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Download a PDF of the Fall 2008 Schedule of Courses.
121 – International Short Story
(AL)
Lec. 1 MWF 10:10-11:00
Lec. 2 MWF 9:05-9:55
Lec. 3 MWF 1:25-2:15
Lecture, discussion.
Reading and analysis of a variety of short stories from the Russian, Czech,
German, French, Italian,
Spanish, English, American, and Latin American traditions
from the early 19th century to the present. We will analyze
fantastic tales, character sketches, surprise endings;
main types of the short story as a special genre marked by
compassion
and intensity of effect. All works read in translation.
Course requirements to be announced.
122 – Spiritual Autobiography
(ALG)
Lec. 1 MWF 115-12:05
Lecture, discussion. Spiritual Autobiography
is writing about the self or selves in confrontation with
the unknown, during
times of personal or social crisis, loss, and rebirth.
(Spiritual in this sense does not necessarily refer to
institutionalized religion
- in fact, a spiritual crisis may happen through the failure
of religion). We will read autobiographies from several
traditions and many time
periods – medieval Christianity, 11th century Japan, 20th century
Black America, the slums of Modern Brazil, China just before
WW II, etc. Some possible readings: The Letters of Abelard and
Heloise, The
Book of Margery Kempe, The Education of Henry Adams, Black
Elk Speaks,
Carlo Levi's Christ Stopped at Eboli, Maya Angelou's I
Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Daughter of Han, Chogyan
Trungpa's Born
in Tibet,
Sei Shonagon's Pillow Book, and others. Requirements: 4 short
autobiographical papers, 2 pages each. Midterm in class,
take-home final. No prerequisites.
Heavy Readings.
141 – Good & Evil: East-West
(ALG)
Lec. 1 TuTh 2:30-3:45 - RAP students only in Field l04
Lec. 2 MWF 11:15-12:05
Lec. 3 MWF 10:10-11:00
Lec. 4 MWF 10:10-11:00
Lec. 5 MWF 11:15-12:05
An introduction to
the imaginative presentation of good and evil in Western and Eastern classics,
folktales, children's stories,
and 20th century literature. Cross-cultural comparison
of ethical approaches to moral problems such as the suffering of the innocent,
the existence
of evil, the development of a moral consciousness and
social responsibility, and the role of faith in a broken world.
141H – Good & Evil: East-West
(ALG)
Lec. 1 MWF 1:25-2:15
Theme: “Intersections between Literature and Dance”
Our knowledge of nearly every ancient culture shows a rich,
symbiotic relationship between the arts of literature,
dance, and music. In this honors section of CMLT 141, “Literature
and Dance,” we
will explore this peculiar and fascinating love affair,
considering the intersection of literature and dance
from ancient times until contemporary
productions and literature, but focusing upon ancient
Greece and India and 19th-20th century dance in Europe
and America .
Readings will include: Oedipus Tyrannus and Antigone (Sophocles),
Agamemnon (Aeschylus),
Othello (Shakespeare), Uncle Tom’s Cabin (Stowe); selections from
classical Indian poets; the poetry of Pablo Neruda, Octavio
Paz, Mallarmé,
Rilke; lyrics to tango and flamenco music; theoretical writings.
151 – Fictions East & West
(ALG) Prof. Balce, office 409 Herter Hall
Lec. 1: TuTh 11:15-12:05 - Prof. Balce
Dis. 1: F 10:10-11:00
Dis. 2: F 11:15-12:05
Dis. 3: F 10:10-11:00
Dis. 4: F 11:15-12:05
Lecture. An introduction to the
literary and filmic encounters between Asian culture and
the West in 20th century narratives – in
particular fiction, essays, feature films and documentaries.
The representation of the "West" by North American writers
of Asian descent, juxtaposed to images of the "East" in modern
novels, short fiction and films by European or Anglo American
writers. Themes for our discussion
include but are not limited to: gendered imperialism and
Orientalism; legacies of war and colonialism; memory and
trauma; gender roles (masculinity
and femininity); the privileges of “whiteness”; migration
and acculturation; racism and violence; family and nation.
Readings (tentative): A Massachusetts Woman in the Philippines by
Helen Wilson; selections
from “Smoked Yankees” and the Struggle for Empire:
Letters from Negro Soldiers, 1898-1902 by Willard Gatewood; Mrs.
Spring Fragrance and Other Stories by Edith Maud Eaton (Sui Sin
Far);
Seventeen Syllables
and Other Stories by Hisaye Yamamoto; Woman Warrior Maxine
Hong Kingston; The Quiet American by Graham Greene; Catfish
and Mandala by Andrew Pham;
selections from Charlie Chan is Dead 2; Dream Jungle by
Jessica Hagedorn; Native Speaker by Chang-rae Lee; American
Son by Brian Ascalon
Roley.
Films (tentative): Broken Blossoms (D.W. Griffith, 1915); Picturing
Oriental Girls: A (Re)educational Videotape (Valerie Soe, 1992);
scenes from South
Pacific (Rogers and Hammerstein, 1958); scenes from Flower
Drum Song (Henry Koster, 1961); Bontoc Eulogy (Marlon
Fuentes, 1995);
Who Killed
Vincent Chin? (Christine Choy and Renee Tajima, 1989); Days
of Waiting: The Life and Art of Estelle Ishigo (Steven
Okazaki, 1989); Regret to
Inform (Barbara Sonneborn, 1998); Knowing Her Place (Indu
Krishnan, 1990); Better Luck Tomorrow (Justin Lin, 2002);
Harold and Kumar Go to White
Castle (Danny Leiner, 2004). Requirements: 2 papers (5
pages each), weekly quizzes, mid-term, team-discussion, oral report.
233 – Fantasy and World Literature
(AL) Prof. Tymoczko, office 411
Herter Hall
Lec. 1: MW 1:25-2:15 - Prof. Tymoczko
Dis. 1: F 10:10-11:00
Dis. 2: F 10:10-11:00
Dis. 3: F 10:10-11:00
Dis. 4: F 11:15-12:05
Dis. 5: F 11:15-12:05
Dis. 6: F 11:15-12:05
Lecture, discussion. Whether reality becomes boring or
confining, terrifying or absurd, confusing of muddled, our fantasies often
take the form of escape into strange realms where time and space are not
our own. The journey into imaginary lands is a favorite theme of international
literature, both traditional and modern. We will explore a series of fantastic
voyages in literature and film to learn about human desires and dreams,
as well as the reality they grow out of. An interdisciplinary approach
will relate psychological theories of dreams and individual fantasies
to the structure and effects of fantasy literature. Readings: Tolkien, Fellowship
of the Ring; Leguin, Left Hand of Darkness; Lewis Carroll,
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland; Bram Stoker, Dracula; and Arabian
Nights and others. Requirements: One ten-page paper, short papers, 3 quizzes,
and class participation. n.
382 – Cinema and Psyche
(AT) Prof. Portuges, office
320 Herter Hall
Lec. 1: M 4:40-7:05 - Prof. Portuges
Dis. 1: Tu 2:30-3:45
Dis. 2: Tu 2:30-3:45
Dis. 3: Tu 1:00-2:15
Dis. 4: Tu 1:00-2:15
Lecture, Discussion. An exploration of the intersections
between cinema and psychological interpretation, the course concerns the
psychodynamics of reading visual texts produced in different cultures,
languages, and national traditions. This semester's focus is on comparative
representations of childhood, family, gender, and war in Africa, Asia,
Eastern Europe, and the West. Among our considerations are the following:
how do individual directors represent history and national identity? in
what ways do spectators from different cultural milieux and historical
moments understand those representations? what are the psychological consequences
of encountering powerful images from cultures other than one's own? How
do psychoanalytic perspectives enable us to 'read' the cinematic constructions
of childhood experience, especially when portrayed in situations of trauma
and wartime upheaval? Based on close reading of films, theoretical and
critical essays, and interviews, our work aims to examine the often-unconscious
resistances and 'mis-readings' that accompany the increasingly international
world of cinema. Requirements: Attendance; a brief oral exercise; mid-term
paper, final paper. .
383 – Narrative Avant-Garde Film
(AT) Prof. Levine, office 328 Herter
Hall
Lec. M 3:35-7:00 - Prof. Levine
Dis. 1 Tu 2:30-3:45
Dis. 2 Tu 2:30-3:45
Dis. 3 Tu 4:00-5:15
Dis. 4 Tu 7:00-8:15
Lecture, discussion. Explores
modern origin of experimentation in film in avant-garde
modes such as Expressionism, Surrealism and contemporary
results of this heritage to determine if film is the most
resolutely modern of the media. Emphasis on the ways in
which Avant-garde films can problematize
themselves through the ploys of telling a story. By means
of a self-consciousness of story-telling which undermines
viewer identification, the drive for closure,
the demand for origins and order, and even cause and effect,
these avant-garde films restore to playfulness its strength
and ambiguity. Requirements: one
5 page paper for midterm, final paper or project, attendance. 383H – Narrative Avant-Garde Film
(AT) Prof. Levine, office 328 Herter Hall
Lec. M 3:35-7:00 - Prof. Levine
Dis. 1 Tu 2:30-5:30
See above for general
course description. Students in 383H may also register
for COMP-LIT H01, a one-credit, optional, hands-on
component. The purpose is to investigate aspects of film
(such as shot formation, camera movement, editing approaches).
Students will collaboratively
explore a range of expressive possibilities on video. Working
in groups of four, students will alternate roles of creator/writer,
camera-person, editor, etc., in constructing brief scenes.
No experience necessary.
391D – War Stories
Prof. Hicks, office 303 Herter
Hall
TuTh 9:30-10:45
An inquiry into the representation of war in the late
20th century, this course will focus largely on a single armed conflict,
the recent war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We will examine a variety of
media: photography, cinema, theater, poetry, and narrative, as well as
testimonials and documentaries. Our discussions will also respond to
readings grounded in theory rather than context. Our focus throughout
the semester will be relentlessly literary and critical: rather than
ask questions such as “what happened” and “why?,” we
will treat historical representation, even history itself, as a text,
asking questions such as “who is speaking?,” “who is
the audience”,” and “what are the rules for such discourse?”
391H– History of Literary Criticism
Prof. Petroff, office 413 Herter
Hall
TuTh 9:30-10:45
A seminar on literary criticism east and west,
from the classical period to the Renaissance in Europe,
as well as in ancient China and
the medieval Islamic world. Commonalities in all our texts:
what constitutes art and beauty in verbal expression? What
is the purpose of literature?
Who may have access to literature? What are sacred and
canonical texts, and how shall they be approached? What is the connection
between
literature
and truth, literature and morality? What are the proper
techniques for composing good literature? What is the function of the
study of rhetoric?
Requirements: come to every class having done the readings
and prepared
to discuss them. Lead several seminar discussions on particular
texts. 2 papers. Texts: Winterbottom and Russell, Classical
Literary Criticism;
An Introduction to Arabic Poetics; Princeton Handbook
to Multicultural Poetics; The Art of Writing, Teachings of
the Chinese Masters. Xeroxes
of selections from other texts: Geoffrey of Vinsauf, Averroes
(Ibn Rushd), Dante, Boccaccio.
391J – Global Tempests
Prof. Hicks, office 303 Herter Hall
TuTh 1:00-2:15
An introduction to comparative approaches
to literature: plays, films, poems, novels, manifestos,
theory. Topics include the migration
of Shakespeare's Tempest from Renaissance London to modern
Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa; Pocahontas and
the construction of American
nationalism; Robinson Crusoe and cultural representation
of modernity. Texts include: Shakespeare's The Tempest and Césaire's
Tempest, Ngugi's "The Language of African Literature," Defoe's Robinson
Crusoe and Coetzee's Foe."
393E – Will Eisner and His Impact
Prof. Couch, office 325 Herter
Hall
TuTh 1:00-2:15
This course will examine the work of the graphic novelist
and comic creator Will Eisner, and his impact on sequential
art and other works of literature in the U.S. and internationally. The
course will include
examination of his series Spirit, short stories, graphic novels
including
A Contract with God and A Family Matter, and the works
of American, Latin American, Brazilian and European artists and writers
influenced by Eisner,
including Lethem, Eco, Mutarelli, Cantor and Gaiman.
393F – Polish Film
Prof. Bolibak, office Herter
Hall
Th 4:00-6:30
This course is an introduction to classics of Polish
cinema. We will watch films by Poland’s best-known film directors
to explore their key aesthetic, historical and philosophical
concerns. Among directors whose works we will view are
Roman Polanski, Andrzej Wajda,
Wojciech Has, Stanislaw Bareja, Kazimierz Kutz, Andrzej
Munk, Krzysztof Zanussi, Agnieszka Holland and Krzysztof
Kieslowski. Using the analytic
language of literature, such as plot, character, setting,
point of view, we will consider each film’s narrative content (story)
as well as its formal features (its visual poetics). In
our discussions of the films
we will try to identify those qualities that give Polish
cinematography its distinctiveness. We will also pay particular
attention to the style
of acting. Among the theoretical readings for the course
will be writings by the avant-garde theater director Jerzy
Grotowski, who had an enormous
impact on Polish actors.
491M – Writing Memory: Autobiographies
Prof. Petroff, office 413 Herter
Hall
TuTh 1:00-2:15
Lecture, discussion. This course will examine the process
of writing memory for writers of the last few decades, the fragmentation
of memory and of subjects, and the dialogue between various speakers within
the works. For example, the story of “Comfort Woman” is told
by a mother (forced to be a ‘comfort woman’ to Japanese soldiers
during WWII) and her daughter (dealing with her mother’s many selves.)
Amy Tan’s “One Hundred Secret Senses” begins with a
split subject in America, and those two subjects split further when the
characters move to China to explore the past. In Jeanette Winterson’s
novels, the narrative is split between real and fantasy worlds, past and
present figures, male and female gendered identities. Andrei Makine’s
Dreams of My Russian Summers separates French and Russian, female and
male memories, as Andrei retells his grandmother’s memories of her
French life. We will read seven to nine novels/autobiographies and recent
criticism on them, as well as doing some creative writing experimenting
with their narrative strategies.
499D – Capstone Course
Prof. Levine, office 328 Herter Hall
Lec. M 3:35-7:00 - Prof. Levine
Dis. Tu 2:30-5:30 - Prof. Levine
Eligibility: Junior And Senior Honors Students Only
This 6-credit Capstone Course fulfills the Commonwealth college culminating-
experience requirement. We apply ourselves to the problem of cinematic
vision as both process and acquired skill. We learn to distinguish the
ways in which Hollywood normative cinema has constructed a visual language
which we accept, uncritically, as the look reality has when screened.
In turn, this "look" is examined to see how it differs from
what we may see with the “naked” eye, and how it informs what
we, see (what we can see, what we look for) in the world. Recommended
for students who have a keen interest in film. Students attend a large
lecture and film screening (once a week), an intensive seminar-style section
of 2-3 hours the next day, on Thursday a film-making component for 3 hours.
There will be a take-home mid-term essay (six pages) and final essay (ten
pages), a two page scene analysis, and an intensive final film project
(20 minutes). Students investigate aspects of film-making (such as shot
formation, camera movement, editing approaches) by collaboratively exploring
a range of expressive -possibilities on video. Working in groups of three
or four, students start off the semester alternating roles of writer/director,
camera -person, editor, etc., in constructing brief scenes. No prior film
experience necessary. This 6 credit course may qualify students for high
Latin Honors, if they have fulfilled other specific requirements. See
a Commonwealth College advisor for more information. Preference in registration
given to seniors using this course toward their culminating experience
requirement, others as space permits. Contact Commonwealth College 504
Goodell to register.
527 – Romanticisms: Poetry & Poetics
Prof. Lenson, office 427 Herter Hall
TuTh 1:00-2:15
“Romanticism” denotes an international Euro-American
movement in literature and the other arts which arose at
the end of the 18th Century. It was an assimilation by
the arts of the new radical Individualism of French and
German philosophy. Most so-called Romantic writers reject
the notion that art mirrors reality. Instead, they believe
that art is a synthetic power whose revelations attain
universality through the genius of the individual creator.
Readings: Kant, Prolegomena and selection from The
Critique of Judgment; Coleridge, selection from Biographia
Literaria and selected poems; Wordsworth, Preface
to the Lyrical Ballads and selected poems; Blake, selected poems; Shelley, “A
Defense of Poetry” and selected poems; Keats, selected
poems; Hugo, selected poems; Nerval, Chimères.
Requirements: 1) A twenty-minute class presentation; 2)
A fifteen-page term essay.
COURSES OF INTEREST
Linguistics 397C – Linguistics and Literature
Prof. Rothstein
714 Herter Hall
MWF 11:15-12:05pm
How does a poem differ from a recipe for chocolate-chip
cookies? Are ads a form of literature? What resources does a language
provide to its speakers that enable them to create works of literature?
These are among the topics that this course will address, using examples
from English and a variety of other languages. Some prior coursework in
linguistics is recommended but not a formal prerequisite.
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