ESH6098

The Great American Novel

Level 6 (15 credits)

This module looks at various candidates for the `Great American Novel', a term for fictional narratives that seem to capture the essence of the United States. The module will examine the concept's origins following the American Civil War, evolution throughout the twentieth- and twenty-first centuries, and enduring appeal in the popular imagination. Selected fiction will be considered in relation to US national identity, the ideal of the American dream, notions of authorship, and anxieties toward social issues such as class, gender, race, ethnicity, disability, and sexual orientation.

Preparing for this Module and Approximate Costs

The best way to prepare for this module will be to read some of the candidates nominated for the title of ‘The Great American Novel’. You can find a list of notable nominees on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_American_Novel

If you would like to do some preparatory critical reading, the best place to start would be Lawrence Buell’s The Dream of the Great American Novel (2014).

Primary texts costing up to £60 in total if purchased new. Note that these costs can be reduced by purchasing items second-hand or borrowing them from the Library. Copies of the texts should also be available in the QMUL Library.


 
Why take
The Great American Novel
?

  • Read some of the most significant, challenging, and widely discussed novels about American life
  • Develop your close reading skills along with a nuanced understanding of how fictional narratives engage with various cultural contexts
  • You might think some of these novels are pretty great too

Learning Context Long Seminar
Semester Two
Assessment
  1. Written Assignment 1, 30%
  2. Written Assignment 2, 70%
Mode of reassessment Standard
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