Week 8 Forum: What Is American Literature?

Part I: Choose a main character in any of the short stories this week. Tell us about him or her. Describe the character physically and give us a few adjectives to describe his/her personality, using quotes from the reading as evidence. Would you like this person if you knew him or her? Why or why not. What is the main problem or conflict in the character's life. Do you feel he/she handled the problem well or poorly?

Part II: Based on all the readings done up to this point, what, in your opinion, are the most important characteristics that distinguish American literature? Do you think that our literature is a good representation of 'American Identity'?

Part III: What contemporary author do you think will represent the early 21st century in an American literature class of the future? What do you think this writer brings to the table that is representative of American life or that shows a distinct and important cultural trend or message/theme that is worth studying?