ENGL 251 - Topics in Black Literatures

Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)

This course considers Black literatures in all their richness and diversity. The focus changes from year to year, and may include study of a historical period, literary movement, or genre. The course may take a comparative, diasporic approach or may examine a single national or regional literature.

Topic for 2015/16b: Zombies, Monsters and Time Travelers in African American Literature. This course will examine how African American writers have employed monsters as tropes, crafted tales haunted by terrible working conditions, and contorted language beyond standard recognition in order to tell a horrific story of black life within the United States. Works may be drawn from writers such as Toni Morrison, Richard Wright, Kiese Laymon, Gwendolyn Brooks, Victor LaValle and others. Ms. Dunbar.

Two 75-minute periods.