2:30p-3:45p TR (15) 3 cr.
In this seminar we'll immerse ourselves in the writings of Mark Twain.
We'll range from the
parodies, hoaxes, tall tales, and travel narratives at the beginning
of his career, through
the major novels and short stories, to the parodies of biblical,
cosmic, and romance writing
at the end of his career. Readings will probably include Innocents
Abroad,
Roughing It, Life On the Mississippi, The Adventures
of Tom Sawyer,
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, A Connecticut Yankee in
King Arthur's
Court, Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson, the long short story
The Man Who
Corrupted Hadleyburg, and the late biblical or edenic or
contra-Miltonic pieces
Letters from the Earth and The Mysterious Stranger.
We'll also intersperse
some of the most famous short stories, including "Captain Stormfield's
Visit to Heaven."
Parody, satire, realism, romance, farce, humor, race, vernacular
styles, gender roles,
romance, religion, superstition, and national identity are some of the
many topics we'll
encounter along the way.
The major student project in the course will be a seminar paper of the
15-20 page length.
We'll write starts and in-progress drafts of the seminar paper and a
completed version, plus
one shorter (5-6 page) paper, and separate short informal working and
response papers.
Regular attendance will be required. Class meetings are mostly
discussion, with some
individual and group reports and oral presentations. Our seminar
does not have
exams.