English 242 - Topic: the American Essay

'Throughout America's history, the essay has been a vital literary genre. From personal, religious, and confessional essays to highly political, satirical, and sometimes preposterous ones, American authors have revealed their passions and hatreds both eloquently and roughly. We will read essays from the eighteenth century to the present, concentrating on masters of the form. Authors include Ralph Waldo Emerson, Mark Twain, Henry James, James Baldwin, Joan Didion, Gore Vidal, and E. B. White.'

Course limited to sophomores, juniors and seniors