American Identity, Jewish Literature, and Vice Versa

In this seminar we will look at imaginative representations of and by Jews in (mostly) American and (some) European literatures, with the goal of understanding, as broadly and intensely as possible, both the necessities and difficulties involved in writing about hyphenated identity -- any hyphenated identity. Readings will include works by Kafka, Isaac Babel, Bruno Schultz, Henry Roth, IB Singer, Saul Bellow, Philip Roth, Cynthia Ozick, Grace Paley, Art Spiegelman, and many others. 3 hrs. sem.