Course info

Course Introduction:

Goals and Outcomes

 

This course will examine the slave narrative and other genres (gothic fiction, autobiography, and domestic fiction) that have contributed to its making. By studying the influences on the slave narrative and the slave narrative itself, we will be able to see the development of anxieties as they relate to the representations of Black bodies. Furthermore, in this course, we will see how, although slave narratives contain shared characteristics and tropes, there are gendered differences in the ways Black bodies are represented.

Course Objectives

• Students will understand and be able to identify elements that comprise the slave narrative.
• Students will understand how gender affects how similar stories of bondage can be expressed differently.
• Students will understand race as a social construct.
• Students will learn how to effectively incorporate textual support and secondary sources.
• Students will learn how to structure an effective 5-6 page analytic paper that uses MLA format and adheres to Standard American English conventions.
• Students will understand at least one legacy of slavery and its effects in contemporary U.S. society.