Free University Project
American Literature
September 5, 2006

The material covered in the CLEP exam in American Literature (which is reflected in the lecture notes and study guide which follow) is generally considered equivalent to a two semester lower division college course.

Exam type:
CLEP: 100 multiple choice questions in 90 minutes
Typical credits: 6 units
GRE:Material contained on this page forms part of the requirements for the GRE in Literature in English
220 multiple choice questions
Typical credit: 3 - 30 units

More details about the GRE to come.

The CLEP Exam

This is a reading intensive course. Many of the texts prior to 1920 are in the public domain and are available online. For sources of e-texts see the Library and click on texts. Some key sites are listed at the end of the Study Guide.

Far fewer texts are available subsequent to 1920, except on sites where they are available with permission of the copyright owner. Used book stores, yard sales, thrift shops, are also sources of inexpensive copies of many of these works. You can also frequently find anthologies of American literature for just a few dollars.

Discounted CD-ROM versions of Cliff's Notes, Monarch Notes, and Barron's can also be found in stores like Circuit City, Best Buy, CompUSA, Office Depot, etc.
The New York Review of Books, frequently has articles that relate to this course
.

(I didn't promise you a rose garden. See disclaimer.)

Getting Started

(If you haven't read a general step-by-step guide, this might be a good time. See also How to Budget Your Time)

Remember that you are reading far more than just plot, characters and theme (although these represent about 50 percent of the exam), but are also expected to interpret prose and poetry (about 25 percent of the exam), as well as understand the settings, both historical and social, of the authors and their place in the literary scheme of things (about 10 percent).

From a chonological standpoint the CLEP exam has the following weighting Colonial and early national (1620-1830) -- 10 - 15%
Romantic (1830-1870) -- (1830-1870) -- 25%
Realistic and early naturalistic (1870-1910) -- 25%
Modern (1910-1945) -- 25%
Contemporary (1945 - present) -- 10-15%%

Always check with The College Board for the latest information about this exam.

Start by looking up American Literature in any good encyclopedia. You will probably want to make a flash card for every author and literary movement mentioned. Follow cross references to other encyclopedia entries. A good (free) on-line encyclopedia (Columbia) is available at Bartleby as is Wikipedia.

As you go through on-line books referenced below look up encyclopedia entries for the authors of the period you are studying.

On-line Books
Outline of American Literature by Kathryn VanSpanckeren, which is divided into eight sections.from Colonial times until the 1980s and contains a good glossary.

A substantial number of Study Guides for individual works are also available at Pink Monkey

Study Guides are also available at Sparknotes. Click on Literature.

The Website Companion to Norton Anthology The Norton Anthology of American Literature, Sixth Edition -- contains a great deal of information about authors, their works and times. Each volume includes:

NOTE:The New York Review of Books recently established a web site which contains excerpts from the current issue and will eventually archive 34 years of articles. This commendable project will be a great help to those seeking to improve their vocabulary; their quality of writing, and their analytical abilities. Bookmark this site New York Review and refer to it often.

Periodically take time to review; do suggested exercises; take a practice CLEP exam and review areas of weakness.

Suggested Study Guide

Using the on-line text cited above, I have divided the study guide into 8 units. Plan to spend 12 to 15 hours on each unit. (The amount of time really depends on your background.)
Many, but by no means all, of the works you will be expected to read, analyze and understand are available on-line. However, you should be able to find what else you need at a good public library.

Study Unit 1:

Chapter I: Early American and Colonial Period to 1776 (Outline)

Early American Literature to 1700 (Reuben) Click on Introduction

  • The Native America Anthology (Hooker)North America 1500-1750

    Literary Movements (Campbell) Click on:

  • Native American Literature
  • Travel Narratives

    Brief Timeline of American History and Literature. (Campbell) Click on:

  • Pre-1650
  • 1650
  • 1700

    Early American Literature: 1700-1800 (Reuben) Click on Introduction

    Literary Movements (Campbell) Click on:

  • Puritanism in New England
  • Armianism
  • Calvinism
  • Sermon Structure
  • Conversion Narratives
  • Meditation Tradition
  • Captivity Narratives
  • Salem Witch Trials

    Volume A American Literature to 1820 (Norton)

    Brief Timeline of American History and Literature. (Campbell) Click on:

  • 1750
  • 1800
  • 1810

    Study Unit 2:

    Chapter II: Democratic Origins and Revolutionary Writers, 1776-1820 (Outline)

  • The Bill of Rights (Reading ..., Vol 2 Brians, et.al.)

    On-line Resources
    From American Literature Pages at Keele University: Browse Mimi 18/19th Century Resources

    . Early 19th Century & Romanticism (Reuben) Click on Introduction

    Early 19th Century & Transcendentalism (Reuben) Click on Introduction

    Brief Timeline of American History and Literature. (Campbell) Click on:

  • 1820
  • 1830
  • 1840

    Literary Movements (Campbell) Click on:

  • Early American Novel
  • Concord Chronology
  • Transcendentalism
  • Domestic Fiction

    Study Unit 3:

    Chapter III: The Romantic Period, 1820-1860, Essayists and Poets (Outline)

    Chapter IV: The Romantic Period, 1820-1860, Fiction (Outline)

    Volume B American Literature 1820-1865 (Norton)

    Literary Movements (Campbell) Click on:

  • Romance & Novel

    On-line Resources
    From American Literature Pages at Keele University: Browse Mimi 18/19th Century Resources.

  • American Literature I (LitWeb - Bailey)

    Study Unit 4:

    Brief Timeline of American History and Literature. (Campbell) Click on:

  • 1850
  • 1860
  • 1870

    Literary Movements (Campbell) Click on:

  • Southwestern Humor
  • Slave Narratives
  • Plantation Tradition

    On-line Resources
    From American Literature Pages at Keele University: Browse Mimi 18/19th Century Resources.

    Review and sample exam:
    Review the material to this point and take some of the exams that are included in the study Guides for Pink Monkey, Sparknotes and Norton Anthology

    Study Unit 5:

    Late 19th Century & Realism (Reuben) Click on Introduction

    Late 19th Century & Naturalism (Reuben) Click on Introduction

    Literary Movements (Campbell) Click on:

  • Realism
  • Naturalism

    Brief Timeline of American History and Literature. (Campbell) Click on:

  • 1880
  • 1890
  • 1900

    Chapter V: The Rise of Realism: 1860-1914 (Outline)

    Literary Movements (Campbell) Click on:

  • Local Color

    Volume C American Literature 1865-1914 (Norton)

    On-line Resources From American Literature Pages at Keele University: Browse Mimi 18/19th Century Resources; and Browse Sally Anne 20th Century Resources

    Study Unit 6:

  • American Literature II (LitWeb - Bailey)

    Early 20th Century to 1945 (Reuben) Click on Introduction

    Brief Timeline of American History and Literature. (Campbell) Click on:

  • 1910
  • 1920

    American Drama (Reuben) Click on Introduction

    On-line Resources
    From American Literature Pages at Keele University: Browse Mimi 18/19th Century Resources; and Browse Sally Anne 20th Century Resources
    See also their page on Writing Black, literature and history by and on African Americans.

  • The Idea of America (reader- World Cultures- Hooker)

  • The American Nation (reader- World Cultures- Hooker)

    Review and sample exam:
    Reveiw the material to this point and take some of the exams that are included in the study Guides for Pink Monkey, Sparknotes and Norton Anthology

    Study Unit 7:

    Chapter VI: Modernism and Experimentation: 1914-1945 (Outline)

    The Harlem Renaissance (Reuben) Click on Introduction

    Volume D American Literature between the Wars, 1914-1945 (Norton)

    On-line Resources
    From American Literature Pages at Keele University: Browse Sally Anne 20th Century Resources

    Study Unit 8:

    Chapter VII: American Poetry Since 1945: The Anti-Tradition (Outline)

    Chapter VIII: American Prose Since 1945: Realism and Experimentation (Outline)

    Late 20th Century: 1945 to the Present (Reuben) Click on Introduction

    Volume E American Literature since 1945 (Norton)

    Literary Kicks site by Levi Asher on the Beat movement and writers and poets: Kerouac, Ginsberg, Cassady, Burroughs, Snyder, Ferlinghetti, Corso and McClute. Also check out the Homepage

    Poetry

    VIDEO

    Voices & Visions: Annenberg/CPB Channel
    A video instructional series on American poetry; 13 one-hour video programs. (Broadband Video on Demand) 

    "The lives and works of 13 renowned American poets are interpreted through dramatic readings, archival photographs, dance, performances, and interviews in this inspiring series. Illustrative poems in each program are accompanied by insights into their historical and cultural connections. The series covers the terminology of poetry and the larger role of poets in American and world literature studies."

    Poets include:
    1. Elizabeth Bishop From childhood in Nova Scotia to travels in Brazil, this program illustrates the geographic spirit of Bishop's life and works with scenes from her poems.
    2. Hart Crane Diverse locations and dramatizations of his life illustrate Crane's poetry and his greatest work, "The Bridge."
    3. Emily Dickinson Dramatic scenarios and New England landscapes illuminate the passionate genius of Dickinson, whose poems represent a broad range of imaginative experience.
    4. T. S. Eliot Eliot's life, influence, and poetry from the bold originality of "Prufrock" to the probing, meditative style of "Four Quartets" are explored with photos, archival footage, and discussion with friends, critics, and scholars.
    5. Robert Frost Frost's image as elder statesman is vividly contrasted with his vigorous, poetic exploration of the darker forces of nature and the human condition. Readings and interviews with the poet reveal compelling insights into his work.
    6. Langston Hughes Hughes wrote of the beauty, dignity, and heritage of blacks in America. Interviews, music, and dance performances convey his work and influence, discussed by James Baldwin and biographer Arnold Rampersad.
    7. Robert Lowell Lowell's political passion encompasses much of his greatest poetry. Lowell himself reads from his work. Elizabeth Hardwick, Robert Hass, and others discuss his development and style as illustrated by "Lord Weary's Castle" and "Life Studies."
    8. Marianne Moore Funny, formidable, and paradoxical, the poet and her work are analyzed by critics and friends, including Monroe Wheeler, Grace Shulman, and Patricia Willis. Her most memorable poems display her power of observation and moral force.
    9. Sylvia Plath The creative intensity with which Plath confronted her experiences as daughter, wife, mother, and writer is explored in documentary and archival footage intercut with visualizations of her work.
    10. Ezra Pound The most controversial of American poets -- artistic catalyst, legendary confidant, and author of brilliant cantos -- Ezra Pound and his poetry and role in the modernist movement are explored by friends and critics.
    11. Wallace Stevens Stevens's flamboyant verbal technique and philosophical vision of American life are beautifully illustrated by archival footage.
    12. Walt Whitman Brilliant readings of Whitman's poems demonstrate his American vision and style and vividly convey their poignance and sheer power. Whitman's sources, including Emerson, the King James Bible, opera, and political oratory, are revealed.
    13. William Carlos Williams "No ideas but in things," Williams's aesthetic dictum sought to capture, not analyze. A collage of documentary footage, interviews, animation, and dramatization capture the poet's often visual work and intense life.

    See the

  • Poetry Page at Mike Jackman's Introduction to Creative Writing site. Click on Introduction to Poetry

    See also the section on

  • Poetic Tools in the University of Victoria Writer's Guide.

    On-line Resources

  • From American Literature Pages at Keele University: Browse Sally Anne 20th Century Resources.

    Review and sample exam:
    Take a different full exam under test conditions.

    Glossary

    Remember to keep your journal up to date.

    Internet Resources:

    KEY INTERNET SITES ON AMERICAN LITERATURE

    William Howarth, Professor of English, Princeton University, has two sites that have links to syllabus-related Internet resources:
    Early American Literature
    American Renaissance

    Mitsuhara Matsuoka, Associate Professor, Research Division of Comparative Language and Culture, Faculty of Language and Culture, Nagoya University, Japan, has developed a monster list (119K) of American authors and poets with a great many links to pages that reference them.

    Good Luck!

    and let us know how you are doing.

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    Created: Nov. 20, 1997
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    Prior update: July 7, 2004
    Current update: Sept. 5, 2006