This course is an introduction to traditions and innovations in Native American literature through textual analysis and an examination of cultural contexts. Because Native American writing has flourished in recent decades, our primary focus will be on contemporary literature; however, we will also read selections from earlier texts. We will explore how Native writers draw from a range of traditions, and how their works reflect histories of struggle both in style and content. Although written texts will form the core of the course, we will also examine other kinds of texts, including contemporary popular media, and their representations of Native peoples.
Required Texts (All Sections):
Thomas King (Cherokee), The Truth About Stories
N. Scott Momaday (Kiowa), House Made of Dawn
Louise Erdrich (Anishinaabe), Tracks
Frances Washburn (Lakota), Elsie’s Business
Kathleen Tigerman, ed., Wisconsin Indian Literature
One of the following, depending on your presentation group and section:
Section 002: N. Scott Momaday (Kiowa), The Way to Rainy Mountain; Sherman Alexie (Spokane), The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven; Daniel Heath Justice (Cherokee), Kynship; Leslie Marmon Silko (Laguna Pueblo), Ceremony; Luci Tapahonso (Navajo), Blue Horses Rush In; Richard Van Camp (Dogrib), The Lesser Blessed.
Section 003: N. Scott Momaday (Kiowa), The Way to Rainy Mountain; James Welch (Blackfoot), Winter in the Blood; Leslie Marmon Silko (Laguna Pueblo), Storyteller; Luci Tapahonso (Navajo), Saanii Dahataal/The Women Are Singing; Eden Robinson (Haisla), Monkey Beach; Velma Wallis (Athabascan), Two Old Women.
Note: If you are buying your books online, try using the metasearch engines www.bigwords.com or www.campusi.com to save money and time—they search multiple online bookstores for the books you want and give you the best prices (campusi only for individual books, bigwords allows you to search for several books to save on shipping as well).
For more information on English department courses, the English major, etc., the department webpage is at http://www.english.uwosh.edu/
Updated 26. August 2008