ENL 5038 Fall 2022 McGregory

Any number of approaches to African Diaspora literature may be identified. In this course, the focus is on spirituality as it manifests in various literary genres and modes such as short stories, a play, speculative fiction, and magical realism. I use the word "spirituality" expansively to include not only the usual indications of phenomena beyond the natural world and the scope of human action, but, foremost, spiritual hermeneutics associated with experiences that transcend a Westernized view of objective reality. This class will explore belief systems that traditionally have informed the particular ethos and worldview of many African descended communities. The course privileges African-based and experience-centered approaches to belief. The goal is to develop a high context for core spiritual experiences that operate recursively in the creative imaginary of African Diaspora writers, including Tina McElroy Ansa (Baby in the Family), Charles Chesnutt (The Conjure Woman), Nalo Hopkinson (Brown Girl in the Ring), Zora Neale Hurston, Gloria Naylor (Mama Day), Jacques Roumain (The Masters of the Dew), and August Wilson, (The Piano Lesson).