This course explores the fiction, poetry, nonfiction and drama of major 20^th Century American writers from F. Scott Fitzgerald to Toni Morrison, and spans periods from early modernism to the contemporary era. In particular, we will focus on works that dramatize the American Dream, discussing how this definition is shaped by different historical and cultural events, as well as how characters within each text struggle—and, at times, fail—to achieve their own vision of success, happiness, and personal fulfillment. Novels include will include The Great Gatsby, Revolutionary Road, and Sula.

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