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Course Description

Though the term “The American Dream” was coined by historian James Truslow Adams in 1931, the idea has long shaped American life and literature. This course examines how six novellas explore the dream, asking whether Americans share a common definition of it and how it connects to individualism and American exceptionalism. Through stories of disappointment, deferred hopes, self-reinvention, and difficult periods in history, the course considers whether the American Dream is a myth, a mistake, a call to action, or a defining force in American culture and literature.

Read: Ethan Frome, Edith Wharton; Passing, Nella Larson; The Ballad of the Sad Café, Carson McCullers; Seize the Day, Saul Bellow; Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Truman Capote; The Buddha in the Attic, Julie Otsuka

This course is offered with the generous support of the Association for Continuing Education

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Section Title
SIX GREAT STORIES ABOUT THE AMERICAN DREAM (IN-PERSON)
Type
In Person
Days
W
Time (Eastern Time Zone)
10:30AM to 12:00PM
Dates
Sep 30, 2026 to Nov 04, 2026
Schedule and Location
View Details
Contact Hours
9.0
Location
Delivery Options
In-Person  
Course Fee(s)
Course Fee non-credit $109.00
Potential Discount(s)
Drop Request Deadline
Sep 23, 2026
Transfer Request Deadline
Sep 23, 2026
Instructors
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