Università Roma Tre

First module - Focus on English Grammar

The first module deals with some of the main grammar and morpho-syntactic structures of the English language.

Second module - American Short Stories

The second module is an introduction to the diversity of American culture through short stories and their writers. The module is divided in three sections: a) 19th Century American Short Stories; b) 20th Century American Short Stories (Part 1); c) 20th Century American Short Stories (Part 2). At the end of the module, students will be able to: analyze the chronological and historical development of the American short story through its most representative authors; become familiar with the act of analyzing and interpreting short stories through appropriate theoretical and methodological frameworks, acknowledging alternative interpretations and developing critical thinking; experience how literary and cultural texts can transform one’s perception and understanding of self, other and communities.

Edgar Allan Poe, “The Tell-Tale Heart” (1843)
Kate Chopin, “Desiree’s Baby” (1893)
Ambrose Bierce, “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” (1890)
Charlotte Perkins Gilman, “The Yellow Wallpaper” (1892)
Susan Glaspell, “A Jury of Her Peers” (1917)
Ernest Hemingway, “The Killers” (1927)
Ralph Ellison, “Battle Royal” (1947)
Shirley Jackson, “The Lottery” (1948)
Ray Bradbury, “There Will Come Soft Rains” (1950)
Joyce Carol Oates, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” (1966)
Alice Walker, “Everyday Use” (1973)
Raymond Carver, “Cathedral” (1983)
Louise Erdrich, “The Red Convertible” (1984)
Tim O’Brien, “The Things They Carried” (1990)

The short stories listed above may be read in any edition in English.

First module: English grammar: Learning the Language
The first module deals with some of the main grammar and morpho-syntactic structures of the English language. The language skills acquired by the students will be assessed at the end of the course.

Second module: Twentieth-century African-American voices
The second module focuses on the literary and critical contribution by twentieth-century African-American writers. In an interdisciplinary framework, the analysis of the formal features of these texts will be instrumental to connect literary and socio-cultural issues. By promoting active participation in class, the adopted teaching method envisages the improvement of language skills and the ability to engage in open discussion.The reference material includes works of fiction, critical essays and audiovisual material.

For all students:

- Adriano Elia, Serena I. Volpi, Heading South with Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes, Padova, Libreriauniversitaria.it, 2021.
- Adriano Elia, W.E.B. Du Bois and Langston Hughes - Two Remarkable Men, Novalogos, 2020.
- Adriano Elia, La Cometa di W.E.B. Du Bois, Roma, RomaTrE-Press, 2015.

Further reference material will be given during the course.