Class Description
From the sensationalist stories of violence and sex published in penny papers; to the revelatory and revolutionary political literature of writers like Ida B. Wells; to the high literary achievements of authors who now feature in the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame, like Sherwood Anderson and Theodore Dreiser, Chicago has been home to a treasure trove of American literature. This course explores what it is about Chicago that makes its literature so inventive, astonishing, and captivating. In particular, students will dwell on an era of change: the turn to the twentieth century. Chicagoans saw their city taken over in the 1893 World's Fair by scientists, architects, artists, and tourists from all walks of life. The possibilities for what humankind might achieve seemed endless. Authors living in Chicago dwelt on what it meant to enter a new era; what might be worth leaping toward, and what should be left behind. In this course, students will read the fiction that marked the turn of the century, namely the years 1892 until 1902.
The walking tour will be on 10/14. Please read our Walking Tour Policies. The rain date is 10/21.
Michaela Corning-Myers is a PhD Candidate at Northwestern University in the Department of English. Her dissertation argues that illness and medicine are vital to nineteenth-century literary genres, including American naturalism.
What to Expect
Format: In Person
Class Capacity: 18
Class Style: Mix of lecture and discussion; participation encouraged
Materials List
Required
- Theodore Dreiser, Sister Carrie. Penguin, 1994, originally 1900. ISBN: 9780140188288
- Frank Norris, The Pit. Penguin, 1994, originally 1903. ISBN: 9780140187588
- Erik Larson, Devil in the White City. Vintage, 2004. ISBN: 9780375725609
First Assignment
- Read chapters I-XI in Dreiser's Sister Carrie for the first session.
Cost and Registration
6 Sessions, $245 ($220.50 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member.
We offer our classes at three different price options: Regular ($245), Community Supported ($225), and Sponsor ($265)Following the models of other institutions, we want to ensure that our classes are accessible to a wider audience while continuing to support our instructors. You may choose the price that best fits your situation when registering through Learning Stream.
To register multiple people for this class, please go through the course calendar in Learning Stream, our registration platform. When you select the course and register, you’ll be prompted to add another registrant.
Having trouble signing up? Take a look at our step-by-step guide to registration by clicking here.
RegisterThe views and opinions expressed in this class and/or by the instructor are not necessarily representative of the Newberry. We aim to ensure that in our classes, participants can have respectful disagreement to foster critical thinking. This is a space to challenge and expand our own worldviews to work towards better understanding and appreciating humanity.
Support the Newberry
Your generosity is vital in keeping the library’s programs, exhibitions, and reading rooms free and accessible to everyone.
Make a GiftQuestions?
Call us at (312) 255-3700 or send us an email at adulteducation@newberry.org.
We are in office Tuesday through Thursday, 10 am–6 pm CT.
We are available by email Tuesday through Saturday.