Chicago Stories

This course offers a survey of literature about Chicago, starting in the 1890s, when America's "shock city" first began to imagine itself in fiction and continue up through the present day and contemporary imaginings of the post-industrial city. Readings will include works by Theodore Dreiser, Sherwood Anderson, Carl Sandburg, Willa Cather, Richard Wright, Saul Bellow, Gwendolyn Brooks, Sandra Cisneros, and Stuart Dybek. In addition to landmark examples of Chicago literature, we will consider non-fictional representations of the city's history and culture (e.g. sociology, urban reform writing) as well as critical analyses that illuminate the Chicago literary tradition and urban literature in general. 3 hrs. lect.