Literature Laboratory 4

The Un-Lab: "In the American Society"

What is this lab about?

By this time in the semester, you should be realizing that although the more things change, the more they stay the same; it's also true that the more things change, well, the more they change. Your task is to search through literary texts and other types of primary source cultural materials that all have something to say about what American society was like in the last half of the twentieth century and in these early years of the twenty-first century . You may find that you're right back to where you started--we're really not that different from the townsfolk of Dawson's Landing--or, you may find, that contemporary Americans have moved far beyond their (our) (literary) ancestors.

But here's the twist:

The essay that provides an analysis of the literary texts and cultural materials, "'In the American Society," already has been written. You are responsible for finding the literary texts and the cultural materials that provide evidence for the essay's argument about the contemporary American society. Some places to look? Literary texts, popular press magazines, newspapers, including political cartoons, films, websites that document social change, artwork, photographs, and other materials that reflect and respond to the culture.

Some groundrules:

You must find, read, and analyze five literary selections from the Heath Anthology. Selections should be dated 1980 or later.

In groups of five, examine at least 25 other cultural artifacts from the last 25 years, and from those 25, select the 2 that best respond to the essay. Please provide a hard copy of the image/artifact, large enough to view from a few feet away. We'll be creating our own "museum" exhibits and we'll all need to see the materials. The texts you ultimately select shouldcome from different media sources. Please provide a typed list of all 25 artifacts you examined.

Discussion Starters

What or who constitutes American society? How do these texts represent a changed or changing American society? Are the changes accepted or tolerated or are they met with resistance? Arrange the literary and primary text chronologically--do you notice trends in how the American society is defined? Who has the power to define "society"? Who doesn't? How can these primary source documents help you to gain a better insight, make more creative connections, or develop a deeper reading of the literature? Consider some examples from your own lives that focus on this issue of how American society is defined, not defined, ill-defined. Then, compare your own observations with one of the literary texts above. Do your experiences reflect the American society in the text?

Assignment

On May 16, please bring your artifacts to class; we'll hang them on the walls around the room, or set them on tables. As a class, we'll examine the artifacts along wit hthe literary texts and together come to an analysis of contemporary American literature and culture.