Intercultural and Linguistic Mediation

Voices from the Other America: Exploring Otherness in U.S. Literature This 12-credit course, held over two semesters, explores the central theme of encountering “the other” within American culture through a selection of representative literary texts from the nineteenth century to the present. By analyzing short stories, novels, and poetry by authors such as Irving, Poe, Hawthorne, Melville, Fitzgerald, Faulkner, Plath, and Morrison, students will critically examine issues of identity, cultural diversity, individual versus society conflicts, and the various ways literature explores and depicts encounters with otherness. Particular attention will be given to the linguistic and narrative strategies authors employ to highlight both the tensions and possibilities inherent in intercultural dialogue. The course is designed for students who wish to deepen their understanding of American culture while developing analytical skills and interpretative tools useful for critically engaging with contemporary America.

A solid knowledge of English, especially in reading comprehension, is required to engage effectively with literary texts in the original language. Familiarity with the basic concepts of textual analysis and literary terminology (such as genre, narrator, point of view, style, rhetoric) is preferable, as is the ability to read, understand, and summarize critical texts in both English and Italian. An interest in independent reading and a willingness to take an active part in class discussions are also encouraged. Above all, what matters most is a genuine willingness to read the assigned texts carefully and to engage directly and thoughtfully with the literary work in its written form.

First semester: Washington Irving, “Traits of Indian Character”; “Philip of Pokanoket” (1819) Edgar Allan Poe, "William Wilson" (1839) Nathaniel Hawthorne, “My Kinsman, Major Molineaux” (1831); “Young Goodman Brown” (1835) Herman Melville, “Bartleby, The Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street” (1853); "Benito Cereno" (1855) Second semester: Francis Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby (1925) (The Marsilio edition with the text both in English and Italian is strongly recommended) William Faulkner, “A Rose for Emily” (1930) Sylvia Plath, poesie scelte Toni Morrison, Beloved (1987) The texts for the first semester will be provided by the teacher.

Although attendance is not mandatory, it is strongly recommended, as classes are designed to foster collective discussion and in-depth analysis. Students will be expected to participate actively through in-class discussions, textual commentary, and individual contributions to the proposed activities.

The oral exam (conducted in both English and Italian, or entirely in English) is designed to assess students’ knowledge of the authors and texts studied during the course, as well as their understanding of the relevant historical and cultural contexts. Particular attention will be given to the student’s ability to develop a critical and analytical discourse on the texts, through close reading of key passages and the identification of intertextual connections between different authors and contexts. Assessment will take into account the student’s knowledge of content and texts, critical and stylistic analysis skills, ability in close reading, and capacity to establish connections between texts, authors, and contexts. Language proficiency in English - both in comprehension and oral expression - as well as clarity, coherence, and organization of the presentation will also be evaluated. The final grade will be based on a structured assessment grid. Students attending the course will have the option to take a written test during the semester (midterm exam), which will reduce part of the material required for the oral exam.

For a general overview of American literature, the main reference is Giorgio Mariani (ed.), "Il romanzo americano. Storia, forme, canoni", Carocci, Rome, 2025. For the purposes of this course, students are specifically required to study the following chapters in depth: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 21, 22, 25, 29, 30, 31, 43, 45. Critical essays: - Mario Corona, “American Renaissance (1941): un’invenzione storiografica”, in Un Rinascimento impossibile. Letteratura, politica e sessualità nell’opera di Francis Otto Matthiessen, Ombre Corte. - Ugo Rubeo, “La scoperta della narrativa”, in Genio in bilico. Testo, contesto, intertesto in Edgar Allan Poe, Mimesis. - Giorgio Mariani, “King Philip tra Washington Irving e William Apess”, in La penna e il tamburo. Gli Indiani d’America e la letteratura degli Stati Uniti, Ombre Corte. - Giorgio Mariani, "Civiltà o barbarie. L'ideologia del fantastico in 'Young Goodman Brown' di Nathaniel Hawthorne", in Biancamaria Pisapia (a cura di), I piaceri dell’immaginazione. Studi sul fantastico, Bulzoni, Roma 1984, pp. 212-231. - Peter Shaw, “Fathers, Sons, and the Ambiguities of Revolution in ‘My Kinsman, Major Molineux’”, The New England Quarterly, vol. 49, n. 4, 1976. - Naomi C. Reed, "The Specter of Wall Street: ‘'Bartleby, the Scrivener’ and the Language of Commodities", in American Literature, 76(2), 247–273. - Anna Scacchi, “Dal grigio al bianco e nero”, in A una voce sola. Il racconto della storia in 'Benito Cereno' di Herman Melville", Lozzi & Rossi, Roma 2000. - Gianfranca Balestra, “Introduzione” a Il grande Gatsby, Marsilio, Venezia 2011. - Edmond L. Volpe, “A Rose for Emily” in A Reader’s Guide to William Faulkner, New Publisher 2021. - Nadia Fusini, "Sylvia, perché la poesia?", in Sylvia Plath, Opere, I Meridiani Mondadori, 2002, pp. XI-LVI. - Claudine Raynaud, “Beloved or the Shifting Shapes of Memory”, in The Cambridge Companion to Toni Morrison, ed. Justine Tally, Cambridge UP 2007.

The course will alternate between lecture-based sessions, during which the teacher will present the historical, cultural, and biographical context of the authors studied, and seminar-style meetings focused on student-led reading and analysis of the texts. Active participation will be expected through in-class discussions, presentations, and individual contributions. Each week, specific chapters from the assigned novels or short stories will be indicated for reading in preparation for class. In some cases, students may be asked to write short abstracts or presentations to be shared and discussed collectively.