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A more equal canon: Bringing American minority voices to Polish classrooms

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Lamar L.-M.

Beyond Philology: An International Journal of Linguistics, Literary Studies and English Language Teaching

2011

issue 8

139-151

In this paper I will discuss the importance of introducing minority voices when teaching American literature in Polish universities, and explore the multi-layered process necessary in doing so. I will argue that an interactive approach is essential in giving students a real understanding of diversity in America through literature. As examples of diverse American literature I will consider some writers already included in the standard American canon, such as William Faulkner and James Baldwin, and others who, though not canonical, represent important perspectives in the fabric of the American literary landscape, including Zadie Smith and David Sedaris. I will explore the ways in which these texts represent aspects of American diversity that are necessary for Polish students seeking to understand the American experience. Into this discussion of multiple voices, I will interweave my own account of the teaching process, beginning with choosing writers who accurately represent the complex cultural experience of America, to referencing the cultural background of the students, to offering concrete information about the cultural context of the writing under discussion. I will conclude with a discussion of the ways in which accurate readings of American literary diversity inform students’ broader understanding of American literature, and provide suggestions for others interested in teaching such a course.

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1 Beyond Philology: An International Journal of Linguistics, Literary Studies and English Language Teaching

1 Lamar L.-M.

1 2011

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A more equal canon: Bringing American minority voices to Polish classrooms