“As writers we were about as unlike as any two writers could possible be,” James Baldwin wrote of his early mentor and later rival Richard Wright. “We were linked together, really, because both of us were black.” Now that the two writers have been found new relevance–and controversy–in a post-Black Lives Matter world, we can read their major works together, side by side, and identify the resonances and irreconcilable differences that make Black Boy and Go Tell it On the Mountain, Another Country and Native Son, just as prescient now as they were when they were first published. We’ll pay particular attention to the recent revival of interest in Baldwin as a public figure and in Wright’s recently unearthed novel The Man Who Loved Underground.
Learning Outcomes:
Become familiar with the major works of Richard Wright and James Baldwin and to place them in the context of current and historical modes of criticism, including critical race theory
Write frequent response papers involving the close reading and analysis of primary texts
Conduct independent research and write a paper on an approved topic
Collaborate on an in-class presentation with peers
Delivery Method: Hybrid
Course Level: 2000-level
Credits: 4
M/Th 10:00AM - 11:50AM (Full-term)
Maximum Enrollment: 20
Course Frequency: Every 2-3 years
Categories: 2000 , All courses , Black Studies , Four Credit , Hybrid , Literature
Tags: 20th century literature , African American literature , American literature , Black Studies , writing intensive