Fall 2025
American Literature
AMERICAN LITERATURE (ENGL 2326 2A1) CREDIT 3 Semester Credit Hours (3 hours lecture) MODE OF INSTRUCTION Online PREREQUISITE/CO-REQUISITE: A D or better in ENGL 1301 (Composition I). COURSE DESCRIPTION A survey of American literature from the period of exploration and settlement to the present. Students will study works of prose, poetry, drama, and fiction in relation to their historical and cultural contexts. Texts will be selected from among a diverse group of authors for what they reflect and reveal about the evolving American experience and character. COURSE OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to 1. Identify key ideas, representative authors and works, significant historical or cultural events, and characteristic perspectives or attitudes expressed in the literature of different periods or regions. 2. Analyze literary works as expressions of individual or communal values within the social, political, cultural, or religious contexts of different literary periods. 3. Demonstrate knowledge of the development of characteristic forms or styles of expression during different historical periods in different regions. 4. Articulate the aesthetic principles that guide the scope and variety of works in the arts and humanities. 5. Write research-based critical papers about the assigned readings in clear and grammatically correct prose, using various critical approaches to literature. INSTRUCTOR CONTACT INFORMATION Instructor: Ms. Ashley E. Thibodeaux, M.A. Email: aethibodeaux1@lit.edu (preferred contact method) Office Phone: Microsoft Teams calls (contact during office hours, only) Office Location: Virtual office Office Hours: 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. on Fridays (email-based and Teams calls) REQUIRED TEXTBOOK AND MATERIALS An electronic device with access to the Internet. The instructor will provide information for supplemental required reading resources. ATTENDANCE POLICY This course is conducted entirely online. There are no in-person class meetings, and students are expected to attend and engage remotely through Blackboard and LIT email. Attendance is measured by active participation, which directly impacts your grade. Participation includes discussion posts and course analytics. • Discussion posts require one original post responding to the prompt and one peer response that adds value to the discussion. • Student activity within Blackboard will be monitored to ensure consistent engagement. This includes logging in, accessing course materials, submitting assignments, and interacting with peers. Failure to participate in discussions or engage with course materials may result in a lower participation grade. Students are responsible for managing their time and staying current with all course requirements. DROP POLICY If you wish to drop a course, you are responsible for initiating and completing the drop process. If you stop coming to class and fail to drop the course, you will earn an “F” in the course. COURSE CALENDAR DATES TOPIC READINGS (Due on Wednesday) ASSIGNMENTS (Due on Friday) Aug. 25 – Aug. 29 Unit 1: Introduction to Am. Lit. • Intro. Materials • Instructor’s Information • Maya Angelou’s “Still I Rise” • Poetry Foundation Poems • Discussion 1: Meet Your Peers • Knowledge Check: Syllabus and Student Resources • Poem Choice and Discussion Sept. 2 – Sept. 5 Unit 2: Colonialism and Early Nationalism • Literary Elements • Native American Creation Stories • Journal of Christopher Columbus, 1492 • Anne Bradstreet’s “Here Follow Some Verses, “As Weary Pilgrim” • Discussion 2 • Build Your MLA-Formatted Word Doc. • Poetry Assignment Sept. 8 – Sept. 12 Unit 2: Colonialism and Early Nationalism (cont.) • Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” • Discussion 3 • Unit Response Paper Sept. 15 – Sept. 19 Unit 3: (American) Romanticism • Literary Elements • Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat” • Edgar Allan Poe’s “Hop-Frog” • Discussion 4 • Reading Assessment Sept. 22 – Sept. 26 Unit 3: (American) Romanticism (cont.) • Henry David Thoreau’s Walden • Discussion 5 • Unit Response Paper Sept. 29 – Oct. 3 Unit 4: Realism and Naturalism • Literary Elements • Charlotte Perkins’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” • Discussion 6 • Reading Assessment Oct. 6 – Oct. 10 Unit 4: Realism and Naturalism (cont.) • Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn • Discussion 7 • Unit Response Paper • Mid-Term Exam Oct. 13 – Oct. 17 Unit 5: Modernism • Literary Elements • Ernest Hemingway’s “Indian Camp” OR F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “Bernice Bobs Her Hair” • Discussion 8 • Reading Assessment Oct. 20 – Oct. 24 Unit 5: Modernism (cont.) • John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath • Discussion 9 • Unit Response paper • Research Paper Topic Oct. 27 – Oct. 31 Unit 6: Southern Gothic • Literary Elements • Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” • Discussion 10 • Reading Assignment Nov. 3 – Nov. 7 Unit 7: Contemporary • Literary Elements • Art Spiegelman’s Maus • Discussion 11 • Reading Assessment • Research Paper Outline with Sources Nov. 10 – Nov. 14 Unit 7: Contemporary (cont.) • Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use” • Malcolm X’s “The Bullet or the Ballot” • Discussion 12 • Research Paper Rough Draft Due Nov. 17 – Nov. 21 Unit 8: The Research Paper – Common Assignment • Research Paper Materials for Revision and Edits • Peer Review Nov. 24 – Nov. 28 Thanksgiving Break – No Classes Dec. 1 – Dec. 5 Unit 9: Conclusion of American Literature • Final Examination Instructions • Research Paper Final Draft DUE DECEMBER 3RD • Final Examination Dec. 8 – Dec. 10 Final Grade Posted COURSE EVALUATION Final grades will be calculated according to the following criteria: • Participation 10% • Daily Work Assignments 40% • Mid-Term Exam 15% • Research Paper – Common Assignment 20% • Final Exam 15% Total 100% GRADE SCALE • 90-100 A • 80-89 B • 70-79 C • 60-69 D • 0-59 F TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS The latest technical requirements, including hardware, compatible browsers, operating systems, etc. can be online at https://lit.edu/online-learning/online-learning-minimum-computer-requirements. A functional broadband internet connection, such as DSL, cable, or WiFi is necessary to maximize the use of online technology and resources. DISABILITIES STATEMENT The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 are federal anti-discrimination statutes that provide comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. LIT provides reasonable accommodations as defined in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, to students with a diagnosed disability. The Special Populations Office is located in the Eagles’ Nest Room 129 and helps foster a supportive and inclusive educational environment by maintaining partnerships with faculty and staff, as well as promoting awareness among all members of the Lamar Institute of Technology community. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Special Populations Coordinator at (409)-951-5708 or email specialpopulations@lit.edu. You may also visit the online resource at Special Populations - Lamar Institute of Technology (lit.edu). STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT STATEMENT It is the responsibility of all registered Lamar Institute of Technology students to access, read, understand and abide by all published policies, regulations, and procedures listed in the LIT Catalog and Student Handbook. The LIT Catalog and Student Handbook may be accessed at www.lit.edu. Please note that the online version of the LIT Catalog and Student Handbook supersedes all other versions of the same document. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE STATEMENT Lamar Institute of Technology (LIT) recognizes the recent advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI), such as ChatGPT, have changed the landscape of many career disciplines and will impact many students in and out of the classroom. To prepare students for their selected careers, LIT desires to guide students in the ethical use of these technologies and incorporate AI into classroom instruction and assignments appropriately. Appropriate use of these technologies is at the discretion of the instructor. Students are reminded that all submitted work must be their own original work unless otherwise specified. Students should contact their instructor with any questions as to the acceptable use of AI/ChatGPT in their courses STARFISH LIT utilizes an early alert system called Starfish. Throughout the semester, you may receive emails from Starfish regarding your course grades, attendance, or academic performance. Faculty members record student attendance, raise flags and kudos to express concern or give praise, and you can make an appointment with faculty and staff all through the Starfish home page. You can also login to Blackboard or MyLIT and click on the Starfish link to view academic alerts and detailed information. It is the responsibility of the student to pay attention to these emails and information in Starfish and consider taking the recommended actions. Starfish is used to help you be a successful student at LIT. ADDITIONAL COURSE POLICIES/INFORMATION Timely submission of assignments is essential for academic success and fairness. As such, late work is not accepted under normal circumstances. In the event of an unavoidable situation, late work may only be considered when the following conditions are met: • The student notifies the instructor within 24 hours of the incident. • The student provides official documentation supporting the claim (e.g., medical note, legal notice, etc.). Unavoidable circumstances may include the following: • Serious illness or injury requiring medical attention • Death or critical illness of an immediate family member • Court appearances or legal obligations • School-sponsored events with prior approval • Severe weather or emergencies (e.g., mandatory evacuation, power outage, etc.) Note: Work obligations, extracurricular activities, vacations, and general scheduling conflicts do not qualify as unavoidable circumstances. Additionally, the final examination cannot be accepted as late work. Students are encouraged to plan ahead and communicate proactively to avoid conflicts.