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Spring 2021 Semester

ASIAN AMERICAN STUDIES 322 (#5255): CHINESE AMERICAN LANGUAGE & LITERATURE Time: W 4:00-6:45 Location: online via email contacts

Descriptions: Survey and critical analyses of the community heritage language, literary writings, and performing arts of Chinese America prior to the 1980s, with focus on the cultural sensibility of being Chinese American.

This course satisfies partial graduation requirements in AAS major and minor, This course requires writing essays on regular basis

Consult the University Bulletin on using this course to meet GE requirements: Upper Division Overlay: American Ethnic and Racial Minorities; Social Justice UD-C: Creativity, Innovation, and Invention UD-C: Enduring Ideas, Values, and Achievements UD-C: Ethical Reasoning and Action UD-C: Human Diversity UD-C: Life in the San Francisco Bay Area and/or CA UD-C: Social Justice & Civic Knowledge/Engagement UD-C: Personal and Community Well-Being

Instructor: M. K. Hom Office: EP104 – inaccessible due to campus shut-down Office Hours: via email Email: [email protected] (for class-related matters only)

Texts: 1. M. Hom. Songs of Gold Mountain (U of California Press, 1992, paper back) You have to secure this book; copies are available from instructor on loan upon request

2. “AAS322 Class Reader” (need a 1G-capacity jump-drive or CD to download the electronic copy of the Class Reader from instructor, ASAP)

Grades: Written assignments/essays: 70 Comparative Book critique: 30 Total: 100 pts; min. to pass: 51 pts (Extra Credits: Up to 5 points) General Guidelines:

1. You need to make arrangement on your own to acquire the textbook Songs of Gold Mountain

a) Prepare all the reading assignments as scheduled in the class syllabus.

2. Take-home essays will be randomly given during the semester. 20% off on late assignment; no late submission after 24 hours. (70% of your grade)

3. Book Critique: Based on your submitted annotated bibliography of four (4) books; select two books from these four for the final book critique. It should be a comparative critique on two books of Chinese American literature (BOOKS! not chapters or parts of a book) published since the 1980s by different Chinese American male and female writers. Books reprinted from pre-1980 original publications are not acceptable; books on arts, history, politics, or any other non-literature subjects are not acceptable. A book critique (approx. 6-8 pages) must consist of: a) full publication data, b) a brief—no more than 25% of your paper—summary and c) an extensive analysis (evaluation/critique) on the two books. Recommended format: MLA style sheet (cf. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers) or follow a standard book review format. You will be randomly select to present the critique in class. (30% of your grade)

4. All written essay assignments must be typewritten, double-spaced with standard margins. Follow a standard format for essay writings. 10% off on any take-home assignment submitted

without pagination, inappropriate or imprecise thematic title/topic to identify the focus/theme/premise of your essay.

5. Extra Credits: You may earn up to 5 points towards your final grade by participating in additional activities beyond the classroom. Example: independent research on a particular topic pertinent to Chinese in America, Chinese American cultural events, special research on Chinese American language/literature/culture, etc., with prior approval from instructor.

6. You are welcome to email me during my office hours or by appointment to discuss subject matters pertinent to you in this class.

Important Dates: March 1 Annotated bibliography (for book critique) due May 12 Book critique due AAS 322 - TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE –

WEEK TOPIC & READING ASSIGNMENTS (from CLASS-READER unless *specified)

1/27 ORIENTATION TO THE COURSE – THE NATURE OF ETHNIC-ASIAN AMERICAN LITERATURE Start preparing an annotated bibliography on at least four books on Chinese American literature published after the 1980s. After approval, you will select two books from this list for your book critique

1. IMAGES OF CHINESE AMERICANS IN AMERICAN POP CULTURE BEFORE THE 20TH CENTURY

The Coming Man: 19th Century American Perceptions of the Chinese (1994) – an extra-credit exercise

2/03 2. CHINESE AMERICAN NAMES & COMMUNITY LANGUAGE: A BRIEF SURVEY Reading: Dong & Hom: “Chinatown Chinese”

2/10 3. CHINESE AMERICAN LITERATURE: EARLY PERIOD

Reading: *Hom: “Introduction” in Songs of Gold Mountain 2/17 3.1 EARLY CHINESE AMERICAN VERSES Readings: Angel Island immigration poems

*Hom, Songs of Gold Mountain – chapters: 1,2,3,4,5,6,8,10,11 2/24 3.1 CHINESE AMERICAN LITERATURE: EARLY PERIOD – CON’T

3.1 EARLY CHINESE AMERICAN VERSES –CON’T

!! Annotated bibliography for the Final book critique due this week !!

3/3 3.2 EARLY CHINESE AMERICAN NARRATIVES (SHORT STORIES) Readings: Sui Sin Far: “Wisdom of the New,” “The Americanizing of Pao Tsu,” In the Land of the Free,” “Lin John,” “The Story of One White Woman,” & “Her Chinese Husband”

3/10 3.2 EARLY CHINESE AMERICAN NARRATIVES (SHORT STORIES) – CON’T

3/17 4. CHINESE AMERICAN IDENTITY: A DEBATE IN THE 1930S Readings: The 1936 Ging Hawk Club Essay Contest

3/24 Spring Break - no class meeting Keep up on your readings for the final book critique assignment

3/31 Holiday -- campus closed - no class meeting

4/7 5. CHINATOWN LITERATURE IN THE 1940S Readings: Selections from the China Daly News supplement (Bao Gao Ban, 1988)

4/14 6. CHINESE AMERICAN POETRY SINCE THE 1950S Readings: Diana Chang: selections Wing Tek Lum: selections Eric Chock: selection

Laureen Mar: selections Alan Lau: selections

Russell Leong: selection

4/21 6.1 CHINESE AMERICAN POETRY SINCE THE 1950S - CON’T

7. CHINESE AMERICAN SHORT STORIES SINCE THE 1950S Readings: Monfoon Leong: “New Year for Fong Wing,” “Number One Son,” “A Good Burial” Frank Chin: “The Only Real Day,” “Food for All His Dead” Jeffery P. Chan: “Jackrabbit” Darrell Lum: “Yahk Fahn, Auntie,” “Beer Can Hat” H.Y. Pai: “A Day in Pleasantville,” “One Winter Evening”

4/28 7.1 CHINESE AMERICAN SHORT STORIES SINCE THE 1950S – CON’T

5/5 8. CHINESE AMERICAN BIOGRAPHICAL /AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL NARRATIVES Readings: Maxine Hong Kingston: “No Name Woman,” “Grandfather of Sierra…” S. J. Leung: “A Laundryman Sings the Blues” Yuen T. Gong: “A Gold Mountain Man’s Memoir”

5/12 Book critique due; semester ends; No final examination for AAS322 during final examination week