Course Description

ENGL 2020:  Jewish American Identity in Literature and Culture

Instructor: Dr. Elyce Rae Helford

Prerequisites: ENGL 1010 1020 with a grade of at least a C-.

Credit: ENGL 2020 fulfills the same Gen. Ed. requirement as ENGL 2030 but does not provide English major or minor credit.  (This course will also earn 3 hours credit toward a new MTSU minor in Jewish Studies, currently under development.)

Basics:  This is an introductory literature course with a general education approach, meaning it is aimed at non-majors/minors.  ENGL 2020 courses generally aim to help students develop interpretive and critical thinking skills as well as appreciation of literature as art as well as a form of cultural/historical expression.  As in all sections of ENGL 2020 and 2030, the course involves multiple examinations and several essays.

Description: This course provides an introduction to the unique tradition of Jewish American literature and culture.  We consider the meaning of the term "Jewish American" and what it means to call a body of literature "Jewish American."  We focus primarily on the themes of immigration and assimilation, with emphasis on the experience of Jewish immigrants at the turn of the twentieth century and during the era surrounding the Holocaust.  We also explore relationships among oppressed groups through a unit on Jewish American responses to the lynching of African Americans.  The course does not center on religious issues or writing, though the subject of Judaism is, of course, relevant to interpreting the literature.  We concentrate primarily on cultural identity and ethnic, class, and gender issues as they impact the creation of a unique Jewish American identity during the twentieth century.

Because time is limited, I further narrow the course focus in the following ways: apart from the textbook’s introductory materials on history, culture, and author biographies, we read only creative literature, including poetry, drama, and fiction, with most of our readings being short stories.  We emphasize literature written from the late 1800s to the present, as it directly addresses the immigrant experience, issues of assimilation, and the impact of the Holocaust on Jewish Americans.  We do not, by contrast, emphasize a tradition of “Great” Jewish American writers on other topics.

In addition to assigned readings, we screen, discuss, and write about several films.  Past semesters have screened: Hester Street, Woody Allen's Zelig, Miss Rose White, and The Jazz Singer.

Assigned Textbooks (subject to change by semester):