In this course, we will survey American literature from its beginnings to the middle of the nineteenth century. Through first-hand accounts, journals, lectures, novels, and poetry, we will: • explore how early Americans viewed and responded to the various events of their day, • consider how these writers try to make sense of their world and their roles within it, • consider how these texts reflect a constantly-evolving definition of what counts as “America” and what it means to be an American.

This online section of Topics in Popular Fiction will focus on Speculative Fiction (fantasy, science fiction, magical realism, etc.) written by women authors such as Ursula Le Guin, Margaret Atwood, Octavia Butler, and N.K. Jemisin. Writers of speculative fiction often asks "what if?" questions as they reflect on various social or cultural factors in the worlds they inhabit and create. Our primary task this semester will be to consider the contexts these authors are writing in as well speculate on some of the implications of the questions they pose. In completing this course, you will: • Familiarize yourself with various definitions of SF • Consider, and speculate on, the larger implications of various questions or scenarios offered by the writers under investigation • Examine historical, cultural, and literary contexts of SF writers • Compose well-developed, articulately written, & properly-documented arguments • Further develop your close-reading and critical-thinking skills