FREN358 - Confession in French 20th-Century Literature

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Academic Year 2005/2006

Confession in French 20th-Century Literature
FREN 358 SP

Since the Confessions of St. Augustine, the subject and function of confession has gone through considerable change. After exploring the notion of secret and the distinctions between autobiography and confession, this course will discuss the main developments that have occurred in the literature of confession. We will focus on the shift from confession of vice to confession seemingly lacking an object. Among other topics, we will discuss the conditions that appear to make confession a masculine rather than a feminine undertaking.

MAJOR READINGS

Tentative reading list:
LES CONFESSIONS (extraits), Rousseau
ALEXIS OU LE TRAITE DU VAIN COMBAT, Yourcenar
CONFIDENCE AFRICAINE, Martin du Gard
LA HONTE, Ernaux
LE LIVRE BRISE, Serge Doubrovsky
Additional texts by Borel, Althusser, Genet, Foucault and others will be provided.

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Two short essays and a final paper. Students will be asked to make a short presentation in class.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

While any student who has completed FREN 215 (with a minimum grade of B) or has placed out of FREN 215 through the placement test may sign up for this course, it is an advanced course intended for students who have already taken two courses in French beyond 215 or already studied abroad in a French-speaking country. Readings, written assignments and class discussions will be in French. Only COL students may take this course for credit. All others must take it for a letter grade.

COURSE FORMAT: Lecture/Discussion

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

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

Prerequisites: NONE

SECTION 01

Instructor(s): Poisson,Catherine

Times: .M.W... 01:10PM-02:30PM; Location: FISK413;

Reserved Seats: (Total Limit: 18)

SR. major: 4 Jr. major: 5

SR. non-major: 1 Jr. non-major: 3 SO: 3 FR: 2

Special Attributes:

Curricular Renewal: Speaking, Writing

Links to Web Resources For This Course.

Last Updated on MAR-30-2006