Engl. 771-01
American Authors:
Ellison and Morrison

Reading Schedule

Fall Semester 2008

MWF 10:00-11:50, Grubbs 312

E-mail: knichols11@cox.net

WEEK ONE

Mon., Aug. 25

Introduction.
ONLINE REPORTS ASSIGNED. Due Aug. 27 - Sep. 5 (specific dates listed below). See online report directions.

Wed., Aug. 27

Online readings: The African Slave Trade and the Middle Passage AND The Growth of Slavery in North America.
Ralph Ellison.
Ralph Ellison, "Twentieth Century Fiction and the Black Mask of Humanity" 24-44 (in Shadow and Act).

Fri., Aug. 29

Online readings: What Was Jim Crow?
Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby And The Signifying Monkey.
Lifting the Veil of Ignorance Statue.
Ralph Ellison, "Change the Joke and Slip the Yoke" 45-59 (in Shadow and Act) AND "Shadow and Act" 273-81 (in Shadow and Act).
Online Reports (written and oral) due:
#1: Brute Caricature AND Tom Caricature AND Picaninny Caricature.
#2: W.E.B. DuBois, Strivings of the Negro People.
#3: Up from Slavery [Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois]

WEEK TWO

Mon., Sep. 01

LABOR DAY HOLIDAY (no class)

Wed., Sep. 03

Online reading: Harlem Renaissance.
Online jazz recordings: Bessie Smith, Downhearted Blues AND Cab Calloway, Minnie the Moocher AND Louis Armstrong, Black and Blue AND Billie Holiday, Strange Fruit.
Ralph Ellison, "Living with Music" 187-98 (in Shadow and Act) AND "On Bird, Bird-Watching, and Jazz" 221-32 (in Shadow and Act) AND "Blues People" 247-58 (in Shadow and Act).
Online Reports (written and oral) due:
#4: Louis Armstrong AND Why Louis Armstrong Was Accused of Being an Uncle Tom.
#5: The Classic Blues and the Women Who Sang Them, Part I, AND Part II (especially Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith).

Fri., Sep. 05

Ralph Ellison, "The World and the Jug" 107-20; 139-43 (in Shadow and Act) AND "Harlem Is Nowhere" 294-302 (in Shadow and Act).
Online Reports (written and oral) due:
#6: Marcus Garvey AND Black Nationalism.
#7: Richard Wright's Life AND Richard Wright: 'Using Words As a Weapon'.

WEEK THREE

Mon., Sep. 08

Ralph Ellison, "Party Down at the Square 3-11; "Mister Toussan" 22-32; "That I Had the Wings" 45-62 (in Flying Home and Other Stories).

Wed., Sep. 10

Ralph Ellison, "Black Ball" 110-22; "King of Bingo Game" 123-36; "In a Strange Country" 137-146 (in Flying Home and Other Stories).

Fri., Sep. 12

Ralph Ellison, "Flying Home" 147-123 (in Flying Home and Other Stories).

WEEK FOUR

Mon., Sep. 15

Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man: "Prologue" and Chapter 1 (pp. 3-33).

Wed., Sep. 17

Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man: Chapter 2-3 (pp. 34-97).

Fri., Sep. 19

Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man: Chapters 4-6 (pp. 98-150)

WEEK FIVE

Mon., Sep. 22

Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man: Chapters 7-10 (pp. 151-207)

Wed., Sep. 24

Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man: Chapters 10-12 (pp. 207-260)

Fri., Sep. 26

Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man: Chapters 13-14 (pp. 261-317)

WEEK SIX

Mon., Sep. 29

Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man: Chapters 15-17 (pp. 318-377)

Wed., Oct. 01

Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man: Chapters 17-20 (pp. 377-438)

Fri., Oct. 03

Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man: Chapters 20-22 (pp. 438-478)
PAPER ASSIGNED. Due Mon., Oct. 13. See online paper directions.

WEEK SEVEN

Mon., Oct. 06

Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man: Chapters 23-24 (pp. 479-534)

Wed., Oct. 08

Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man: Chapter 25 and "Epilogue" (pp. 535-581)

Fri., Oct. 10

Online readings: Toni Morrison AND Toni Morrison, Nobel Lecture

WEEK EIGHT

Mon., Oct. 13

PAPER DUE (no class). You may e-mail me your paper as a .doc file.

Wed., Oct. 15

Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon (pp. 3-61)

Fri., Oct. 17

Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon (pp. 61-112)

WEEK NINE

Mon., Oct. 20

Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon (pp. 113-172)

Wed., Oct. 22

Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon (pp. 173-226)

Fri., Oct. 24

FALL BREAK (no class).

WEEK TEN

Mon., Oct. 27

Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon (pp. 226-281)

Wed., Oct. 29

Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon (pp. 281-337)

Fri., Oct. 31

Toni Morrison, Beloved (xv-xix; 3-51)

WEEK ELEVEN

Mon., Nov. 03

Toni Morrison, Beloved (52-111)

Wed., Nov. 05

Toni Morrison, Beloved (111-166)

Fri., Nov. 07

Toni Morrison, Beloved (167-222)
PAPER ASSIGNED: Ellison and Morrison OR two Morrison texts. Due Mon., Dec 1. See online paper directions.

WEEK TWELVE

Mon., Nov. 10

Toni Morrison, Beloved (222-277)

Wed., Nov. 12

Toni Morrison, Beloved (281-324)
SUMMARY REPORTS ASSIGNED. Due Mon., Nov. 17. See online report directions.

Fri., Nov. 14

VIDEO: Toni Morrison

WEEK THIRTEEN

Mon., Nov. 17

SUMMARY REPORTS (written and oral) DUE.

Wed., Nov. 19

Toni Morrison, Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination: "Preface" v-xiii

Fri., Nov. 21

Toni Morrison, Playing in the Dark: from "Black Matters" 1-17

WEEK FOURTEEN

Mon., Nov. 24

Toni Morrison, Playing in the Dark: from "Romancing the Shadow" 44-59

Wed., Nov. 26

THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY (no class)

Fri., Nov. 28

THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY (no class)

WEEK FIFTEEN

Mon., Dec. 01

PAPER DUE (no class). You may e-mail me your paper as a .doc file.

Wed., Dec. 03

Toni Morrison, Jazz (pp.3-51)

Fri., Dec. 05

Toni Morrison, Jazz (pp.53-109)

WEEK SIXTEEN

Mon., Dec. 08

Toni Morrison, Jazz (pp.109-162)

Wed., Dec. 10

Toni Morrison, Jazz (pp.165-229)

Fri., Dec. 12

Toni Morrison, "Recitatif" (in your standard American literature anthology. You may borrow one from me, if necessary).
TAKE-HOME FINAL EXAM ASSIGNED. Due on or before Fri., Dec. 19. You may e-mail it to me as a .doc file.