Time Schedule:
Candace M. Barlow
ENGL 242
Seattle Campus
Critical interpretation and meaning in works of prose fiction, representing a variety of types and periods.
Class description
"Placing" the Self in Fiction by Women: This course begins from growing critical interest in literary depictions of "place" to ask how and why certain locales are used to express individual and group identities. We'll read a variety of novels from the twentieth century by American (U.S.) women writers. Recent studies of culture, literature and the environment, and human geography will help us to explore how place-based constructs, identities, and relationships are relevant to the literature as well as how they might impact contemporary readers. More broadly, the course will introduce you to the primary concerns and methods for critically reading and responding to literature. Because the course is intensive and based on discussion of the readings, active participation will be essential. Expect a substantial reading load, group work, essay assignments, and a longer final paper. The following authors likely will be included in our schedule: Willa Cather, Zora Neale Hurston, Marilynne Robinson, Jamaica Kincaid, Linda Hogan.
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
Recommended preparation
Class assignments and grading
