ELIT203.

1-2 - SURVEY OF AMERICAN LITERATURE / 2023 – FALL

DR. SERDAR KÜÇÜK

Week 1 – Oct 6
Introduction to the course, explanation of course objectives and materials, course
requirements and assessment. Discovery of the new world. An overview of First nations,
colonial era, Pilgrims and Puritans, ethnic variation.

Week 2 – Oct 13
Extracts from The General History of Virginia by John Smith.
The New World: film screening and discussion.

Week 3 – Oct 20
Extracts from Of Plymouth Plantation by William Bradford.

Week 4 – Oct 27
Anne Bradstreet and John Winthrop.

Week 5 – Nov 3
Selections from Edward Taylor, Cotton Mather.

Week 6 – Nov 10
Jonathan Edwards. The First Great Awakening.

Week 7 – Nov 17
American Revolution. Selections from Franklin, Paine, Jefferson, de Crevecoeur.

Week 8 – Nov 24
Selections from Jefferson, de Crevecoeur.

Week 9 – Dec 1
MIDTERM EXAM

Week 10 – Dec 8
“The Wild Honey Suckle” and “The Indian Burying Ground” by Freneau.

Week 11 – Dec 15
“The Devil and Tom Walker” by Washington Irving: PRIOR READING REQUIRED.

Week 12 – Dec 22
“Thanatopsis” by Bryant.
“The Raven” and “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe: PRIOR READING
REQUIRED.

Week 13 – Dec 29
Transcendentalism, “Nature” and “Self-Reliance” by Emerson. Walden by Thoreau.

Week 14 – Jan 5
Selections from Dickinson and Whitman.
OBJECTIVES

The course aims to provide students with a basic understanding of the literary production in the colonial
and pre-Civil War periods in North America. The students will recognize and differentiate literary,
social and cultural problems of the period in historical writings, travelogues, memoirs, essays, poetry
and short fiction. The students will also discover the narrative structures, techniques and themes in key
texts, and demonstrate critical skills in the classroom.

SOURCES

Course materials and announcements are shared in YUlearn during the first week. Lecture notes and
slides are also shared weekly on YUlearn. In addition, the students are advised to join the Whatsapp
group for announcements via the following link:

https://chat.whatsapp.com/Ihu8t6MSQtwJWGTBcI3dhB

ATTENDANCE

70% (10 out of 14 sessions) attendance is compulsory.

ASSESSMENT

MIDTERM EXAM / 2 + FINAL EXAM / 2 = TOTAL

Total score is rounded up to the next nearest multiple of five. E.g., 61 >> 65, 38 >> 40, 86 >> 90…

40: DD
45-55: DC
60-65:CC
70-75: CB
80: BB
85: BA
90-100: AA

Students must get at least 40 from the final exam to pass the course.

CONTACT

serdar.kucuk@yeditepe.edu.tr