ENGL 147 (S) Asian American Literature(Same as American Studies 147)(W) *

In this course, we will read a selection of poems, narratives, and plays written by Asian American writers, staying attentive to the various ways in which the historical experiences of Asian Americans have informed their acts of literary invention. Likely readings include: John Okada’s No No Boy, Maxine Hong Kingston’s The Woman Warrior, Theresa Hak Kyung Cha’s Dictee, David Henry Hwang’s M. Butterfly, Bharati Mukherjee’s Jasmine, Jessica Hagedorn’s Dogeaters, and Chang-rae Lee’s Native Speaker. In order to better understand the broader, ever shifting, social contexts in and against which these literary works were created, we will occasionally supplement our readings with texts that discuss the experiences of Asian Americans from a historical and sociological perspective. Format: discussion/seminar. Requirements: active class participation and five papers totaling 20 pages. No prerequisites. Enrollment limit: 19 (expected: 19). Preference given to first-year students.

Hour: RHIE