ADEN 1266 Studies in American Ethnic Literature

Ethnic difference has a profound effect on personal and social understandings of what it means to be an American. Multicultural fiction navigates the complex terrain of race and ethnicity in America. Fiction depicts a variety of experiences and suggests that what constitutes an American identity is far from settled. A discussion of the literature invites students to share their own personal narratives - stories of race, ethnicity, class, gender, faith, and nationality - to further uncover what it means to be ethnic in America. Writers include: S. Alexie, E. Danticat, J. Diaz, J. Eugenides, and J. Lahiri.