“You think you know who you are?”… “You have no idea.” (Crash)

What all humans have in common is actually what distinguishes them. How we define ourselves is ultimately not up to us because the thing we use for our self-definition is beyond our control. While a variety of literary genres and forms mainly comprise this section of ENGL 200, we will use the conception of identity as the tool to frame our comprehension and interpretation of the selected readings. Peter J. Burke and Jan E. Stets define identity as “the set of meanings that define who one is when one is an occupant of a particular role in society, a member of a particular group, or claims particular characteristics that identify him or her as a unique person.” Beginning with this fundamental definition of identity, we are going to explore the multiplicity of identities of social subjects or objectified subjects, which are socially, nationally, racially, and sexually constructed. We will examine literary texts, including novels (A Passage to India by E. M. Forster, Beloved by Toni Morrison, Fixer Chao by Han Ong), novellas by Richard Wright and Jhumpa Lahiri, dramas (M. Butterfly by David Henry Hwang), and films.

Additional readings consist of excerpts from Frantz Fanon (Black Skin, White Masks, The Wretched of the Earth), W. E. B. Du Bois’ (The Soul of Black Folk), Edward Said’s (Orientalism and Cultural Imperialism), and Peter J. Burke and Jan E. Stets’ Identity Theory, articles by Stuart Hall, Lionel Trilling, L. A. Kauffman, and Toni Morrison.

In this course, two learning outcomes have been set up for students: firstly, the ability to develop a reasonable interpretation of a literary text and to support that interpretation with evidence; secondly, the ability to develop more sophisticated discussion and composition skills in the interest of being better able to construct and defend their own arguments or interpretations.

As a “W” or writing class, this course will devote effort to writing about literature. The writing assignments will be partly formed by journal entries. Peer reviews will be held in class. Moreover, you will be required to accomplish two 5~7-page, and double-spaced papers. Revisions are compulsory.

Main text list
M. Butterfly (drama)
A Passage to India
Beloved
Fixer Chao
The Namesake (film)
Crash (film)