This course explores a field that is developing in English departments: literature of nature and the environment, here with emphasis on the Contemporary American West. While English classes offer acculturation in language and literature, in this class you will go "back to nature." At the same time, nature, or human experience of it, is influenced by culture—and you will explore a range of frames or perspectives for experiencing, thinking, writing, and reading about nature. Following initial short readings from the Bible, Edmund Burke, Henry David Thoreau, and John Muir that set historical reference points, the course directs main focus to American Literature of Nature in the West from the mid 20th C. to the present, drawn from: Barry Lopez, “A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, Marc Reisner, video segment from 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 reference to the recent film), Richard White, sel. from The Organic Machine, The Remaking of the Columbia River, 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 of American writers on nature and the environment since Thoreau. Please be aware of the focus on Contemporary Western Literature of Nature rather than expecting general coverage of Contemporary American Literature. And be aware that the "Western" of story and the silver screen is a subject in itself and beyond our range. Conceptual frames or perspectives 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.

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.