The American West in Literature and Film 3301-LA2260-1ST
The course is concerned with literary and cinematic representations of the “West” as an American symbolic space. The West is defined here as an imaginative construct that can be ascribed to different physical spaces across time. The earliest narrative patterns describing the frontier life, such as captivity narratives, emerged in the colonial era; the survey of the narrative forms of representing the West begins with an analysis of such early texts. The early conventions were either solidified or modified in nineteenth-century novels by, among others, James Fenimore Cooper and Robert Montgomery Bird. The turn of the twentieth century saw the emergence of the Western as a variant of regional writing, derived from the so-called dime novel. In the course of the twentieth century the Western became conventionalized as a popular literary genre, on the one hand, and a variety of historical fiction, on the other. The postmodern turn brought about important reassessments of the ideological implications of the genre. Contemporary representations of the West are mostly connected with film therefore the course includes a discussion of three variants of the cinematic Western: the classical Western, the anti-Western and the post-Western.
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the classroom is governed by the rules set forth in Resolution No. 16 of the Teaching Council for the programs English Studies, English Studies – Linguistics, and English Studies – Literature and Culture of 9 December 2025
https://ia.uw.edu.pl/fileadmin/ilustracje/dokumenty/2026/RD_IA_2025_UCHWALA_nr16_narzedzia_AI_nowelizacja_ZAL2_EN.pdf
Three absences allowed
Course coordinators
Type of course
Learning outcomes
Knowledge
Students will have familiarity with:
K_W01 advanced terminology, theory and research methods corresponding to the state of the art in the disciplines of literary studies and culture and region studies within the domain of English Studies, in reference to regional cultures and literatures in the USA
K_W08 concepts and principles concerning the protection of intellectual property and copyright
Abilities
Students will be able to:
K_U01 apply advanced terminology, theory and research methods corresponding to the state of the art in the disciplines of literary studies and culture and region studies within the domain of English Studies, especially in reference to regional cultures and literatures in the USA
K_U08 apply the concepts and principles of intellectual property protection and copyright law
Social competences
Students will be ready to:
K_K01 critically appraise their knowledge and content obtained from various sources
K_K02 recognize the importance of knowledge in solving cognitive and practical problems; consult experts when required
Teaching effects for students beginning their studies in the academic years 2022/2023
Knowledge
Students will have familiarity with:
K_W02 advanced terminology, theory and research methods corresponding to the state of the art in the discipline of linguistics, in accordance with their chosen specialization (and educational path) within the domain of English Studies, with a focus on regional literatures of the United States
K_W03 advanced descriptive grammar of English
K_W05 historical development of the English language and its variability in different areas of language description, at an advanced level
K_W07 advanced structures, lexis and conventions of spoken and written English
Abilities
Students will be able to:
K_U01 apply advanced terminology, theory and research methods corresponding to the state of the art in the disciplines of literary studies and culture and region studies within the domain of English Studies, especially in reference to regional literatures of the United States
K_U02 apply advanced terminology, theory and research methods corresponding to the state of the art in the discipline of linguistics, in accordance with their chosen specialization (and educational path) within the domain of English Studies, especially in reference to regional literatures of the United States
K_U04 analyze at an advanced level literary works in connection with historical and cultural processes
K_U11 use modern technology to acquire knowledge and communicate through a variety of communication channels and techniques
Social competences
Students will be ready to:
K_K02 recognize the importance of knowledge in solving cognitive and practical problems; consult experts when required
K_K03 fulfill social obligations, co-organize activities for the benefit of the social environment
Assessment criteria
Grading on the basis of a final test.
Oral retake.
Bibliography
Readings
- Mary Rowlandson, „Narrative of Captivity and Restoration”
- excerpts from Catherine Sedgwick and Robert Montgomery Bird
- Bret Harte and Stephen Crane, selected short stories
- Owen Wister, The Virginian
- Zane Grey, short prose
- Jack Schaefer, Shane
- Walter Van Tilburg Clark, The Ox Bow Incident
- selected films (Raoul Walsh, John Ford, Sam Peckinpah)
Selected criticism:
- Henry Nash Smith, Virgin Land
- Richard Slotkin, The Fatal Environment
- Richard Slotkin, Gunfighter Nation
Notes
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Term 2026Z:
Three absences allowed |