4/14 Edward Albee: The Zoo Story p. 1989

4/19 Alice Walker: “Everyday Use” p. 2099

Amy Tan: “Half and Half” p. 2108

4/21 Test #2
Spring Break

5/3 Beloved

5/5 Beloved

5/10 Beloved

5/12 Joyce Carol Oates: “How I Contemplated…” p. 2077

5/17 Essays Due Don DeLillo: from White Noise p. 2186

5/19 Test #3
 Disability Statement
If you have a disability and have a request for academic accommodations, (test readers, extended test time,
etc.) please contact Disability Services in the SUCCESS Center. Disability Services are available to
students at all Indian Hills Community College locations.
Contact Disability Services at:
Ottumwa: SUCCESS Center, Attn. Disability Services, 525 Grandview, Bldg. 10, Ottumwa, Iowa 52501
Phone: 1-800-726-2585, ext. 5238
Email: SUCCESS_Center@indianhills.edu

If you have emergency medical information you need to share, please inform me immediately. You may
contact me privately, before or after class or by phone or email.