AMST 144(F) Whodunit? The Ethnic Detective Novel and its Permutations (Same as English 144) (W)

ENGL 144(F) Whodunit? The Ethnic Detective Novel and its Permutations (Same as American Studies 144) (W)
The detective or mystery novel has long been a staple of American popular culture and a reliable companion on tedious journeys. The pleasure that many derive from it is, oddly enough, formed by a deeply paradoxical nature of the genre: the surprise of the final revelation combined with the predictability of its narrative form and devices, including stock figures and the detective "hero." Yet this very predictability has also allowed writers to use this genre to achieve different effects, to tell other stories, and sometimes to subvert the form of the genre itself. In this class, we will read and discuss works by various American ethnic writers-some who are well-established in this genre while others take more experimental approaches. What does this genre allow the writers to achieve? How do the elements of the genre appear and/or shift in the different texts, and to what effects? Texts for this class will include, among others: selected works by Chester Himes and Walter Mosley, Sherman Alexie's Indian Killer, and Ishmael Reed's Mumbo Jumbo.
Format: discussion/seminar. Requirements: active in-class participation, four short papers, one longer paper (5-7 pages) on a detective novel of your choice (can be chosen from or beyond the course readings).
No prerequisites. Enrollment limit: 19 (expected: 19). Preference given to first-year students.
Hour: UM