ENGL207M : Introduction to Literary Analysis
In this course students read, analyze, interpret and respond critically to notable works of fiction, poetry and drama. Emphasis is placed on learning critical reading strategies. The formal elements of literature and the major principles of literary criticism are introduced. Writing intensive. Prerequisite: ENGL110XM or ENGL110M. (Fulfills English or Humanities requirement)
Writer Azar Nafisi once observed that “the poet and the tyrant are rivals for the possession of reality…” Literature contains countless tales of power used – and too often abused – to shape the world in ways that privilege some and oppress others based on their racial, cultural, religious, gender, ethnic, or political affiliations. These attempts to exert control, however, don’t go unchallenged – Caliban plots Prospero’s overthrow; Harrison Bergeron sheds his government-imposed burdens in a very public act of rebellion; Ocean Vuong confronts what it means to be both gay and an immigrant in an America where “trees know / the weight of history.” In this course, we’ll explore how power is imposed, and how it is resisted, through texts spanning a diverse range of genres and media including fiction, poetry, drama, film, song, and TV. Through close reading, critical thinking, and engaged discussion, we’ll analyze selected texts and reflect on how art, in its creation and consumption, can be an act of resistance.
