Introduction to literature focused on issues of captivity and freedom. Texts include captivity stories, slave narrative, naturalist fiction, autobiographies, and stories of incarceration exploring themes of bondage and liberation. Considers the significance of narratives of freedom in historical and cultural contexts, introduces writers from diverse backgrounds, and a range of theories of text analysis, e.g. Feminism, Marxism, Poststructuralism, the Critical Study of Race, and Queer Theory.