The curriculum allows the student to develop writing skills, provides an introduction to the possibilities of contemporary literature and offers a perspective on the place of literature among the liberal arts. Criticism by practicing writers and talented peers encourages the student’s growth as both creator and reader of literature. Application required.
Section C05 (Erika L. Sánchez) will focus on Young Adult Literature and Social Justice
There has been a recent boom in novels that address pressing social issues through the perspective of young people. How do authors use coming-of-age stories to tackle issues of race, class, sexuality, gender? This class will consider why the lens of teen protagonists is so powerful in engaging in discourse regarding inequality and resistance. Students will read YA novels by authors such as Daniel José Older, Nic Stone, and Elizabeth Acevedo, and submit manuscripts that explore what it means to be a young person in contemporary American culture.
Section C08 (Jhumpa Lahiri) will explore Hemingway’s Italian Itinerary
Hemingway first visited Italy in 1918 to drive an ambulance for the Red Cross. His near-death experience and subsequent convalescence inspired A Farewell to Arms, published in 1929 and banned by Italy’s then-Fascist government. But after fascism fell in 1943, the rush to translate Hemingway’s iconoclastic prose represented freedom, and indelibly marked post-war Italian literature. Hemingway, in turn, remained tied to Italy throughout his life, returning frequently and using it as a backdrop for future work. Students will reflect on Italy’s role in Hemingway’s writing and consider his influence upon a selection of Italian authors. Writing assignments will focus on questions of setting and style.
