NCHU Course Outline
Course Name (中) 美國文學:二十世紀前(3022)
(Eng.) American Literature before the 20th Century
Offering Dept Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
Course Type Required Credits 3 Teacher LIN, JIAN-GUANG
Department Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures/Undergraduate Language 中/英文 Semester 2025-FALL
Course Description This course is a survey of American literature, beginning with the
colonial period to the end of American Civil War. Students will read a diverse of literary
works renowned in the history of American literature. Through reading these works,
students are expected to have a mastery of a significant portion of American literary
heritage, improve their skills in reading and analyzing literary works, and cultivate their
critical thinking ability.
Prerequisites
self-directed learning in the course Y
Relevance of Course Objectives and Core Learning Outcomes(%) Teaching and Assessment Methods for Course Objectives
Course Objectives Competency Indicators Ratio(%) Teaching Methods Assessment Methods
By the end of the course, the students are expected to (1) identify key
ideas, authors, and works in the history of American literature before 1865, (2) better
understand the themes, metaphors, symbols, and other literary devices of a certain literary
work, (3) analyze literary works from historical, cultural, or ideological perspectives.

1.Foreign language skills
2.Professional expertise
50
50
Lecturing
Discussion
Exercises
Oral Presentation
Other
Attendance
Quiz
Assignment
Course Content and Homework/Schedule/Tests Schedule
Week Course Content
Week 1 Introduction
Week 2 Quiz 1
“Introduction: Beginnings to 1820”
Quiz 1; Group Presentation Schedule
“Introduction: Beginnings to 1820”
Columbus: “Letter to Ferdinand and Isabella Regarding the Fourth Voyage”
John Smith: The General History of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles
Week 3 Quiz 2
William Bradford: Of Plymouth Plantation
John Winthrop: “A Model of Christian Charity”
Week 4 Quiz 3
Mary Rowlandson: A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration
Edward Taylor: “Huswifery”

Jonathan Edwards: “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”
Film screening on the subject of early American history
Week 5 Quiz 4
Jonathan Edwards: “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”
Week 6 Quiz 5
Jean de Crevecoeur: Letters from an American Farmer
Week 7 Quiz 6
Washington Irving: “Rip Van Winkle”
Week 8 Pre-Midterm Review
Week 9 Midterm Exam
Week 10 Quiz 7
Ralph Waldo Emerson: Nature
Week 11 Quiz 8
Emerson: “The American Scholar”; “Self-Reliance”
Week 12 Quiz 9
Edgar Allen Poe: “The Raven”; “Annabel Lee”; “The Purloined Letter”
Week 13 Quiz 10
Poe: “The Philosophy of Composition”
Week 14 Quiz 11
Henry David Thoreau: Walden
Week 15 Final Exam
Week 16 National holiday, no classes due
self-directed
learning		    02.Viewing multimedia materials related to industry and academia.
Evaluation
1. Midterm Exam – 25%
2. Final Exam – 25%
3. Group Presentation – 10% (see Group Presentation Guidelines below)
4. Weekly Group Assignments – 20%
o These assignments relate to key topics discussed in class and are often submitted via I-Learning or Padlet. They may include creative tasks, short responses, or collaborative reflections.
5. Quizzes and Attendance – 20%
o A short quiz will be given at the beginning of class and counts for 10% of the term grade. Students who miss the quiz will also be marked absent for that day.
6. Voluntary Class Discussion and Participation – 5%
o Extra effort in contributing to class discussion will be noted and rewarded.
Textbook & other References
Norton Anthology of American Literature (shorter tenth edition)
Teaching Aids & Teacher's Website

Office Hours
Tuesday 10:00-11:00, and by appointment


Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs(Link URL)
04.Quality Educationinclude experience courses：N
Please respect the intellectual property rights and use the materials legally.Please respect gender equality.
Update Date, year/month/day：2025/08/05 18:10:42 Printed Date, year/month/day：2025 / 8 / 19
The second-hand book website：http://www.myub.com.tw/