Contemporary American Fiction in the European Classroom: Teaching and Texts
Edited by Laurence W. Mazzeno and Sue Norton
Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan, 2022
349 pages
ISBN 978-3-030-94165-9; ISBN 978-3-030-94166-6 (eBook)

Contemporary American Fiction in the European Classroom: Teaching and Texts, edited by Laurence W. Mazzeno and Sue Norton, fills a gap in research by exploring the subject of teaching literature at university through a compilation of essays written by professors of American literature at various higher-education institutions across Europe. The interdisciplinary field of American Studies, which includes American literature, emerged in European classrooms after the end of World War II, and it has become popular among students of literary studies. This book provides a glimpse into the list of authors and works of fiction that are part of the syllabus, with each part of the book examining a different aspect of education, such as content, methodology, lessons, and historical background.

The first part is titled “Why Teach…?” and consists of five chapters, each providing a reason for teaching a particular literary work in a university setting. The initial chapter serves as an introduction. Chapter two, “Toni Morrison’s A Mercy in Hungary: Racialized Discourse in the Classroom,” was written by Ágnes Zsófia Kovács, who added the female African American writer to the syllabi of both undergraduate and postgraduate courses at the University of Szeged, because she believes that Morrison “set out to provide an alternative knowledge about the history of African American women” (17). Hungarian students, who do not experience racial discrimination to the extent Americans do due to the lack of ethnic diversity in the country, are required to do a close reading of A Mercy (2008) and write a paper based on their reflections. Kovács’s purpose with the exercise is to encourage students to establish connections with other novels they had previously read by Morrison and other African American authors and to raise tentative topics for discussion. The conclusion Professor Kovács has drawn from the students’ papers is that students are more interested in exploring psychological issues, such as the complex mother-daughter relationship, than they are in immersing themselves in the historiographical concerns that are brought up by Morrison. The author of the essay highlights the fact that a literature professor’s task is twofold. She must direct the attention of students to the significant role of historiographical issues by bringing authentic contemporary documents into the classroom on the one hand, while motivating students to express their individual concerns rather than relying on works of literary criticism.

Harriet Stilley, from the university of Edinburgh, contributed to the book with her chapter, “Charles Yu’s Interior Chinatown (2020) in Europe as an Evaluative Tool of U.S. Race Relations: ‘When you think American, what color do you see?’” in which she examines the image and (mis)representation of Asian Americans in the U.S. According to Stilley, Yu’s novel can be a powerful instrument to help students re-evaluate their perception of racial issues and the role of stereotypical representation of Asian Americans. She also includes recent examples of violent attacks against Asian Americans following the breakout of the coronavirus pandemic in her discussion. Stilley emphasizes “the importance of inhabiting contested spaces through everyday practices that have transformative possibilities” by involving students in dynamic dialogues about the juxtaposition of racial representations and social realities (43).

Chapter 4, titled “Octavia Butler at a Swedish University: Gender, Genre, and Intercultural Encounters,” was written by Maria Holmgren Troy, who teaches Wild Seed (1980) by Octavia Butler at Karlstad University in Sweden. She notes the increasing interest of Swedish university students in American literature and culture. Apart from discussing the historical aspect of the novel, Troy emphasizes how interested students are in the topics of gender inequality and sexual harassment in a country where equality is of utmost importance, especially at the time of the #MeToo movement (56).

Biljana Dojčinović and Nemanja Glintić, from the university of Belgrade, offer insight into teaching the works of John Updike to students from various age groups, as they, unlike the other contributors, digress from the university classroom and include their experience with primary school students as well. Their main purpose is to encourage reader-response; therefore, each week, after undergraduate students have read a designated work by Updike, the professor provides contextual background. Topics such as intertextuality, gender, and sexism are discussed in PhD courses. Dojčinović and Glintić were curious to see how relevant Updike could be in a primary school environment, so they offered Friends from Philadelphia (1954) as a task for younger students to read and were pleasantly surprised when they witnessed a lively, intelligent conversation among them. Updike’s work armed primary school students with the vocabulary to express their own experience and concerns. As a result, the authors determined that Updike is still relevant and valuable for students of different ages.

In her essay, “Contemporary American Women Writers in Romania,” Ana-Karina Schneider compiles a curriculum of female novelists for her classroom at Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Romania. Like the situation in Hungary in chapter one, her students are not familiar with the complexity of ethnic diversity in the United States, so her course’s aim is to enlighten and broaden their knowledge regarding the struggles of female writers along with other marginalized groups they inspired. Schneider believes that the purpose of the classroom is to “provide a safe, judgement-free environment for students to exercise tolerance, mindfulness, and a more thorough understanding of diversity” (84).

The chapters in the second part of the book aptly titled “How to Teach…?” address the methodologies professors use in their classroom. Chapter 7, “Thomas Pynchon and David Foster Wallace: Contextualizing the ‘Systems Novel’ in Estonia,” was written by Toon Staes. He asks his students to read Gravity Rainbow (1973) by Pynchon and Infinite Jest (1996) by Wallace, both of which are difficult to read and challenge their readers to identify with the stories. Classes begin with a brainstorming session, where students are faced with specific questions about the novel with the intention of arming them with the ability to form well-structured arguments. This method allows students to realize that “literature does not have to be well-behaved to raise ethical awareness” (109).

One intriguing and somewhat unusual method is used at Sorbonne University by Surya Bowyer, which is described in detail in chapter 8, titled “Donald Barthelme at Sorbonne University: Narrative, Internet Memes, and the ‘Rise of Capitalism’ (1970).” Bowyer’s students initially encounter the story in an aural format: the text is read to them twice, after which they are required to interpret the story. It is only in the last step that they get access to the written text. They need to summarize the story in one simple sentence, which can be a struggle. To ease the process of prioritizing the sequences, Bowyer capitalizes on the tool of memes which resonates with students and helps them understand the narrative workings of Barthelme’s stories better. This unique approach increases the engagement of students in the classroom.

Another way to attract students to a course is through offering science fiction novels as reading material. In her chapter, “The (Post)Apocalypse in Hungary: American Science Fiction and Social Analysis,” Vera Benczik explains how she uses the genre in a creative way. After guiding students through the features and nuances of science fiction, Benczik asks them to write their own apocalyptic, posthuman stories in a Hungarian setting. This way, student engagement is maximized and multifaceted, and vivid topics are covered. Benczik warns professors to be thoughtful and careful during the selection process of the reading material, as certain subjects may have unforeseen effects on the students; she suggests choosing the readings in cooperation with the students to avoid uncomfortable situations.

The final chapter in the second part of the book was written by Astrid M. Fellner, under the title “Gloria Anzaldúa at European Universities: Straddling Borders of Fiction and Identity.” Borderlands/La Frontera (1987) touches upon the subjects of race, colonialism, multicultural feminism, class, and border. By adding it to the syllabus, Fellner encourages students to approach American Studies from a transnational perspective. She argues that American literature is not exclusively written in English, thus attempting to develop critical thinking and awareness of ethnic diversity in her students. Borderlands focuses on multilingualism, whereupon students are encouraged to use all three official languages of instruction in Luxembourg, to allow them to realize their learning potential.

The essays of part three—“What Lessons Might be Gained by…?”—take a closer look at the lessons students take away from certain reading material. In chapter 11, “Teaching Chimamanda Ngozi’s Americanah (2013) in Ireland: ‘If you don’t understand, ask questions’,” Clare Hayes-Brady strives to draw attention to the lack of diversity in Irish academia by discussing the topics of “critical race theory, gendered and racialized experiences, class and education” that are raised in Americanah (170).

“Teaching Philip Roth in Denmark: It’s Complicated,” by Clara Juncker, is a chapter that faces the challenges of its topic head-on. Roth is a controversial literary figure who was accused of misogyny, and the essay deals with topics that have ambivalent effects on students in Denmark. They appreciate both the themes of death and loss, as they are relatable, and the vulnerability of male characters. In contrast, the way he writes about aging outrages students, which results in intense and constructive discussions within the classroom. According to Juncker, teaching the works of controversial authors is difficult but rewarding, as the works bring forward dynamic dialogues.

Chapter 13 was written by Teresa Botelho and titled, “Teaching Post-Black Aesthetics and the Coming-of-Age Novels of Danzy Senna and Colson Whitehead in Portugal: Reconsidering the Gap.” Portuguese academia is characterized by an interdisciplinary approach; therefore, various minority literary works are included in the curriculum. Students are obliged to start discussions about the reading assignments with a focus on racial and ethnic identity formation. According to Botelho, these novels fuel productive debates among students regarding “dynamics of identification, desire-to-be, and passing performance” (211).

Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead (2004) is the main topic of the essay written by Andrew Tate titled “Teaching Marilynne Robinson, Democracy and the Mystery of American Belonging through the Post-Christian Eyes of Millennial Brits: ‘Homesick for a place I never left’.” Due to its theological approach, it is difficult for students to identify with Gilead. It is a letter written by a minister and it is concerned with issues of religion, race, and grief, leading to sensitive classroom discussions. Students are stimulated by questions of tension within a community and its connection to the world.

C. Parker Krieg’s chapter, “Teaching Jesmyn Ward and William T. Vollmann in Finland: Genres of Environmental Justice,” explores the role of environmental justice as an urgent contemporary issue in the classroom setting. Students are asked to do a comparative reading of the works of the two authors with careful consideration of “the critical framework that probes the relationship between narrative culture and the naturalization of particular social inequalities” (240). In this way, Krieg attempts to display the connection between environmental issues and social inequalities to his students.

The fourth section is titled “What Light from the Recent Past…?” and includes two chapters that introduce a historical background to American Studies in Europe. “A Backward Glance o’er American Fiction in French Academia” by Sylvie Mathé offers a peek into how American literature has become both part of the curriculum and popular among French students. The role of Marice-Edgar Coindreau is undeniable in the process, for he translated over 35 books written by American authors into French. Furthermore, the American library in Paris has become the most important research center for American Studies scholars in Europe. In the 1960s and 1970s, African American literature, along with women’s and gender studies, have gained recognition, while recently, ethnic writings, apocalyptic, and post-apocalyptic works of fiction are among the more popular areas of research.

“American Literature: A Tale of Two Polands” was written by Robert Morace, who had the opportunity to teach at Polish universities—from 1985 to 1987 within the frameworks of the Fulbright program, and in 2018 as part of a faculty exchange program. In his chapter, Morace compares the experiences of the two occasions. He describes his first time in Poland as eerie and isolated because accessing books in English was a struggle for him. American literary works had been used for different purposes throughout the history of the country. Morace noted that, “when times were good, reactions to American cultural production had mainly an aesthetic character and when times were bad, American cultural products served as tools with which to fight the regime” (278). By 2018, Morace observes, American Studies has become a flourishing field of study in Warsaw.

The final part, “Additional Resources,” contains one chapter titled “Incorporating One’s Own Literary Criticism into the Curriculum: The Teachable Essay via John Updike’s Short Stories,” written by Sue Norton. Norton uses Updike’s The Maples Stories (1979) in her classroom to encourage students to write literary criticism. They are provided with the primary text and must do their own research to unearth relevant secondary sources about the primary reading before composing their own thoughts in an original way. Norton encourages her students to express themselves, as it would be “un-American if it failed to encourage freedom of expression” (295).

In conclusion, Contemporary American Fiction in the European Classroom delivers on its promise and provides its readers with an overview of the current situation of teaching American literary works in Europe from different aspects. The contributors are professors from various European countries—including Romania, Sweden, Serbia, Hungary, England, Portugal, Finland, Denmark, France, Belgium, Germany, Poland, and Ireland—who do their best to customize the syllabi of their courses based on the socio-cultural background, prior knowledge, and interest of their students, while considering the timeliness and relevance of the topic at hand. Each chapter answers the questions posed in the title. The essays of chapter one, for example, provide reasons why teaching certain literary works is constructive and useful in a European classroom, as they raise awareness of cultural, ethnic, and racial differences and diversity. The contributors, as educators, use various methods to establish a proactive classroom environment that encourages critical thinking. Evidently, literary studies has become a significant part of American Studies, and institutions across the continent offer a wide selection of courses and programs which cover diverse issues and topics of American literature and culture.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.