Contemporary Multicultural Literature

English 359CD

Spring 2007




English 359 will examine texts of ethnic American writers selected from diverse cultural backgrounds and will focus on the distinctive features of the various communities in these works, a comparison of their themes, symbols, characterizations, styles, narrative techniques, and cultural significance, as well as their place in the American literary tradition. In addition to themes of place and displacement, the books contain adolescent or young adult protagonists who undergo a rite of passage, making the books appropriate to teach in middle or high school classrooms.

Books for the course will include Fools Crow by James Welch, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistsight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie (Native American), Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya, House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros (Hispanic), Family by J. California Cooper (African American), My Antonia by Willa Cather, and Yonnondio by Tillie Olsen (immigrant).




Class Requirements
The requirements and expectations for students enrolled in the Spring 2007 session of English 359.

Syllabus and Assignments
The daily class assignments for the Spring 2007 classes of English 359.

Selected Bibliography
This list of critical works will supplement the assigned readings and be useful background for critical papers. Scholarly readings will be added as the semester progresses.

Teaching Cather
A paper by Burwell High School teacher, Connie Piper, on teaching "Neighbor Rosicky" and My Antonia.

Studies in American Indian Literatures
The Home Page of SAIL which contains full texts of journal articles from Series 1 (1977-1987, volumes 1.1-11.2)and most articles from Series 2 (1989-2005, volumes 1.1-17.4).

Wicazo Sa
The web site for full texts of articles from the Wicazo Sa journal.

American Indian Quarterly
The Home Page of American Indian Quarterly which contains full texts of journal articles.

Library of Congress Author Webcasts
Webcasts of authors speaking at the National Book Festivals.





Internet Links



Native American Backgrounds
Click here for the excellent Santee Sioux of Nebraska Home Page.
Click here for Indian Country Today newspaper Home Page.
Click here for Native American Times newspaper Home Page.
Click here Native American Authors Online.
Click here for Native Web
Click here for Internet Public Library's Native American Authors Project.
Click here for the Choctaw Nation Home Page.
Click here for a great native created web site on various tribes.
Click here for Smithsonian Institute's Native American History and Culture Resources.
Click here for a comprehensive list of Native American films from Smithsonian's NMAI.


James Welch
Click here for more on the Blackfeet.
Click here for the Blackfeet language and culture.
.
Click here for an excellent profile on Welch.
Click here for of a bibliography of James Welch.
Click here for a biography of Welch, a discussion of his books and books by other Native Americans.
Click here for an interview with Welch [that shows his grace and patience].
Click here for an obituary of James Welch.
Click here for a Montana Authors project. A Teaching Unit for Fools Crow is on pages 152-171.
Click here for information on the Sun Dance ceremony.
Click here for another site on the Sun Dance.
Click here for an excellent source for Blackfeet religion, history, and culture.
Click here for the Marias/Baker Massacre and a link to original documents.
Click here for the horse in Blackfeet Indian culture.
Click here for the Marias/Baker Massacre and a link to original documents.


Sherman Alexie
Click here for Sherman Alexie's Home Page.
Click here for more on Sherman Alexie.
Click here for 2000 article entitled "What It means To Be Sherman Alexie.
Click here for summary and reviews of Alexie's ne novel Flight.


Chicano(a)/Hispanic Backgrounds
Click here for a Annotated Bibliography of Hispanic works.
Click here for a sample semester high school course for Chicano literature.
Click here for an essay on Teaching Chicano Literature: An Historical Approach.
Click here for a Chicano Resources page.
Click here for Yale's "Hispanic Immigrants:Trials & Tribulations" Curriculum Unit.
Click here for Brown Pride, a modern look at today's Hispanics.

Rudolfo Anaya
Click here for a brief bio and an audio of Anaya on "Writing the Southwest."
Click here for Anaya bibliography and links.
Click here for lesson plans and backround on Anaya's works.
Click here for La Llorona movie website.
Click here for the story of "La Malinche--Harlot or Heroine?"
Click here for a succinct summary of La Llorna myth.
Click here for a detailed background of the La Llorna myth.
Click here for the story of the Virgin of Guadalupe.
Click here for the California School of Traditional Hispanic Herbalism.
Sandra Cisneros
Click here for the authgorized Web Site on Sandra Cisneros
Click here for the Internet Library Resource File on Sandra Cisneros
Click here for SparkNotes analysis of House on Mango street.


African American Backgrounds
Click here for National Archives article"From Slave Women to Free Women"

Click here for a Research Guide to the History of Black African American Women


J. California Cooper
Click here for a speech by J. California Cooper for the 2001 National Bookfest.

Click here for African American Literature Book Club's site for J. California Cooper.

Click here for Random House Website on J. California Cooper with discussion questions.
Click here for "Voices from the Gap" that includes book analyses and a critical bibliography.
Click here for a short audio of Cooper and "The Writer's Craft."
Click here for article, "Sometimes I Cry, Sometimes I Laugh: J. California Cooper Spins Tales of Common Folk Who Insist on Being Heard."
Click here for a 2006 NPR interview on Cooper's latest book, Wild Stars Seeking Midnight Suns.
Click here for information on a TV movie Funny Valentines based on a Cooper short story.
Click here for an interesting article about Cooper from Comtemporary Black Biography.
Click here for a 1999 Detroit radio interview.
Click here for a 2006 Essance article about Cooper.


European Backgrounds
Click here for Ethnic groups in Nebraska
.
Click here for Immigration and Ellis Island site.

Click here for Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) Home Page.

Click here for Immigration History Research Center of the University of Minnesota.


Willa Cather
Click here for the Universiy of Nebraska's Cather Archive.

Click here for the official WCPM Willa Cather site
Click here for photographs of places Willa Cather's life and works.
Click here for video.


Tillie Olsen
Click here for Scott Turow's NPR audio commentary on Tell Me a Riddle.
Click here for audio comments on NPR by Tillie Olsen's daughter on her mother's life and death.
Click here for the Tillie Olsen site on the Nebraska Center for Writers Home Page
Click here for the 1999 Progressive magazine interview with Tillie Olsen.

Click here for Constance Coiner on "Tillie Olsen's Life."

Click here for Tillie Olsen about women who influenced her.

Click here for a video clip of Tillie Olsen discussing "I Stand Here Ironing."

Click here for the Seattle Times obituary of Tillie Olsen

Click here for the Tillie Olsen Memorial page with photographs.

Click here for infomation on the Tillie Olsen Archives at Stanford University.










bloomfields@unk.edu
Dr. Susanne George Bloomfield
Professor of English
109D Thomas Hall
University of Nebraska at Kearney
Kearney, NE 68849-1320