EN358: Studies in Asian American Literature – Crossing Borders
Instructor: Jennifer Ho
Seminar: Wednesdays 1-3:50pm, Library 618
Office: Shattuck 210
Phone: 358-2103
E-mail: jho@mtholyoke.edu (this is my preferred method of communication)
Office Hours: Tuesdays 2:30-4:00pm—meet in Shattuck 210 Wednesdays; 4-5pm—meet in the Stimson Room, 6th floor of the library, and by appointment
From the mid-nineteenth century when Chinese laborers came to California to work in the gold mines and on the railroad to current waves of immigrants, Asians have been crossing borders to come to the United States. Using Lisa Lowe’s groundbreaking text Immigrant Acts as a touchstone, this course will read tales of Asian American immigration, examining the sub-themes of inter-generational conflict, assimilation, and inter-racial alliances. Texts will include but are not limited to Carlos Bulosan’s America is in the Heart, Gus Lee’s China Boy, Ruth Ozeki’s My Year of Meats, and Michael Ondaatje’s The English Patient.
Required Texts:
Immigrant Acts—Lisa Lowe
America is in the Heart—Carlos Bulosan
Thousand Pieces of Gold (film)
China Boy—Gus Lee
Picture Bride (film)
Comfort Woman—Nora Okja Keller
Regret to Inform (documentary film)
My Year Of Meats—Ruth Ozeki
The English Patient—Michael Ondaatje
Mississippi Masala (film)
The Night My Mother Met Bruce Lee—Paisley Rekdal
Easy Writer: A Pocket Guide—Lunsford and Connors
All texts (excluding films) are
available for purchase through Odyssey Books.
Course Requirements
Final grades will be determined as follows:
| Attendance and Participation (including Web CT) | 15% |
| Response Papers (4), quizzes, and other assignments | 20% |
| Oral Presentation/Literature Review w/handout | 15% |
| Final Research Paper | 50% |
Week 1
W—Jan 30 Introduction
Week 2
W—Feb 6 Immigrant Acts (Chapters 1 & 2, pages 1-59) and Web CT Workshop
Week 3
W—Feb 13 America is in the Heart
Week 4
W—Feb 20 Thousand Pieces of Gold (film) and Immigrant Acts (Chapter 3, pages 60-83)
APA Quiz Due
Week 5
W—Feb 27 China Boy
Week 6
W—Mar 6 Library research day – bring topics – meet in library
Week 7
W—Mar 13 Picture Bride (film) and Immigrant Acts (Chapter 7, pages 154-173)
SPRING BREAK—March 16-24
Week 8
W—Mar 27 Comfort Woman
Week 9
W—Apr 3 Regret to Inform (film) and Immigrant Acts (Chapter 5, pages 97-127)
Due: Thesis and list of sources
Week 10
W—Apr 10 My Year of Meats
Week 11
W—Apr 17 The English Patient
Week 12
W—Apr 24 Mississippi Masala (film)
Due: Abstracts
Week 13
W—May 1 The Night My Mother Met Bruce Lee
Week 14
W—May 8 Last Day Wrap Up
Exchange Abstracts
Final Research Paper Due: Wednesday, May 15 by 12:00 p.m.
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