SFE20912 Images of America (Autumn 2012)

English extension course: Autumn 2012

Part of Bachelor of Arts  in society, language, and culture 3d or 5th semester (autumn)

In this course, we examine notions of America and American identity, and look into an assortment of cultural and literary artifacts to trace the roots of these notions. While the subject of the course is American culture and literature, its object is to introduce you to rhetorical analysis, and demonstrate how classical rhetoric can be a powerful tool for making sense of cultural expressions.

The course begins with a short introduction to the basics of rhetoric. The key concepts of classical rhetoric will be presented (the three appeals, the five canons, the three genres, etc.). In the remainder of the course, we practice applying these rhetorical terms when analyzing a range of cultural discourses, the majority of which will be taken from an American context. We will begin by analyzing speeches, then try our hand at various forms of advertisements, and then move over to a variety of literary texts.

Through these studies of various texts, we will gain an understanding of how a sense of national identity (or ethos) can be built and/or questioned through the means of literary and other texts.

KNOWLEDGE:

After completing the course, the students will have acquired knowledge of key American literary works and speeches, and an understanding of how they relate to the cultural context from which they emerge. They will also be familiar with the basics of classical rhetoric, and the notion of rhetorical situations.

SKILLS:

Having followed the course, the students will be able to

• demonstrate an understanding of the persuasive dimension of cultural discourses
• demonstrate their familiarity with the key concepts of classical rhetoric
• employ said concepts in analyses of a variety of cultural artifacts, including speeches, advertisements, and literary texts, culled from an American context.

GENERAL COMPETENCE:

In addition to the learning outcomes mentioned above, the course will provide the students with a general understanding of how some of the central points of classical rhetoric have been taken up and/or developed by modern cultural criticism, such semiotics (the study of signs) and narratology (the study of narrative). It will also enhance their speaking and writing skills, and provide them with a greater understanding of the complexity of cultural expressions.