This course explores a field that is developing in English departments: literature of nature and the environment, here with emphasis on the American West. While English classes offer acculturation in language and literature, in this class you will go "back to nature." But culture is part of nature--as Gary Snyder says, words are wild. Following initial short readings that set historical reference points

--Genesis in the Bible, Edmund Burke on "the sublime," Henry David Thoreau, Walden, and John Muir, The Yosemite, with a video segment from Ken Burns, The National Parks—the course directs main focus to American Literature of Nature in the West from the mid 20th C. to the present, drawn from Barry Lopez, “A Presentation of Whales,” Jack Kerouac, The Dharma Bums, sel. Poems of Gary Snyder, a video segment from Marc Reisner, Cadillac Desert, The American West and Its Disappearing Water, John McPhee, “Los Angeles Against the Mountains,” James Welch, Winter in the Blood, Gretel Ehrlich, sel. From The Solace of Open Spaces, Annie Proulx, "Brokeback Mountain," with clips from the recent film, and other sel. Stories from Close Range, Marilynne Robinson, Housekeeping, sel. From William Cronon, ed., Uncommon Ground, Rethinking the Human Place in Nature. The West here means the West Coast and inland Northwest. Our region has produced writers worthy of the tradition. Note: be aware that the "Western" of story and the silver screen is a subject in itself and beyond our range. Perspectives or paradigms include: Christian, pastoral, sublime, Zen, environmentalist, Native American, work-oriented, gender/sexuality-oriented. We cover essays, fiction, and poetry, making for quite a number of works, but many are in slim volumes and short selections, and some are available via coursepak, class handouts, or video.

Lecture-discussion. Class participation is expected (standout participation can count up to +/- .3 on course grade). In-class Essay Midterm (30%); Final (30%); Paper (@8-9pp. 40%). All required work must be completed according to the schedule.