This course investigates the ways that literary texts structure and use
language. Employing tools from linguistics and stylistics, we will analyze
aspects of literary texts: sound, meter, lexicon, discourse structure, style,
pragmatic strategies, varieties of English, and narrative orientation. Texts
will be drawn from several literary genres: fiction, poetry, and drama. Over
the term, we will develop and use this linguistic “toolbox” to construct
sophisticated perspectives and arguments about literary texts. Requirements
include two papers, short writing assignments, and several quizzes.