A survey of works illustrating the development of American literature from the Civil War to the present. Individual works are analyzed for artistic complexity, depth, and nuance as students refine critical thinking and effective communication skills. Diverse literary works from the post-Civil War American tradition will be studied to build students' cultural awareness and capacity for ethical and socially responsible reasoning. Through close reading, students practice literary analysis and argumentation. Students examine American literature with reference to how publication and reception influence literary works and for how literary traditions and/or movements are formed and how they change. Students explore how literature from this time period can reflect but also challenge cultural, social, and literary norms. (3 lecture hours)

Prerequisite: Course requires Reading Placement Category One.

Course types: General Education: Fine Arts (A.A.S., A.G.S.), General Education: Humanities (A.A.S., A.G.S.)