ENGL112

[Wesleyan Home Page] [Wesmaps Home Page] [Availability Statistics Search] [Course Description Search] [Dept. Search]

ENGL112

Community in Contemporary Women's Novels ENGL112 SP

Crosslistings: WMST112

Spring 97 Availability (Last Updated on Sat Mar 8 05:00:06 EST 1997 )

Section  Limit  Enrollment  Available
  01       20      17         3

This course is designed to explore how the concept of community is constructed and contested within contemporary women's novels. In the process of reading selected contemporary novels and contemporary feminist articles through one another, we will consider the following issues: the relation between individual and community; the role of cultural memory/mythmaking in constituting communities; the influence of multiple axes of oppression (race, class, gender, sexuality) on community; the concept of a utopian community; conflict and transgression within the community. The course will focus in particular on the way that minority women writers (including Native-American, African-American, and Japanese-Canadian) explore the notion of community as a strategic counter to oppression, as well as the authors' treatment of problems and tensions that arise within and between marginalized communities.

MAJOR READINGS

Louise Erdrich, LOVE MEDICINE
Joy Kogawa, OBASAN
Octavia Butler, KINDRED
Toni Morrison, SULA
Monique Wittig, LES GUERRILLERES
Edith Broner, A WEAVE OF WOMEN
Toni Cade Bambara, THE SALT EATERS

We will also be using material from a course packet,
including articles by Iris Young; Gloria Hull; Patricia
Williams; Judith Butler; Deborah King.

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Three short papers during the semester and one longer paper (25 pages) at the end of the semester.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

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: Lecture Seminar

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UG Credit: 1.00 Gen Ed Area & Dept: HA ENGL

Prerequisites: None

Section 01: Burwell, J; Times: .T.T... 10:00AM;; Grading Mode: A/F; Registration Preference (1 high to 6 low, 0=Excluded) Sr: 0, Jr: 0, So: 0, Fr: 1; No Major Preference Given

Last Updated on MAR-10-1997

Contact wesmaps@wesleyan.edu to submit comments or suggestions.