Native American Literature
English 2450
MWF 10:00-10:50 AM
Professor: George Bey
E-mail: beygj@millsaps.edu
Office: SH 345
Phone: Ext. 1386
Office Hours: M W 2:00-3:00 PM and T 10:00-11:00 AM
Ford Fellow: Hannah Page
E-mail: pagehm@millsaps.edu
Office: SH 345
Phone: Ext. 1386
Office Hours: TBA
Contents:
Introduction, Course Requirements and Outline
I: Introduction
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In this course we explore and discuss Native American ideas and identity through literature.
Although focusing to a large degree on Native American texts, the class takes a broad perspective
on the term literature. The course takes its cue from David Hurst Thomas' book Skull Wars,
which examines Native Americans through the three main conflicted and interconnected "species
of American Indian history, mainstream narratives, academic theories, and indigenous
ideologies" (Thomas 2000:xxxvii). Here we are using Native American oral and written
literature, Anthropological texts, and Popular American Culture. In addition to written
documents we will also use film and other media as a method of analysis. All texts are in
English. The course focuses on Native America in the area encompassed by the continental
United States and Canada.
This course covers the topic over time and space although in a non-linear manner. It touches on a
large number of Native American groups under three broad time periods that are in some way
fictive- Long Ago, Not-so-long-ago and Now-adays.
Four Critical Papers: One 6 page paper will be assigned for sections Long Ago and for Not-so-
long-ago and two 6 page papers will be assigned for Now-adays. Each paper counts for 15% of
your final grade.
Film Fest: Roughly every other Weds during the semester at 700 PM a film will be shown. You
will be required to keep a film journal you will use during class discussion. The film series and
film journal will count for 10% of your grade. Please make arrangements to attend these films.
Short essays: Every two weeks you be asked to complete a short in class essay based on the
work covered during the preceding two week period. These short essays are worth 20% of your
grade.
Class participation: This grade is based on attendance, participation in discussion and
preparedness. You should be prepared to answer questions and start off discussion when asked.
This is worth 10% of your grade. Coming to class and doing the reading therefore, will most
likely give you an “easy” A in class participation. Not doing so just screws up your average for
no reason other than being lazy.
III: Ford Fellow
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The Ford Fellowship program is designed as an apprenticeship for upper-level students who are
interested in learning more about the profession of college teaching. Hannah Page is an
anthropology major whose primary anthropological interests are cultural anthropology and
archaeology. She is in charge of organizing and assisting you in your papers as well as the film
festival. She will also at times lead class discussions and lectures and will be available outside of
class for any help that may be needed. She will not be responsible for any of the grading.
V: Policy Statements
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Attendance: We do not take attendance, but excessive absences will result in an F in class
participation, since you cannot participate when you miss class! If you are going to be absent or
miss a class, you should inform one of us via e-mail, so that we understand the reason for the
missed class.
Late Work: If you are going to be late with an assignment, let us know ahead of time. This will
minimize any penalty you might receive for being late with your work.
Honor Code: Let's talk about it and plagiarism.
VI: Required Texts
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Alexie, Sherman
1995 Reservation Blues. Atlantic Monthly Press, New York.
Black Elk, Nicholas (as told through John G. Neihardt)
2000 Black Elk Speaks. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln.
Chance, Norman
2002 The Inupiat and Arctic Alaska: An Ethnography of Development. Thomson
Custom Publishing, Belmont.
Erdrich, Louise
1993 Love Medicine. Harper Perennial, New York.
Hillerman, Tony
1986 Skinwalkers. Harper & Row, New York.
Silko, Leslie Marmon
1986 Ceremony. Penguin Books, New York.
[In addition, there will be a number of handouts provided during the course of the semester.
These are required reading.]
LONG AGO -Weeks 1-4
This section deals with Creation, the Great Spirit, Heroes, War and Warriors, Love and
Lust, Tricksters, Ghosts, Animals and the End of the World. It also deals with
Premonitions and Prophecies and first contact.
All texts in this section will be Xeroxes that we will provide.
Paper #1
NOT -SO-LONG-AGO- Weeks 5-8
This section deals with The Time After the Arrival of the White Man, Genocide,
Removal, Reservation, The Wild West, Allotment, Termination and Anthropologists.
Texts: Black Elk Speaks and Xeroxes
Paper #2
NOW-ADAYS- Weeks 9-16
This section deals with In and Out of the Mainstream, Red Power, More Anthropologists,
The Native American Renaissance
Texts: The Inupiat and Artic Alaska
Skinwalkers
Ceremony
Love Medicine
Reservation Blues
Paper #3
Paper #4