LIT2000 - Fall 2025 - Rafferty

In this course, students will be assigned readings representative of a broad range of literary genres and cultures. These readings will cover a variety of literary movements and historical eras. The readings will include, but are not limited to, selections from the Western canon. Written analysis of literary works will be required. Students will be provided with opportunities to practice critical interpretation.

This introductory course focuses on the fundamentals of Western literature. We will study multiple genres, including novels, short stories, and poetry. The course will examine a range of authors including, as a case study, those writing during the drastic political, and socio-cultural shifts that occurred from the turn of the 19th century to the end of the 20th century. This course examines authors that reflect these contexts: Jack London, John Steinbeck, Edith Wharton, Toni Morrison, Philip K. Dick, Jennifer Egan, Ralph Ellison, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and more.