Department of English

English 2130  ETHNIC AMERICAN LITERATURE   Spring, 2026
AMERICAN INDIAN LITERATURE AND CULTURE: Fiction, Film, Memoir, Poem and Song

Everybody has a story, God gave us each a song;   
That’s how we know who we are,                            
That’s how we know we belong.          
“Making A Noise,”  Robbie Robertson, First Nations, Iroquois Confederacy, Canada

Leon Lewis    Office: 244 Sanford     Email:@appstate.edu       
HOURS:  M W 2:30-3:30, and by arrangement as needed       
Section 101 - Online Asynchronous
Section 102 - Online Asynchronous

           

The scholar T. J. Arant has suggested that “mankiller” might be better understood as “Village Protector.”

Whether or not one likes to acknowledge it, America has always been a multicultural society….Though the concept of multiculturalism was generated out of a need to redress the myth of a western European-derived American monoculture in which its true diversity has been whited out, there is much more  to multiculturalism than ethnicity alone….Ethnicity is of course an extremely important element, but in its fullest and most positive sense multiculturalism is all-embracing.

Whatever cultures we hail from and identify with, and however we define them, each of us is both a product and an element of this multicultural heritage….To the poets who draw their inspiration directly from the wellsprings of their ethnic heritage, the matter of a lost and suppressed language is crucial….And when a culture’s language is lost, the means of conveying the unique conceptual structures of that culture is obliterated as well, which is precisely why such linguistic extermination occurs.

The creative power of language is infinite. [Poetry] stands as testament to that power and to the ferment of voices that is American literature. 
- J. J. Philips, Introduction, The Before Columbus Foundation Poetry Anthology
“The voice of an ancient age/dreaming of breath,”
- Round Valley Songs, William Oandasan, U’kmomn’o, Round Valley Reservation, California (North Coast) 
"And There Is Always One More Story,”
- Simon Ortiz, Acoma Pueblo

At the heart of any indigenous community, you will find its stories. Stories passed on by word of mouth, through expressive art forms, and in writing all respond in creative and adaptive ways to the changing histories, lifeways, and circumstances of Native American peoples. Studying a variety of literary forms used by indigenous artists across a wide arc of history, this survey class explores some of the most impactful and acclaimed literary works from indigenous America. In the course of our reading and discussion, we’ll engage the ideas and contexts these powerful works of imagination and persuasion invite us to consider.

Christopher Teuton, (Cherokee Nation), “Course Description,” Professor, Department of American Indian Studies, University of Washington
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COURSE CONTENT: An Outline to be developed further as the course continues

Among other artifacts for exploration, English 2130 will include:

• Sherman Alexie, Selections from One Stick Song; “This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona;” Smoke Signals, the film adapted from the story by Alexie with the director Chris Eyre; “Dear John Wayne,” a two-actor dialogue perhaps to be performed
• N. Scott Momaday, The Way To Rainy Mountain; “The Man Made of Words”
• Sean Teuton, “A Sermon Preached on the execution of Moses Paul”
• Louise Erdrich, “Saint Marie,” and selected poems
• Gerald Vizenor, “Almost Browne”
• Luther Standing Bear, “My People the Sioux”
• Chief Tecumseh, “Speech to the Osage”

Poetry by Joy Harjo, Simon Ortiz, Linda Hogan, Leslie Marmon Silko, among other writers

Cinematic depictions of Indigenous culture by non-Indian directors, including:

• Hombre: Martin Ritt (1967)
  
• Geronimo: An American Legend, Walter Hill (1993)
  
• Thunderheart: Michael Apted (1992)
  
• Reservation Dogs – TV Series 2021>Present

 The Cherokee syllabary – Linguistic preservation as cultural resuscitation

Athletics:  Jim Thorpe > Billy Mills >Janee’ Kassanavoid

Representations of American Indian culture as appropriated by various commercial entities
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 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• To introduce one of the most vital elements of the American literary tradition through the exploration of the essential contributions of Native American artists
• To develop an understanding of the historical, political and cultural contexts in which Indigenous literature exists as a form of story/song telling
• To demonstrate, through the practice of writing, the capacity for critical thinking about the creative endeavors of American Indian artists
• To thoughtfully and diligently engage the ideas and knowledge manifest in the various forms of expression of identity, heritage and values of First Nations communities as revealed by the course materials
• To sharpen analytical, interpretive, and expressive skills through conversation with peers concerning the matter of the course

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EVALUATION

For purposes of evaluation, students will be asked to write in response to selected stories, poems and films. The specific details, approaches, methods and subject matter for each assignment will be discussed prior to the date an assignment must be completed. There will be two essays of this type, one at midsemester, and the other as a Final Written Assignment. In addition to in-class activities such as quizzes and brief commentaries, Forums on the class AsULearn site will be an indication of participation in the flow of the class and a record of responsibility. The Forums will not be individually assessed, and will not detract from the course grade, but may provide additional evidence of devotion to the practices of the class. 

RENTAL TEXT:  To be determined and/or developed.
LOCAL RESOURCES:  (The ASU Library collection):

• Teuton, Christopher. Deep Waters: The Textual Continuum in American Indian Literature
  
• Teuton, Sean Kicummah. Red Land, Red Power: Grounding  Knowledge in the American Indian Novel.
                           ______________________. Native American Literature: A Very Short Introduction
• Treuer, David. Native American Fiction: A User’s Manual.
                           ______________________. The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee.
• Vizenor, Gerald. Fugitive Poses: Native American Scenes of Absence and Presence
  
• Lewis, L. H. Sherman Alexie: Critical Insights 

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PROCEDURES

As the Undergraduate Bulletin states:

 Students are expected to attend every meeting of their classes, and are responsible for class attendance. No matter what bases exist for absence, students are held accountable for course activities.  Of course, an explanation of the “bases for absence” will always be respected (and expected).  As an asynchronous course, the schedule of “class meetings” will have a more flexible character, as will be explained.

English 2130 is conducted in accordance with the University Academic Code, which states:

 As a community of learners at ASU, we must create an atmosphere of honesty, fairness and responsibility, without which we cannot earn the trust and respect of each other. Furthermore, we recognize that academic dishonesty detracts from the value of an Appalachian degree. Therefore, we shall not tolerate lying, cheating, or stealing in any form and will oppose instances of academic dishonesty. This course will follow the provisions of the Academic Integrity Code, which can be found on the Office of Student Conduct Web site:  www.studentconduct.appstate.edu.

The course will cooperate fully with the University policy with respect to accommodations for students with disabilities, and other individual needs. See www.eds.appstate.edu for a full explanation of related matters, including religious observances, emergency absences, and other matters pertinent to the integrity of our mission as members of the ASU community.                  

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