Syllabus--English
635-01
Professor Ferguson
Studies
in African American Literature
Spring 2003
(The
Slave Narrative)
Students
will critically read selected slave narratives written by African Americans and
give special attention to how these earliest texts help define the African
American literary tradition. Other
course objectives are:
To evaluate the authority and
authenticity of the texts, especially writings from the Black Atlantic;
To examine the historical, social,
political, and economic significance of these texts in relation to both slaves
and enslavers;
To identify and evaluate the aesthetic
qualities of these writings, and
To explore critical and theoretical
approaches to African American slave narratives.
Required
Texts
Pioneers
of the Black Atlantic Five Slave Narratives. William L.
Andrews and Henry Louis Gates, Jr., eds.
Civatas/ Counterpoint, 1998
The
Civatas Anthology of African American Slave
Narratives. William L. Andrews and Henry Louis Gates,
Jr., eds. Civatas/Counterpoint,
1999
“Omar
Ibn Said: The
Life and the Legend” (Handout)
Narrative
of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave (1845). Norton Critical ed.
Incidents
in the Life of a Slave Girl (1861). Harriet Jacobs. Jean Fagan Yellin,
ed. Harvard UP, 1987
Behind
the Scenes . . . Or Thirty Years a Slave and Four Years in the White House (1868). Elizabeth Keckley. Frances Smith Foster, ed. R. R. Donnelley & Sons, 1998.
Twelve
Years a Slave (1853). Solomon Northup. Sue Eakin and
Joseph Logsdon, eds.
Six
Women Slave Narratives. William L. Andrews, ed.
To
Tell a Free Story: The First Century of
Afro-American Autobiography, 1760-1865. William L.
Andrews. U of
Up
from Slavery. Booker T. Washington. Norton Critical ed.
Tentative
Jan.
14 Introduction: assignment of reports, specific course requirements,
21
“Omar
Ibn Said: The
Life and the Legend” (Handout); “A Narrative of the Most Remarkable Particulars
in the Life of James
Albert Ukawsaw Gronniosaw,” pp.
30-59[1]
28 “Narrative of the Lord’s
Wonderful Dealings with John Marrant,” pp. 60-80;
Thoughts and Sentiments . . by Ottobah Cugoano, pp. 81-180
Feb.
4 The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano. . . ., pp.
182-291
11 The
Life, History, and Unparalleled Sufferings of John Lea. . . ., pp. 366-439
18
“The History of Mary Prince,” pp. 22- 81; “The Confessions of Nat Turner,” pp.
82-103[2]
25 Narrative of the Life of Frederick
Douglass, pp. 104-193
Mar 4 Narrative
of William Wells Brown, pp. 194-284
11 SPRING BREAK
18 Narrative of the Life of Henry
Bibb, pp. 286-401
25
Twelve Years a Slave. Solomon Northup
Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom. William and Ellen Craft, pp. 402-461
8 Running a Thousand Miles continued;
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Harriet Jacobs
15 Incidents in the Life of a Slave
Girl continued;
“Memoir of Old Elizabeth” and
22
Behind the Scenes. Elizabeth Keckley
29 Up from Slavery, Booker T. Washington
May
6 Catch-Up
Evaluation
Students must write a position paper of 1-2 typewritten
pages that briefly and concisely argues a specific critical perspective on each
of the narratives except Truth Stranger Than Fiction. Try to turn in this position paper either to
my office or mailbox by
Office:
111 McIver
Phone:
334-5484
Office
Hours: T:
E-Mail:
shfergus@.uncg.edu