Over the past century, major American authors have imagined the arrival of
fascism on the Potomac. A bully, a braggart, an anti-Semite, a menacing drunk—all
these are characters in the great push to Make America Fascist.
This course invites students of American literature, history, psychology (and
other fields) to join in discussing the Achilles heel of American democracy: What would
happen if voters made the wrong choice in a presidential election. The excerpts the
class reads will be supplemented with context and historical periods. A schedule of
readings is attached; all are in English. Please keep up with readings as the class
moves quickly.
A demagogue elected President of the U.S. or other nations? What does
History say? Famous American authors such Olivia Butler and Philip Roth have
considered the damage that could do to democracy and to our environment, worldwide.
Course Schedule
March 6 Alexis de Tocqueville: the Achilles Heel of
American Democracy; historical background
March 7 Sinclair Lewis: American Red
March 8 Philip Roth: American Noir
March 9 Octavia Butler: dystopian fiction
March 10 Philip K. Dick: How History and Literature Interact
Schedule of Readings
March 6 Alexis de Tocqueville: Democracy in America,
“What Sort of Despotism Democratic Nations Have to Fear”
Philip Roth: The Plot against America, “Afterword”
March 7 Sinclair Lewis: It Can’t Happen Here, excerpts
March 8 Philip Roth: The Plot Against America, excerpts
March 9 Octavia E. Butler: Parable of the Sower, excerpts
Bibliography
Bellamy, Edward. Looking Backward. 1888. New York: Signet, 1960.
Berger, John. In These Times. May 12, 1980.:14.
Butler, Octavia. Parable of the Sower. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 1933, p. 7–27, 47–59,
153–166, 245–259, 318–329.
de Tocqueville, Alexis. Democracy in America. New York: Mentor, 1956, p. 301–307.
Dick, Philip K. The Man in The High Castle. New York: Mariner Books, 1962. Pp.7-14; 22-28; 70-78;
132-136; 250-274.
Hutchison, James M., ed. Sinclair Lewis: New Essays and Criticisms. Troy, NY: Whitston, 1997.
Lepore, Jill. “No, We Cannot.” New Yorker (June 5, 2017): 104.
Lewis, Sinclair. It Can’t Happen Here. New York: Signet, 2014, p. v–xv, 26–61, 134–147, 283–289,
333–397. Scharnhorst, Gary. “Afterword.”
London, Jack. The Iron Heel. London: The Journeyman Press, 1980.
Roth, Philip. The Plot Against America. New York: Vintage Books, 2004, p. 12–19, 36–40, 52–56,
174–179, 227–230, 306–327, 364–372, 380–385.
LITERATURE/HISTORY OF AMERICAN FASCISM. VIDEO LIST
DAY ONE
Alexis De Toqueville (7:04)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rzr3AOtFA8o
DAY TWO
It Can’t Happen Here, Can it? 3:51:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxJWw7WAlLo
DAY THREE
The Plot Against America and Philip Roth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFs5kbx8qT8
Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwMwrft7So8
DAY FOUR
Remembering Octavia Butler: (On Democracy Now)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0UgiE8vYuI
From beginning until 4:07
DAY FIVE
Amazon The Man In the High Castle Episode
One https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B086VXRXBT?ref_=atv_dp_pb_core
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