To be able to talk and write about the main literary themes, periods, and genres (e.g. Transcendentalism, confessional poetry, the 1950s, etc.) and discuss controversial issues in relation to the texts examined.

To apply soundscape studies to literary texts.

The course is focused on the "soundscape", a notion which belongs to various disciplinary fields such as ecology, acoustics, architecture, music, philosophy, and cultural studies. My aim is to apply this notion to the study of literature and to literary theory and for this reason students joining this class are requested to have a background basic knowledge of the history of US literature and to be ready to analyze literary texts and criticism from this perspective. 

NOTICE: In order to attend the course, it is necessary to have a basic knowledge of Anglo-American literature and history. This knowledge will be tested during the first week. All students are therefore expected to be familiar with the following texts BEFORE classes start:

Literature:

Guido Fink et altri, Storia della letteratura americana

or

http://beijing.usembassy-china.org.cn/uploads/images/HgvMMY8lezLAI9A1tuVIhg/outline_of_american_literature.pdf

or

http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/American_literature.aspx

History:

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/US_History

oppure

http://www.ait.org.tw/infousa/zhtw/DOCS/historytln.pdf

Readings:

(‘600- ‘800):

Hawthorne ( "Wakefield"), Melville ( "Bartleby"), Thoreau ("Sounds"), Poe ("The black cat", "The purloined letter", "The Raven"), Gilman ("The Yellow Wallpaper"), Beecher Stowe (Uncle Tom's Cabin), James ("The Turn of the Screw")

 (‘900-today):

Hemingway (a novel of one's choice), Faulkner (The Sound and the Fury), Plath (some poems), Ellison (The Invisible Man), Hammett (a novel of one's choice) or Chandler (idem), S. King (a novel of one's choice) or P. K. Dick (idem), R. Carver (Chathedral).

Further research (if wished)

Richard Gray, A History of American Literature, file:///C:/Users/Alessandra/Desktop/a-history-of-american-literature-2004.pdf

or

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/19939/American-literature

Talk and write about literary subjects

Discuss controversial issues

Make a ppt presentation and write an essay

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

films, web

Teaching

lectures, conversation in groups

Attendance

70% attendance

Course books

Texts

1) A. Calanchi, "Tender is the Wild. Subliminal soundscapes and aural sublime in Charles Brockden Brown's proto-crime fiction", in www.academia.edu

2) A. Calanchi & A. Laquidara (eds), Prospettive sonore: percezione & mediazione, Galaad Edizioni, Giulianova 2016

Further details and more material in "MATERIALI DIDATTICI" The password is to be requested by e-mail  (using your account...@campus)

Assessment

At the end of the course students will be asked to produce either a 15 minute power point oral presentation (either individually or in pairs) or a short written essay (either individually or in small groups). In addition, there will be a written test.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

individual study

Attendance

read/study the material 

Course books

Texts

1) A. Calanchi, "Tender is the Wild. Subliminal soundscapes and aural sublime in Charles Brockden Brown's proto-crime fiction", in www.academia.edu

2) A. Calanchi & A. Laquidara (eds), Prospettive sonore: percezione & mediazione, Galaad Edizioni, Giulianova 2016

Further details and more material in "MATERIALI DIDATTICI" The password is to be requested by e-mail  (account ............@campus)

Assessment

A short written essay (to be sent to the Teacher at least 15 days before the exam) plus a written examination

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

consult the MATERIALI DIDATTICI  frequently!

ask for the password by e-mail !

NOTICE: In order to attend the course, it is necessary to have a basic knowledge of Anglo-American literature and history. LOOK CAREFULLY  AT 
EVENTUALI PROPEDEUTICITA'

LANGUAGE SPOKEN IN CLASS: ENGLISH