LFU:online

Institut für Amerikastudien Institut für Amerikastudien

Mag. Dr. Andreas Leisner Mag. Dr. Andreas Leisner

610018

American Literature: American Individualism in Literature and Film

PS 2

5

Block

keine Angabe

Englisch

The history of the U.S. abounds with myths and themes. Very prominent among these is the concept of American individualism, which this course will focus on. Following a preliminary discussion of the roots of American individualism, students will be asked to trace its development in the course of U.S. history by examining various texts and discussing what changes this particular idea has undergone. As individualism is both a philosophical concept and a significant element of American self-perception, the course will offer a wide range of texts for students to choose from, including theoretical treatments of the subject by Ralph Waldo Emerson or Henry David Thoreau, for example, but also novels (Fitzgerald, Chopin), short stories (e.g. Vonnegut), works of drama (e.g. Rice), and also cinematographic sources taken from the Western and other genres. The variety of texts available for discussion will enable participants to balance romanticized and sobering views on the course topic to arrive at a more elaborate understanding of American individualism.

Introduction to the topic, discussion, presentation of papers

Active participation, written papers, presentation of papers in class

Provided at the beginning of the semester

Anmeldungsvoraussetzung/en im BA: positive Beurteilung der Pflichtmodule 3 und 16 Entspricht im Diplomstudium (343): PS2: American Literature Entspricht im Lehramtsstudium (344): PS2: American Literature
Beginn: 19.11.2010