LITR320

(Formerly LITR 308) We will read a series of comic novels written in the United States, mostly in the 20th century. We will examine the varieties of comic expression. We will begin with Twain's Huckleberry Finn. This class will be an examination of the comic spirit as seen in selected American novels. Sometimes these books will not seem "funny." They feature murder, slavery, child abuse, drug addiction, and war. So how can we call them "comic"? But there will certainly be some laughs along the way. We will try to come to a deeper understanding of the term "comic" by the time the class is done. During the course not only do many of the characters reveal themselves, but American society itself: We will try to answer the question: What do we laugh at when we laugh at ourselves?