English 390/130: Science Fiction w/ Prof. Toby Wilson-Bates
18 May – 5 June 2015
8:00 AM – 12:10 PM, Monday – Thursday
Some classes will blow your mind. This class will disintegrate, warp, clone, probe, teleport, abduct, and alienate your mind. The course will examine the origins and current dominant science fiction trends in both literature and media. Readings will include works by William Gibson, Octavia Butler, and Douglas Adams, among others. Each class will also involve a media component ranging from Doctor Who to The X-Files in order to read the genre’s central concerns across time and media. At the heart our investigation will be the curious relationship between “science” and “fiction,” two terms that seem diametrically opposed.
English 365/130: American Comedy: Humor and Satire in American Literature w/ Prof. Ben Click
18 May – 5 June 2015
1:00 – 5:10 PM, Monday – Thursday
Not many courses allow you to watch clips of The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, The Simpsons, stand-up routines from some of America’s greatest comics AND read excerpts from Mark Twain, James Thurber, Dorothy Parker, Zora Neale Hurston, William Faulkner, Flannery O’Connor, Philip Roth, Nora Ephron, Molly Ivins, Fanny Flagg, Fran Lebowitz, David Sedaris, Sarah Vowell, and The Onion. THIS ONE DOES. In fact, it’s a requirement! Don’t worry, we will read mostly short texts, and maybe one short novel. In just three short (and exhilarating) weeks, we’ll study American humor as it appears in representative non-dramatic works of twentieth- and twentieth-first century American literature as well as in its other non-literary forms. We will explore why we as Americans laugh, or, historically, why we have laughed, and whether there is a distinct entity known as “American humor.” Thematically, the course traces the emergence and development of an ever-changing American character and identity. Any students interested in American humor, regardless of their major, will be welcome in the class.
English 390/130: Children’s Literature (and Film) w/ Prof. Ruth Feingold
8 June – 26 June 2015
1.00 – 5.10 PM, Monday – Thursday
Like to curl up every now and then with your favorite kids’ books? Still love Harry Potter? Think these activities have nothing to do with your coursework? Think again! In this class we’ll be reading some of the best: Charlotte’s Web, The Golden Compass, Where the Wild Things Are; we’ll be reading them for fun, but also taking them very seriously. Children’s literature is just as rich in character, theme, symbol, and language as adult literature; The Secret Garden will tell you as much about class, gender, and imperialism as anything written by Charles Dickens. Learn about image and text, fantasy and realism, and the special role children’s literature plays in the construction of a shared culture.
All three courses, when taken as ENGL130, will satisfy the Core Arts requirement. All also may be counted towards the English major or minor. Please consult with instructors for details.