ENG 557: Canon, Canonicity & Coverage

This course will examine the concept of a literacy canon. How was the canon formed, how has it changed, and what is its place, if any, in current English studies? Are there particular works or authors that everyone must read, and how do these must reads change over time and across cultures? An important part of this course will be each student's review of her/his English studies to detect gaps in coverage, even as we debate the worthiness of the coverage concept as a facet of teacher preparation. Each student will construct and complete a reading list to mend the gaps in his/her background.