In this section of English 1310, we will explore representations of race, gender, sexuality, and identity throughout the history of American literature, including examining authorial voice and (re)tellings of history and lived experiences. While reading a variety of types of texts including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, prose, and graphic novels, we will also examine major themes and practices in American literature throughout the centuries. We will look at texts through a variety of lenses in order to view literature beyond the surface and think critically about the formation of this national category. We’ll also be asking and answering questions such as: how are marginalized identities represented through American literature? Who tells the stories of American history/legacy, and how do they tell them? What major themes have changed (or not) throughout the history of American literature? Readings/authors include: Emily Dickinson, Edgar Allan Poe, Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five, and Tommy Orange’s There There.