Literary works have so very much to offer readers: beauty, sorrow, excitement, revolution, horror, humour, inclusion, hope. They also have much to say about the literary and rhetorical arts, along with the circumstances of their cultural production. This course is an introduction to active literary reading skills, and we will study works of poetry, prose, and drama—all the while paying attention to form and structure, as well as content.
Throughout the year, we will work through different units of study / inquiry that share some common thematic and cultural concerns. As we situate the texts in terms of their literary, historical, and cultural contexts, we will cross temporal and geographic borders while examining—in a wide variety of ways—the relationship of the individual to community and to the world beyond, along with the struggle for personal identity, autonomy, purpose, and dignity.
Because this course is your introduction to literary studies at Carleton, one of my jobs is to help you to develop your critical vocabulary as we read texts from different regions, periods, and genres, as you build a strong base for your future studies. (Many websites may offer quick interpretations; however, they are no substitute for your own confident and well-supported oral and written analyses of texts.) I am well aware that students entering first year bring a range of experience and that the transition from high school to university has its challenges, especially in the area of essay writing. We will discuss different genres of writing, including academic writing, and you will have plenty of opportunities to hone your skills.