For your final assignment, you are tasked with tracing a careful development of American literature, from its earliest days to its current state. This should mostly be in your own words.
How did it start, how did it shift and evolve and grow?
What were influences that led to this growth and evolution?
How would you describe the current state of contemporary American literature?
Are there other emerging periods we will soon see (e.g. Vietnam-era literature, Brat Pack & 1980’s literature, etc.)? How does identity come into play?
To do this assignment, you will have to refer to at least four of the major periods (e.g. Romanticism, Modernism) and at least six works we have studied in class with specific examples and your ideas. This should be in the form of an essay, not notes, an outline, or a presentation.
