On Introducing American Literature to College Students

To limit the term “American Literature” to the works of white American males is a mistake.  The time has come to fully expand syllabi and give “minorities” writers their full place in the canon.  Works by women, people of color, and various minorities are to be integrated with the established master works in the field.  Through literature, students are to learn about humanity, others’ feelings and lives, and patterns of human existence outside the classroom.  They are to learn about different periods of history represented by a variety of writers rather than by aspecific type of writers.
Any anthology that is intended to introduce students to literature should focus on presenting a variety of literary works through providing different genres (fiction, poetry, and drama), and avoiding excessive emphasis on one author, genre, theme, or race.  Today, different cultures should be understood and recognized particularly after the emergence of the Internet technology where the world becomes one village.  I will discuss how and what literature should be introduced to college students.