This course aims to inspire the development of a critical vocabulary for analysis of the formal conventions of film, especially as they bear on literary discourse. In addition, this course will focus on cinematic and literary works that articulate or express specific notions of American identity in terms of race, class, and gender. This class will look specifically at how the film industry negotiates specific literary narratives about identity within American society as a means of adapting the texts to the big screen. Satisfies the Integrative Experience requirement for BA-Comm majors.