Spring ’23–The British and American Novel between the Wars

This course will examine several modern British and American novels between the World Wars. Modernism is often considered as apart from or above politics, but we’ll deal head on with how these texts interact with the rising rival ideologies of fascism and liberalism, with a special focus on competing notions about free speech and censorship. We will read works from Claude, McKay, James Joyce, Zora Neale Hurston, Martha Gellhorn, and others. We will also watch some films, including Stagecoach, Casablanca, and Birth of a Nation.