FREN275 - The Short Story in Modern French Literature

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Academic Year 2002/2003

The Short Story in Modern French Literature
FREN 275 FA

In this course we will read the work of a number of writers from 19th and 20th century French literature. This will include widely read writers such as Balzac, Baudelaire, Sartre, and Camus, as well as other, equally gifted writers such as Nerval, Ayme, Roy and Des Forets. We will also read works by four women writers and three Francophone writers (from Quebec, Senegal and Algeria). We will come to these writers' work by way of their short stories, which frequently offer some of the brightest jewels in the crown of a writer's opus. In doing so, we will examine many of the features that distinguish major literary movements of the past two centuries (Romanticism, Realism, politically engaged writing, autobiographical writing, the nouveau roman), as well as the categories of realism, the fantastic and the supernatural. As we read, we will keep in mind the following key questions: To what degree in the nouvelle a shortened, condensed version of the novel? And to what degree is it a genre in its own right, which, though often exhibiting characteristics of literary trends of its time, also has its own internal history?

MAJOR READINGS

Chateaubriant, "Rene" from LE GENIE DU CHRISTIANISME (1802)
Balzac, selections from SCENES DE LA VIE PRIVEE (1830)
Nerval, "Sylvie" from LES FILLES DU FEU (1853)
Baudelaire, selections from LE SPLEEN DE PARIS (1869)
Barbey d'Aurevilly, selections from LES DIABOLIQUES (1874)
Flaubert, "Un Couer simple" from TROIS CONTES (1877)
Maupassant, selections from BOULE DE SUIF
Colette, selections from LA MAISON DE CLAUDINE and DIALOGUE AVEC LES BETES (1922)
Ayme, selections from LE PASSE-MURAILLE (1943)
Sartre, "Le Mur" from LE MUR
Camus, "Jonas", "La Femme adultere" from L'EXIL ET LE ROYAUME (1957)
Yourcenar, selections from NOUVELLES ORIENTALES
Roy, selections from LA RUE DESCHAMBAULT (1955)
Des Forets, selections f rom LA CHAMBRE DES ENFANTS (1960)
Sembene, selections from VOTAIQUE (1962)
Tournier, selections from LE COQ DE BRUYERE (1978)
Djebar, selections from LES FEMMES D'ALGER DANS LEURS APPARTEMENTS (1980)

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Reading will consist of one or more short stories for each class meeting (30-40 pages on average). Presence and active, regular participation will be vital in this class. Students will write four to five short, analytical papers (2.5 to 3 typed pages), which will be evaluated for their linguistic accuracy, structure, clarity and persuasiveness. There will be no "final exam" per se, but instead a written identification exercise done in class and a longer paper (5-7 pages) due at the end of the semester.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

This course is intended for students who have completed a French course numbered 215 or higher or have placed out of FREN 215 through the placement test. Students who have not done so should consult with the professor before preregistering.

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 FREN Grading Mode: Graded

Prerequisites: NONE

SECTION 01

Instructor(s): Anderson,Connie

Times: .M.W.F. 10:00AM-10:50AM; Location: RLAN106

Reserved Seats: (Total Limit: 19)

SR. major: 2 Jr. major: 2

SR. non-major: Jr. non-major: SO: 9 FR: 6

Special Attributes:

Curricular Renewal: Speaking, Writing

Links to Web Resources For This Course.

Last Updated on MAR-18-2003