ENGL120 - Perspectives on the Moral Usefulness of Literature

[ Wesleyan Home Page ] [ WesMaps Home Page ] [ WesMaps Archive ] [ Course Search ] [ Course Search by CID ]
Academic Year 2001/2002

Perspectives on the Moral Usefulness of Literature
ENGL 120 SP

"Literature offers us transcendence from easy distinctions and labels." (Robert Coles)

"Literary form is not separable from philosophical content, but is, itself, a part of content - an integral part, then, of the search for and the statement of truth." (Martha Nussbaum)

"Those who might have supposed that one purpose of fiction was to deploy the powers of language to connect us, directly and intimately, with the hearts and souls of others, will be disappointed to learn that the whole poin t is to make us examine ourselves." (Francine Prose)

Currently, the spiritual guidance promised by the "O"-embossed books of Oprah's club wields more power than any established review publication, promising not only good reading but MEANING to thos e who will buy. In the last year, an entire city in New York agreed to read Ernest Gaine's A LESSON BEFORE DYING with the hope that it would allow them to "talk about race relations in a way they'd usually avoid."

This course will explore current scholarly perspectives on reading literature as a means of moral inquiry and will question how literature has been used as a moral and ethical resource, reductively and expansively.

MAJOR READINGS

MERCHANT OF VENICE, William Shakespeare
GREAT EXPECTATIONS, Charles Dickens
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, Harper Lee
BELOVED, Toni Morrison
Stories by Flannery O'Connor, Alice Munro, Tillie Olsen.
"Song of Myself," Walt Whitman.
THE RHETORIC OF FICTION, Wayne Booth
THE CALL OF STORIES: TEACHING AND THE MORAL IMAGINATION, Robert Coles

As well critical readings from theorists, thinkers, and writers, including Martha Nussbaum, Aristotle, Plato, Francine Prose, Borges, and Henry James, and articles on the relationship between philosophy and literature, on the "ethics" boom and the university, the canon (on greatly feared "relativism," why we include what we include and to what end), and epistemology (how we "learn" from anything, what it might mean to "know" anything).

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

A lot of reading. Two short papers, one longer paper. Regular shotgun response papers. Spontaneous in-class writing. An annotated bibliography on the subject to be compiled by the class.

Each student will choose one additional novel of any era or genre for an individual critical reading that will result in the final paper and a presentation.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

Permission of Instructor. Interested students should e-mail the instructor and come to the first class. This class is intended primarily for first-year students. Juniors and seniors are excluded. Interested sophomores may speak with the instructor.

Unless preregistered students attend the first class meeting or communicate directly with the instructor prior to the first class, they will be dropped from the class list. NOTE: Students must still submit a completed Drop/Add form to the Registrar's Office.

COURSE FORMAT: Discussion

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: HA ENGL Grading Mode: Graded

Prerequisites: NONE

SECTION 01

Instructor(s): Pyke,Jenny

Times: ..T.R.. 09:00AM-10:20AM; Location: JUDD214

Reserved Seats: (Total Limit: 15)

SR. major: Jr. major:

SR. non-major: Jr. non-major: SO: FR:

Special Attributes:

Curricular Renewal: Ethical Reasoning, Writing

Permission: Permission of Instructor Required

Links to Web Resources For This Course.

Last Updated on MAR-19-2002