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Popular Culture and Bande Dessinee
FREN226 SP

In this study of popular French culture, one of its most characteristic productions--la bande dessinee. We will read a number of classic bandes, one or more recent ones, and various theoretical analyses of the genre. We will study these bandes for what they say about popular language, prejudices, ideologies, and aspirations, and pay particular attention to the nature and function of the alternative worlds they project.

MAJOR READINGS

Cauvin and Hardy, PIERRE TOMBAL: MORT AUX DENTS Goscinny and Udzero, LE TOUR DE GAULE D'ASTERIX; ASTERIX CHEZ LES BELGES Herge, TINTIN EN AMERIQUE; VOL 714 POUR SYDNEY Leloup, YOKO TSUNO: LE FEU DE WOTAN Morris and Goscinny, LUCKY LUKE: LA DILIGENCE Antonelli, Gladys, "Asterix ou les avatars de Semiotix le Gaulois" Apostolides, Jean-Marie, "Tintin and the Family Romance"; "L'Unique et ses doubles: Tintin dans l'Oreille cassee" Beaulieu, Jean-Philippe, "Asterix et les Romains: De la psychanalyse a la sociologie" Busi, Frederick, "Lucky Luke and Samuel Beckett" Cassou-Yager, Helene, "Asterix: A Bouillon Cube of French History, Gaullist Politics, and French Attitudes and Prejudices towards Other Countries" Chavez, Deborah, " Perpetuation of Gender Inequality: A Content Analysis of Comic Strips" Choisy, Bernard de, UZDERO-STORIX: L'AVENTURE D'UN GALLOROMAIN Laroche, Jacques, LA BD BRANCHEE DES ANNEES 80: TINTIN DECADENT? Martin, Paul, "L'Image de Cesar dans Asterix, ou, comment deux Francais sur trois aujourd'hui voient Cesar" Pinet, Christopher, "Asterix, Brassens, and Cabu: The ABC's of Popular Culture" Rey, Alain, LES SPECTRES DE LA BANDE: ESSAI SUR LA B.D. Scobie, Alex, "Comics and Folk Literature"

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Two short papers on assigned topics; one long final paper.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

This half-credit course will meet MW during the first half of the semester. Most reading, all class discussion and all writing will be in French. 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

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD    Credit: .5    Gen Ed Area Dept: HA RLAN    Grading Mode: Student Option   

Prerequisites: NONE

Last Updated on MAR-24-2000


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