English 234 - Contemporary American Fiction

Vanderbilt University

Professor Jay Clayton
Fall, 1996 - MWF 9:10-10:00
Calhoun 109

This course focuses on novels published in the 1990s, a vibrant period for the American novel.  We will read a wide variety of fiction, dealing with diverse aspects of contemporary American culture.

Reading list:

• Dorothy Allison, Bastard out of Carolina (1992)
• Jullia Alvarez, How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents(1991)
• Paul Auster, The New York Trilogy (1985-86)
• Russell Banks, Rule of the Bone (1995)
• Sandra Cisneros, Woman Hollering Creek (1991)
• Don DeLillo, Mao II (1991)
• Louise Erdrich, Bingo Palace (1994)
• Richard Ford, Independence Day (1995)
• Charles Johnson, The Middle Passage (1990)
• Toni Morrison, Jazz (1992)
• Fae Ng, Bone (1993)
• E. Annie Proulx, The Shipping News (1993)

Requirements:

• Weekly response papers in class newsgroup
• 2 essays
• Midterm exam
• Final exam

28 W Introduction
30 F Allison, Bastard Out of Carolina

September

2 M - Allison, Bastard Out of Carolina
4 W - Allison, Bastard Out of Carolina
6 F - Allison, Bastard Out of Carolina

9 M - Banks, Rule of the Bone
11 W Banks, Rule of the Bone
13 F - Banks, Rule of the Bone

16 M Alvarez, How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents
18 W Alvarez, How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents
20 F Alvarez, How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents.  Paper topics.

23 M - Auster, City of Glass
25 W - Auster, City of Glass
27 F - Auster, City of Glass.  First paper due.

30 M - Proulx, The Shipping News

October

2 W - Proulx, The Shipping News
4 F - Proulx, The Shipping News

7 M - Proulx, The Shipping News
9 W - Midterm
11 F - (reading day)

14 M - Johnson, Middle Passage
16 W - Johnson, Middle Passage
18 F - Johnson, Middle Passage

21 M - Morrison, Jazz
23 W - Morrison, Jazz
25 F - Morrison, Jazz.  Study aids for Jazz

28 M - DeLillo, Mao II
30 W - DeLillo, Mao II

November

1 F - DeLillo, Mao II

4 M - Ng, Bone
6 W - Ng, Bone
8 F - (reading day)

11 M - Erdrich, Bingo Palace
13 W - Erdrich, Bingo Palace
15 F - Erdrich, Bingo Palace

18 M - Erdrich, Bingo Palace
20 W - Ford, Independence Day.  Paper topics.
22 F - Ford, Independence Day

Thanksgiving Holidays Nov. 23 - Dec. 1

December

2 M - Ford, Independence Day.  Study aids for Independence Day.
4 W - Ford, Independence Day
6 F - - Ford, Independence Day

9 M - Conclusion.  Final paper due.

Reading Days and Examinations - Dec. 11 - Dec. 19

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last modified 12/6/96