ENG-348 American Working-Class Literature

GER: TA (Critical, Analytical Interpretation of Texts)
Prerequisite: any first year writing seminar
This course surveys and analyzes literature by, for, and/or about the American working class. American exceptionalism, with its paradoxical belief that classes do not exist in America and that Americans are all largely middle class, holds powerful sway in American life. And yet canonical and popular authors have historically challenged this view in their writing. Students will study works that insist on the important role that class plays in our lived experience, explore how class identity intersects with other key identity markers such as race, gender, and sexuality, and endow working-class life with dignity and respect. 4 credits.