Asian-American Literature: An Anthology, by Shirley Geok-lin Lim (NTC

Transcription

1 ENGLISH 333: Asian-American Literature Fall 2013 Instructor Dr. Liahna Armstrong Office: L & L 403F lotus@cwu.edu Office phone: X Office hours: Tu 3:45-4:30; Thu by appointment and any time Class meets: Tu Th 2:00-3:40 in L & L 307 Texts Required: Asian-American Literature: An Anthology, by Shirley Geok-lin Lim (NTC Publishing Co., 2000) Abbreviated as Lim Bones: A Novel, by Fae Myenne Ng (Harper-Perrenial, 1994) Ng 4 films to be viewed on your own, listed below Occasional essays/articles either handed out in class or electronically posted on Blackboard. 1

2 Course films Picture Bride, dir. Kayo Hatta, 1994 [Japanese-American] Available streaming only on Netflix [Chinese-American] Available on DVD only on Netflix The Joy Luck Club, dir. Wayne Wang, 1993 The Namesake, dir. Mira Nair, [Indian-American] The Debut, dir. Gene Cajayon, 200 [Filippino-American] Course description This course is designed to introduce students to the rich, complex tradition of Asian-American literature and cinema. We will focus mostly on East and Southeast Asian subcultures in the United States, reading a variety of fictional and non-fictional works and viewing a cross-section of films, all of which provide insights into Asian-American life. Learner outcomes Become familiar with Asian-American experience in its diversity and complexity, as reflected in the readings and films. Be able to identify and critically analyze issues that surface in Asian-American subcultures, particularly Chinese-, Japanese-, Filipino-, Vietnamese-, and Korean- and Indian-American experiences, as conveyed in literature and cinema. Develop an appreciation for the challenges, struggles, satisfactions, and triumphs of Asian-American immigrant families and their descendants. Demonstrate a basic facility with literary and cinematic analysis. Assignments and projects 2

3 A set of weekly readings, to be completed before class on Tuesday or Thursday, as assigned. BRING YOUR BOOK TO CLASS. A periodic film viewing, to be completed on your own, by assigned date. Regular attendance and participation. Normally, there will be one formal written assignment, based on the readings and/or films, per week. Additionally, there will be occasional Blackboard posts on the Forum. Written assignments will be short (usually 1 double-spaced page). Please double space assignments, and submit as Word documents by or hard copy in class. Be sure that your name is at the top of the paper. You do not need covers for your papers. If you submit by , please type in the subject line: a-a lit Midterm and final exams covering readings, discussions, and films. Format: short essay questions. Evaluation criteria: Attendance/ Participation/ 20% Short written assignments/blackboard posts/quizzes 40% Midterm exam (Take Home) 20% Final exam 20% TOPICS AND READINGS Week 1 (Sep 26: Introduction to Asian-American Lit and Film Week 2 (Oct 1, 3) Reading Film Viewing Writing Oral Short response #1 Introduction, xix-xxii Due Oct 3 3

4 The Immigration Experience, 1-3 Sailing Unknown Seas, 4-1 America is in the Heart, East Goes West, 21-3 Island, Coming to America, South Wind Changing, Two Lives, Assimilation, Preparation: Read and think about Questions after each reading. Week 3 (Oct 8, no class Oct 10) Struggles and Recognition, Thousand Pieces of Gold, Leaves from the Mental Portfolio, Guilty on Both Counts, Wilshire Bus, No-No Boy, Shrapnel Shards, We Cannot Walk, Short response #2 Due Oct 8 Preparation: Read and think about Questions after each reading. View the film carefully and consider how it addresses questions of Japanese immigration experience, women s experience. Week 4 (Oct 15, 17) HO on Picture Bride Picture Bride, Short response #3 The Individual Inside/Against, 229- to be viewed Due Oct 15 4

5 231 by Oct 15 The Chessmen, And the Soul Shall Dance, Before Time, Week 5 (Oct 22, 24) HO on The Joy Luck Club The Joy Luck Short response #4 Club, to be Due Oct 22 No Name Woman, viewed by Oct ABC s, Transformation, Nobody Knows, Preparation: Read and think about Questions after each reading. View the film carefully and consider how it addresses questions of Chinese-American daughters and Chinese mothers. Week 6 (Oct 29, 31) Gender Identities, Eat a Bowl of Tea, Hector Pueblo, Forgiveness from Heaven, Farewell to Manzanar, American Knees, Desire as the Gesture, First Mango, Short response #5 Due Oct 29 Preparation: Read and think about Questions after each reading. Week 7: (Nov 5, 7) 5

6 The Namesake, Short response #6 The Arranged Marriage, tol be viewed Due Nov 7 Lunch Vignettes, by The Management of Grief, Nov 7 Take Home Midterm Sari Petticoats, passed out Preparation: Read and think about Questions after each reading. View the film and consider how it dramatizes ideas from the readings. Week 8: (Nov 12, 14) Parents and Children, Poem for My Father, The Gift, Labor of Love, The Youngest Daughter, So What, Who Cares? Breaking Tradition, The Eve of the Spirit Festival, Midterm due Nov 12 Week 9: (Nov 19, 21) Ng, Bones Short response #7 Due Nov 21 Preparation: Consider how the novel incorporates many of the ideas and issues in Asian- American culture that we have explored thus far. Week 10: (Nov 26; No class Nov 28, Thanksgiving) American Place and Displacement,

7 Clay Walls, Displacement, Scent of Apples, Monkey Bridge, A Man of Steel, Foreign Ways, Dreamhouse, Preparation: Read and think about Questions after each reading. View the film and consider how it dramatizes ideas from the readings. Week 11: ( Dec 3, 5) Language and Vision, Into Such Assembly, Modern Secrets, The Stubborn Twig, Finding the Center, Short response #8 Due Dec 5 Final Exam: Monday, Dec 9, 2-4 PM 4