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Study Locally

Program Overview: 

The Study Locally program aims to deepen students' understanding of literature by incorporating Alabama’s literary and historical heritage into the ENG 102 curriculum. The course will focus on short stories by Alabama authors, narratives that explore Alabama’s history, or stories set in Alabama. By studying local works and visiting key historical and literary landmarks, students will gain a stronger connection between the literature they analyze and the cultural and historical context that shaped these stories.

The program includes field trips to locations in and around central Alabama tied to the themes of the selected short stories. These trips will serve as immersive learning experiences, helping students engage with the settings, history, and themes of the literature in a tangible, local context.

 

Course Justification:

1. Connection to Local Culture and History: By focusing on Alabama writers and settings, students can relate more personally to the texts, fostering a deeper appreciation for both literature and local history.

2. Enhancing Critical Thinking: Engaging with literature rooted in their own state’s culture encourages students to critically analyze themes of identity, place, and history, strengthening their analytical skills.

3. Interdisciplinary Approach: The program integrates literature with history, sociology, and geography, offering a holistic learning experience that extends beyond traditional literary analysis.

4. Community Engagement: Field trips to significant historical and literary sites will connect students to the broader cultural community of Alabama and help them appreciate the local contributions to national literary movements.

Note: The course outline is an example and final course material decisions have not been made

Course Outline:

Unit 1: Introduction to Alabama Literature

· Overview of notable Alabama authors (e.g., Harper Lee, Zora Neale Hurston, Rick Bragg, Mary Ward Brown, Truman Capote).

· Exploration of themes common in Alabama literature: race, identity, history, and place.

Unit 2: Short Stories by Alabama Authors

· Selections from authors such as Truman Capote ("Children on Their Birthdays") or Zora Neale Hurston ("The Conscience of the Court").

· Writing assignment: A rhetorical analysis essay focusing on the themes of place and identity.

Unit 3: Stories Set in Alabama

· Analysis of short stories like Harper Lee’s unpublished short fiction or Mark Childress’s works.

· Class discussion: How does setting influence character development and plot?

Unit 4: Alabama History in Literature

· Exploring stories set during key historical events in Alabama, such as the Civil Rights Movement.

· Comparison essays on how different authors portray Alabama's history in their stories.

Unit 5: Field Trips and Local Application

· Visits to historical and literary landmarks in central Alabama.

· Reflection papers connecting field experiences with course readings.

· *unit 5 will be immersed within units 1-4, not necessarily a stand alone unit

 

Field Trip Locations (Central Alabama)

1. The Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum (Montgomery, AL) Justification: This museum celebrates the life and works of F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, who lived briefly in Montgomery. Students will gain insight into Alabama’s influence on the Fitzgeralds' writing and their role in American literature. Connection to Coursework: Discuss Zelda’s autobiographical writings and how her experiences in Alabama shaped her work.

Image taken from The Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald Museum Home Page

2. The Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site (Tuskegee, AL) Justification: A site central to African American history, especially during the time of Booker T. Washington and the Tuskegee Airmen. Connection to Coursework: Students can explore the impact of African American

history in Alabama literature, particularly in the works of Zora Neale Hurston and Ralph Ellison, whose stories reflect themes of race and identity.

Image taken from the National Park Foundation webpage

3. The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (Birmingham, AL) Justification: This museum is critical for understanding Alabama’s pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement, which has been a central theme in much of the state’s literature. Connection to Coursework: Analysis of short works that address civil rights and social justice in Alabama (Like MLK’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail), linking literature to the real historical context seen at the museum.

Image taken from the Birmingham Civil Rights Exhibit webpage. 

4. Harper Lee’s Hometown (Monroeville, AL) Justification: Known as the "Literary Capital of Alabama," Monroeville is home to Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird. Connection to Coursework: Field trip would provide students with a chance to explore the town that inspired Maycomb and discuss how Lee’s short stories also reflect life in small-town Alabama.

Image taken from the Bitter Southerner article on Monroeville.