ENGL 384

Native Americans have been writing and telling their own stories for generations. The past thirty years, however, have been unprecedented for the extraordinary range of Native American literary and artistic expression in the English language. In this course we will focus primarily on Native American fiction and autobiography in an attempt to explore some of the issues facing modern Native Americans. Using literature, history, and the arts, we will focus on the ways Native Americans have chosen to represent themselves as well as some of the ways they have been represented by others.

As a class we can only begin to uncover the issues connected to Native American literature and culture. To help all of us in this task and to give shape to our discussions, you will each become an “expert” on a particular aspect of Native American literature or culture that interests you. Throughout the semester, you will share your knowledge with the class through both written and oral presentations.

In the first few weeks of class you will decide what your area of specialization will be--it can be a geographical area, an issue, a tribal group, or a historical event. Throughout the quarter you will research your topic, producing 2 short papers and a final project.

You must hand in all assignments to pass the course. You will receive a more detailed assignment sheet for each essay and group project as the quarter progresses, and you should feel free to talk with me at any point if you have questions or concerns about any of the assignments. In addition, keep in mind that this course will operate primarily as a discussion class. For this to be successful, you must do the assigned reading carefully and ON TIME. When you come to class unprepared, you not only waste your own time, but you let down your classmates as well. To facilitate discussion and to insure that everyone is keeping up with the reading, I will begin every class with an informal, short (5 minute) writing assignment based on the reading you have done for class that day. If you accumulate more than two unexcused absences over the course of the term I will lower your final grade. If you accumulate over five unexcused absences you will fail the course. Remember that missing class or not being able to complete two or more writing assignments will factor into your grade.

Please feel free to stop by after class or in my office hours to discuss any learning disabilities, physical disabilities, or special circumstances of which you feel I should be aware.

SEPT T-21 General introduction

W-22 Berkhofer, 3-31 (reserve)

Th-23 Deloria, 1-27 (reserve)

UNIT ONE: AUTOBIOGRAPHY

M-27 Krupat, 469-490 (Big Falling Snow)

OCT F-1 internet reports

T-5 Momaday, 16-41 (Rainy Mountain)

F-8 Concluding discussion, autobiographies; PAPER #1 DUE

M-11 Krupat, 105-113 (Occom)

T-12 Krupat, 258-279 (Eastman)

F-15 discussion

M-18 Silko, 81-116 (Ceremony)

Th-28 ASA—no class

NOV M-1 King, 1-42 (Green Grass)

T-2 King, 42-82 (Green Grass)

W-3 King, 83-118 (Green Grass)

TH-4 King, 118-158 (Green Grass)

F-5 discussion

M-8 King, 158-193 (Green Grass)

T-9 King, 194-240 (Green Grass)

W-10 King, 241-279 (Green Grass)

TH-11 King, 280-320 (Green Grass)

M-15 King, 320-361 (Green Grass)

T-16 King, 365-398 (Green Grass)

W-17 King, 398-429 (Green Grass)

Th-18 King, 430-469 (Green Grass)

DEC W-1 Group 5 report, TBA

Robert Berkhofer, Jr. “Part One: The Idea of the Indian: Invention and Perpetuation” in The White Man’s Indian. 3-31

Vine Deloria “Indians Today, the Real and the Unreal” in Custer Died for Your Sins.1-27

Greg Sarris “Hearing the Old Ones Talk: Reading Narrated American Indian Lives in Elizabeth Colson’s Autobiographies of Three Pomo Women” in New Voices in Native American Literary Criticism, ed. Arnold Krupat. 419-452

Patricia Penn Hilden “Getting Out of Dodge” in When Nickels Were Indians: An Urban, Mixed-Blood Story. 1-24

INTRODUCTION TO NATIVE AMERICAN RESOURCES

Library search

Browse the stacks in RBD Library between the call numbers E51 and E99, or PM102 and PM4070. Pick one book that interests you particularly and in a one-page informal paper explore elements of that book that sound particularly appealing. Remember, I am not asking you to read the book from cover to cover; instead, you should look at the table of contents, skim the introduction, and then pick through a couple of chapters to see what this book offers. You should be able to do this in under an hour, although if you get really interested you can spend as much time as you want on this. The point of your paper is to tell me why this book looked interesting, and what it offers to teach you about Native American culture.

DUE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24

Internet search

The internet has proved to be a vital area of information by and about Native Americans. In fact, many current issues facing Native Americans are pretty clearly laid out on various web pages and in internet discussions. Surf the internet to find out what’s available about Native Americans; pick one site that interests you and in a one-page informal paper explore elements of that site. Tell me why it is appealing to you and what you have learned from it.

***Although there are some very reputable and well-researched sites on the internet, there are also many places where people use the web as a forum for their own personal views. Keep in mind that the internet is a notoriously unreliable source. DO NOT JUST ASSUME YOU ARE GETTING THE FACTS. On the other hand, don’t just assume the information is false; instead, use your judgement and if you are using information from the web for research, try to double-check any facts you learn.

SOME SITES TO GET YOU STARTED:

http://www.csulb.edu/projects/ais

http://www.nativeweb.org

http://www.doi.gov/bureau-indian-affairs.html

http://www.americanwest.com/pages/indians.htm

(these sites will direct you to other pages that will have more specific information. Think of these as bibliographies, or “webographies” in that they exist primarily to direct you somewhere else)

DUE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1

Both papers should be typed, but they can be very informal. You should use this as an opportunity to think on paper about what you have found, even if your thoughts aren’t neatly organized or absolutely eloquent.

Research Project

In the first few weeks of class you will decide what your area of specialization will be--it can be a geographical area, an issue, a tribal group, or a historical event. Throughout the semester you will research your topic, producing 2 short papers (3 pages each) and culminating in a final project (7-8 pages). Your papers will break down roughly as follows:

1) One paper must be on an individual (you can get your information through personal interviews, biographies, or autobiographies). This paper is not a biographical narrative, but is instead an analysis of something you find interesting about this person’s life or experiences.

2) Another must be a close examination of an “artifact,” or an object associated with your main topic (if you cannot actually see the artifact personally, you can use slides or photographs).

***Note: I am happy to consider substitutions, or broad interpretations of these categories. Please come see me if you are having trouble coming up with an idea for one of your papers, and we can brainstorm together.

***Note: while a certain amount of summary or description may be necessary, these papers should mainly be analysis. You must be sure to create an argument and make an original point about your topic. Please see me if this is unclear.

Your final project (7-8 pages) must be a study that emerges from the research you have done this quarter. Using some of the themes we have discussed in class throughout the quarter, you will develop your ideas about a particular subject in an extended analysis. This analysis MUST be based on something specific, like a film, a work of art or an artifact, or some kind of narrative or work of literature. You will arrive at your topic through consultation with me. You are free to use as much or as little of the work from your short papers as you choose. Remember to check your topic with me either through e-mail or a conference in my office (and preferably both) well before you start writing the paper.

Sample research topics:

Contemporary Powwows:

Paper #1: Personal interview with someone who frequently attends Powwows

Paper #2: Attend a local Powwow; write up a report

Final Paper: analysis of Powwow culture and its relationship to tribal structures of Native American life.

Trickster Figure:

Paper #1: Study of “Coyote” as culture hero

Paper #2: Representations of “Coyote” by modern Native artists (Harry Fonseca, etc.)

Final Paper: comparison of Coyote and Christian dualism

Plains Warrior Culture:

Paper #1: autobiographical account of Two Leggings from Krupat book

Paper #2: analysis of a coup stick, and the practice of “counting coups”

Final Paper: contemporary versions of traditional warrior culture as seen in the Leonard Peltier story.