ENGL 3357 American Bestsellers and Undersellers
Focusing on the long nineteenth century, we will consider formative American texts that were wildly popular in their time, as well as others that were overlooked for a variety of historical, social, and aesthetic reasons. We will ask what cultural factors contributed to a books popularity, enduring appeal, or dismissal. We will further explore how these texts confirmed or challenged dominant ideologies, and how reading them now can allow us to reflect on the desires, fears, and struggles of our own historical moment. Possible texts include: Hannah Webster Fosters The Coquette, Benjamin Franklins Autobiography, Lydia Maria Childs Hobomok, Frederick Douglasss Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Harriet Jacobs Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Harriet Wilsons Our Nig, Herman Melvilles Moby Dick; Harriet Beecher Stowes Uncle Toms Cabin, Mark Twains Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and Upton Sinclairs The Jungle.
Course overview
- Department
- English
- School
- MCAS
- Credits
- 3
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Offered
- Periodically
Requirements fulfilled
- English: Earlier literatures in English: eighteenth- or nineteenth-century literature, 1700-1900 (one course, 3 credits) (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- English: Earlier literatures in English: medieval or early-modern literature, before 1700 (one course, 3 credits) (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- English: Major electives (five courses, 15 credits) from department offerings (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- English: Race, Blackness, and Language requirement (one course) (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
Course evaluations
- Course rating
- 4.43 / 5 · Very Good
- Instructor rating
- 4.54 / 5 · Excellent
- Terms evaluated
- 2
| Term | Instructor | Course overall | Instructor overall | Well organized | Clear learning objectives | Intellectually challenging | Helpful assignments | Applicable beyond course | Attendance necessary | Weekly effort | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2025 | Jean Franzino | 4.0 | 4.3 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 4–6 hrs/week | 12 of 15 |
| Fall 2023 | Jean Franzino | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4–6 hrs/week | 18 of 24 |