Asian American Literature

SECTION ONE: CHINESE AMERICA

1/14 In class: introductions to class; brainstorming
Homework: read American Born Chinese, pp. 7-52. Formulate 3 ideas for discussion, note specific places in the text where those ideas appear
1/16 In class: Discuss ABC and blog assignment
Homework: finish ABC. Set up blog (see assignment on course site).
Write Blog Post #1: introduction.

1/21 Martin Luther King Day. No class meeting.
1/23 In class: discuss ABC. Blog trouble shooting
Homework: read The Woman Warrior, “No Name Woman” and “White Tigers”
Write Blog Post #2: initial ideas about The Woman Warrior

1/28 In class: discuss The Woman Warrior
Homework: read The Woman Warrior “Shaman”
Write Blog Post #3: initial ideas about “Shaman”
1/30 In class: discuss The Woman Warrior
Homework: read The Woman Warrior “At the Western Palace” and “A Song for a Barbarian Reed Pipe”
Write Blog Post #4: initial ideas about “At the Western Palace” and “A Song for a Barbarian Reed Pipe”

2/4 In class: discuss The Woman Warrior
Homework: read Frank Chin’s “Come All Ye Asian American Writers of the Real and Fake” pp 1-52 (handout)
Write Blog Post #5: initial ideas about Chin essay
2/6 In class: Discuss Chin essay
Homework: read Strangers from a Different Shore pp. 31-42; 79-112
Write Blog Post #6: initial ideas about Chinese American history
Bring ABC, WW, Chin essay and Takaki book to class!!
Prepare Blog Portfolio

2/11 In class: Discuss Strangers from a Different Shore; discuss Chinese America; Blog Portfolio DUE in class!!
Homework: study for exam 1
Write Blog Post #7: practice exam question
2/13 In class: exam I–Chinese America
Homework: read Strangers from a Different Shore 42-53, 179-224
Write Blog Post #8: initial ideas about Takaki reading

SECTION TWO: JAPANESE AMERICA
2/18 In class: Discuss Takaki and paper assignment
Homework: read Nisei Daughter chapters I and II
Write Blog Post #9: initial ideas about Nisei Daughter
2/20 In class: Discuss Nisei Daughter
Homework: read Nisei Daughter chapters III-VII
Write Blog Post #10: initial ideas about Nisei Daughter

2/25 In class: Discuss Nisei Daughter
Homework: read Nisei Daughter chapters VIII-end
Write Blog Post #11: initial ideas about Nisei Daughter through end
2/27 In class: Discuss Nisei Daughter
Homework: read Takaki pp. 379-405 and excerpt from All I Asking for is My Body (handout)
Write Blog Post #12: initial ideas about Takaki and/or All I Asking for is My Body

3/3 Mid Winter Break!!
3/5 STILL Mid Winter Break!!

3/10 In class: Discuss Takaki and All I Asking for is My Body
Homework: read over Japanese American blog posts; finish paper draft; bring 4 copies of draft to class!!
3/12 Japanese America paper workshop
Homework: read Bienvenidos Santos “Immigration Blues” (handout) and Strangers from a Different Shore p. 57-62, 315-343
Write Blog Post #13: initial ideas about Santos
Write: revise Japanese America Paper

SECTION THREE: NEGLECTED VOICES-FILIPINO AND SOUTH ASIAN AMERICA
3/17 Discuss “Immigration Blues” and Takaki
Homework: read Strangers from a Different Shore 449-460 and handout:
Isabelle Thuy Pelaud “Christmas ‘95″, Minh-Mai Huang “The Pilgrimage”, Ahn Phuong-Nguyen “You Bring Out the Vietnamese Woman in Me”
Write: Blog Post #14: initial ideas about South Asian writers
****Tuesday, 3/18: Japanese America Paper DUE via email by 5 p.m.****
3/19 In class: discuss Takaki and South Asian writers
Homework: read Native Speaker Chapters 1-2 (pp. 1-18); Strangers from a Different Shore 53-57, 270-293, 420-421;436-445

Write Blog Post #15: initial ideas about Takaki and Native Speaker

SECTION FOUR: KOREAN AMERICA
3/24 Easter Break-no class
3/26 In class: discuss Native Speaker and Takaki
Homework: read Native Speaker pp. 19-130
Write Blog Post #16: initial ideas about Native Speaker

3/31 In class: discuss Native Speaker
Homework: read Native Speaker 131-250
Write Blog Post #17: initial ideas about Native Speaker
4/2 Class Cancelled—read Native Speaker!!

4/7 In class: Discuss Native Speaker
Homework: read My Year of Meats “epigraph” through pp.63
Write Blog Post #18: initial ideas about My Year of Meats

SECTION FIVE: ASIAN AMERICAN FUTURES
4/9 In class: discuss My Year of Meats
Homework: read My Year of Meats pp. 64-241
Write Blog Post #19: initial ideas about My Year of Meats

4/14 In class: discuss My Year of Meats
Homework: read My Year of Meats pp.243-end
Write Blog Post #20: initial ideas about My Year of Meats
4/16 In class: discuss My Year of Meats
Homework: read handout on Asian American film
Write Blog Post #21: initial ideas about Asian American film

4/21 In class: view Robot Stories
Homework: write Blog Post #22: ideas about Robot Stories
4/23 Discuss Robot Stories
Homework: prepare Blog Portfolio

4/28 In class: study for final exam. Blog Portfolio DUE in class!!
Homework: study for final exam
4/30 In class: Final Exam

Friday, May 2, 10:00-10:30: pick up exams and final grades