AN-372.70
ANN-372.70, ZAN-KS02.16, AKN-372.70
Canadian Women Writers of the 20th Century (XX. századi kanadai nõírók) in spring 2006
Nagy Judit/Bernhardt Dóra, Thu 09:30–11:00, Reviczky 4/c 317, host: DAS (R306)
description & set texts
This course aims at examining what major changes English-Canadian women writers’ literary idiom has been subject to since the middle of the 20th century. A secondary goal is to provide students with extensive vocabulary input in the fields of literary discussion and criticism. From class to class, a different student will be providing the philosophical and ideological backgrgound to the microcosmos that emerges in the analysed works and/or the most influential biographical aspects of the authors discussed. The final grade will be given based on students’ contribution to coursework (presentation and participation) and on the written assignment (essay).

Beginning of ¶ ... Primary texts: novels: Margaret Laurence: Stone Angel, Carol Shields and Blanche Howard: A Celibate Season, Margaret Atwood: Alias Grace, Kerri Sakamoto: Electrical Field short stories: Ethel Wilson: 'Haply the Soul of My Grandmother', Gabrielle Roy: 'Wilhelm', Mavis Gallant: 'Saturday', Alice Munro: 'Boys and Girls', Margaret Laurence: 'The Rain Child', Carol Shields: 'Milk Bread Beer and Ice', ’Weather’, Sandra Birdsell: 'Flowers for Weddings and Funerals', Dionne Brand: 'Sans Souci', ’Photograph’ selected poems by Jane Urquhart, Evelyn Lau and Jeanette Armstrong Criticism: Mavis Gallant: ‘Preface’, Margaret Laurence: Heart of a Stranger (autobiographical selection), ’The Short Answer’,Alice Munro interview (University of Alberta Collection), Margaret Atwood: Survival, ’If You Can't Say Something Nice...’, Aritha van Herk:’Out of Carol Shields’, ‘The Same Ticking Clock’, Dionne Brand: ’Bread out of Stone’... end of ¶.

requirements & assessment
Students are to introduce a work of their own choice from the above list within the framework of a 20-minute presentation, and develop this further into a home essay of 6-8 A4-size pages. The emphasis should be on students’ own interpretation of the given work in the light of the issues discussed in class. Assessment will be based on the presentation, the written assignment and participation. All students attending this course must understand that no more than three absences are allowed.