This course highlights portrayals of cultural and racial diversity and the resulting clash of viewpoints. Readings will pair classical works with more contemporary perspectives in order to explore the tension between traditional and more recent characterizations of other cultures. Works may include such texts as Shakespeare’s Othello, Morrison’s Song of Solomon, Johnson’s Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man, Kingston’s Woman Warrior, Huang’s M. Butterfly, and poetry such as Coleridge’s “Kubla Kahn” and Yeats’s “Sailing to Byzantium.” Beyond challenging and exploring stereotypes, this course will prepare students for an Advanced Placement English exam. As with all English classes, it will involve substantial reading and writing both at home and in the classroom.