What do we mean by "nature"? How do we understand the relationships between "nature" and "culture"? In this course we will examine how various American writers have attempted to render conceptions of "nature" in literary form. We will compare treatments of various kinds of natural environments and trace the philosophical and stylistic traditions within the nature writing genre. The authors to be considered include Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, William Faulkner, Annie Dillard, Barry Lopez, Ursula LeGuin, and Wendell Berry. Requirements: two 10-page papers, regular class attendance, and participation in discussions. Prerequisite: a 100-level English course, except 150. Enrollment limit: 25 (expected: about 20). Preference to English majors and Environmental Studies concentrators. (Post-1900)