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U.S. Caribbean Dialogues

ENGL 293.301
TR 3-4:30

Required texts:
Julia Alvarez, How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents
Cristina Garcia, Dreaming in Cuban
Tato Laviera, La Carreta Made a U-turn
Judith Ortiz Cofer, The Line of the Sun
Elias Miguel Munoz, Crazy Love
Esmeralda Santiago, When I Was Puerto Rican
Virgil Suarez Spared Angola
Other readings will be made available by the professor.
Please obtain and become familiar with the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (it should be available at the Penn Bookstore.) Course Description, Goals, and Requirements:
This course introduces students to the prose and poetic works of contemporary authors of Cuban, Dominican, and Puerto Rican origin. We explore issues of identity that are posed by Latinos of Caribbean origin. By basing ourselves on the assumption that language and literature relate to historical, cultural, economic, and social factors, we pay close attention to such themes as biculturalism, bilingualism, diaspora, the effects of popular culture (music, film, and television) on self definition, family ties, migration, urban life, sexuality, love, and gender.
--Class lectures and discussions will be conducted in English (some readings are bilingual).
--Above all, students are expected to prepare thoroughly for class and to participate actively in class discussions.
--Please bring all texts that we are studying, plus your journals to class each day so that we can refer to them as needed.
Grading:
1. Papers (two 3-5pp., one 8-10 pp.)............50%
2. Oral presentations........................ ..10%br> 3. Participation and Performance (includes journals, discussion, participation, and class attendance.............................40%

fulfills requirements