Syllabus

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• Syllabus
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• Assignments
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Course Meeting Times

Lectures: 1 session / week, 3.0 hours / session

Course Description

This subject examines the ways in which we read. It introduces some of the different strategies of reading, comprehending and engaging with literary texts developed in the twentieth century, paying special attention to post-structuralist theories and their legacy. (What poststructuralism means will be discussed often in this course, so don't worry if you don't know what it means right now!) The course is organized around specific theoretical paradigms. In general, we will: (1) work through selected readings in order to see how they determine or define the task of literary interpretation; (2) locate the limits of each particular approach; and (3) trace the emergence of subsequent theoretical paradigms as responses to the achievements and limitations of what came before. The literary texts and films accompanying the theoretical material will serve as concrete cases that allow us to see theory in action. For the most part, each week will pair a text or film with a particular interpretative approach, using the former to explore the latter. Rather than attempting a definitive or full analysis of the literary or film work, we will exploit it (unashamedly — and indeed sometimes reductively) to understand better the theoretical reading it accompanies.

Course Requirements

Readings

Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. New York, NY: Tribeca Books, 2011. ISBN: 9781936594191.

Freud, Sigmund. The Interpretation of Dreams. New York, NY: Basic Books, 2010. ISBN: 9780465019779.

Foucault, Michel. The History of Sexuality, Vol. 1: An Introduction. New York, NY: Penguin Books, 1990. ISBN: 9780679724698.

Assignments

I expect careful reading and re-reading of the texts as we discuss them.

Assignments consist of the following:

Response Paper: A brief response to modes of reading covered in the first section (about 3 pages)

Oral Presentations: A 15-20 minute presentation of assigned readings + shorter presentations/questions throughout the term

Take-Home Midterm: Short essays responding to questions handed out (8-10 pages)

Final Paper (10-12 pages): A longer essay either theoretically-oriented or a careful reading of a text of your choice, drawing on what you have read over the term.

Written work should be typed or word-processed (double-spaced, 12pt Times or equivalent, with 1" margins). I will provide more detailed descriptions for each written assignment. I will also provide a stylesheet including information about proper citation of sources.

Grading

Active Participation

The class will require regular participation and attendance. Your engagement with the material will determine how well the course works.

MIT Statement on Plagiarism

Plagiarism—use of another's intellectual work without acknowledgement—is a serious offense. It is the policy of the Literature Faculty that students who plagiarize will receive an F in the subject, and that the instructor will forward the case to the Committee on Discipline. Full acknowledgement for all information obtained from sources outside the classroom must be clearly stated in all written work submitted. All ideas, arguments, and direct phrasings taken from someone else's work must be identified and properly footnoted. Quotations from other sources must be clearly marked as distinct from the student's own work. For further guidance on the proper forms of attribution, consult the style guides available at the Writing and Communication Center and the MIT Web site on Plagiarism.

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