Looks at the Pacific as the primary location for literary and historical imagination since the Age of Exploration. Studies the crisscross, transpacific field of inscriptions ranging from Captain Cook to Herman Melville, Mark Twain, Jack London,and Maxine Hong Kingston.
4
UnitsOptional
Grading1, 2, 3
PasstimeNone
Level LimitLetters and science
CollegeProfessor Huang is a great and very funny lecturer! Took this as a GE and was dreading it because I hate American history, but it was actually really interesting because of the topics he chose. Exams were super easy if you go to lecture. No slides posted so make sure to take notes.
unclear grading criteria like the rest of the reviews. if you're not interested in the topics then you won't enjoy the class. lectures aren't mandatory but you should go just for the exams. overall, don't take if you don't need to.
If you don't go to lectures you won't pass. Lots of readings, but you can get through with only knowing the gist of things. Exams are fill in the blanks (terrible) and a short essay answer. Lectures are really hard to follow (his banter didn't help). Paper guidelines were unclear, you basically had to create the prompt yourself. Avoid!
If you attend lecture and take notes, it’s an easy A. attendance is mandatory but his lectures are amazing!
Loved Professor Huang! He was really funny and the class was interesting. Super easy. Graded on a take-home midterm, take-home final, and 5-7 page final paper. Easy A. He has some really interesting stories and insights.
His tests are fill-in-the-blank and a short essay. Very easy if you do the readings and attend lectures. He is very passionate about his subject and very funny. Very helpful during office hours. Two essays and he makes it very clear that they can be about anything related to the readings (no essay topics), so be ready to get creative. Great class.