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Amherst College
English
Spring Semester, 1988
Prof. Rhonda Cobham-Sander
11a Johnson Chapel
(413) 542-2186

The following books may be purchased at Jeffery Amherst Bookshop, 55 South Pleasant Street, Amherst:

1) Edward Brathwaite. The Arrivants. New York: Oxford University Press

2) Erna Brodber. Jane and Louisa Will Soon Come Home. London: New Beacon Books

3) Wilson Harris. Guyana Quartet. New York: Faber

4) George Lamming. In the Castle of My Skin.

5) Earl Lovelace. The Dragon Can't Dance.

6) Alfred Mendes. Black Fauns. London: New Beacon Books

7) Vidia S. Naipaul. A House for Mr. Biswas. New York: Random House

8) The Penguin Book of Caribbean Verse in English. Ed. Paula Burnett. New York: Penguin

9) Jean Rhys. Wide Sargasso Sea. New York: Norton

10) Derek Walcott. Collected Poems. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux.

11) Derek Walcott. The Joker of Seville. New York: Farrar, & Giroux.

Material for the Sistren/Oral Poetry section will be made available as photocopies.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Students are expected to participate actively in seminars and to prepare three written assignments:

1) A bibliographical exercise designed to familiarize students with library holdings on Caribbean Literature (2-3 pages plus an annotated bibliography)

2) A short paper introducing one of the authors or works discussed in the seminar. Introductions may be undertaken in groups of two or three. They should be designed to be presented orally in approximately 40 minutes. (7-10 pages)

3) An extensive research paper on a work or theme to be chosen by each student after consultation. Topics should be decided upon by March 18th. (15 pages)

Schedule of Readings

February

1 Introduction

3 Bibliographical Resources (Bibliographical projects assigned)

8 The Historical Context - I (Read Introduction to Penguin Anthology)

16 Rhys, Wide Sargasso Sea

18 The Historical Context - II (Read Brathwaite, "The Love-Axe/I: Developing a Caribbean Aesthetic")

17 Mendes, Black Fauns

19 FIRST ASSIGNMENT DUE. Room 11a, Johnson Chapel, 4 pm.

22 Naipaul, A House for Mr. Biswas

24 Naipaul, A House for Mr. Biswas (continues)

29 Lamming, In the Castle of My Skin

March

2 Lamming, In the Castle of My Skin

7 Walcott, Poetry

9 Walcott, Poetry (continues)

14 Walcott, Joker of Seville

16 Walcott, Joker of Seville (continues)

18 FINAL DATE FOR DISCUSSION OF RESEARCH PAPER TOPICS

21-25 SPRING RECESS

28 Brathwaite, The Arrivants

30 Brathwaite, The Arrivants (continues)

April

4 Sistren

6 Sistren/0ral Poetry

11 Language Issues

13 Brodke, Jane and Louisa

18 Brodke, Jane and Louisa (continues)

20 Harris, The Guyana Quartet

25 Harris, The Guyana Quartet (continues)

27 Harris, The Guyana Quartet (continues)

May

2 Lovelace, The Dragon Can't Dance

4 Lovelace, The Dragon Can't Dance (continues)

6 RESEARCH PAPER DUE

9 Discussion of/Readings from Research Papers

11 Course Evaluation and suggestions for further reading

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