ENL 200: Studies in Literature

Section Description: Beyond traditional canon formations - such as British poetry or American novels - the readings and discussions in this course are designed to broaden your knowledge of lesser-known yet significant works. As we explore a wide range of world literature, topics may include fantasy and reality, food and family, coming of age, and transcultural encounters. Focusing particularly on texts that engage the experience of the wider world, the course emphasizes short fiction and poetry to examine how writers have situated themselves globally, helping us better understand the deep roots of today's interconnected cultures.

Course Description: This course investigates a range of fictional genres that grapple with authenticity in its many forms and considers how digital technology has altered our ideas about authenticity. In addition to sharpening our powers of observation and analysis, students will discover how artistic forms both reflect and shape the world we live in and how we understand it. The class concludes with a self-directed creative project that invites students to imagine something related to the theme of authenticity that engages with the concepts we¿ve explored during the semester.

Course Description: This section of Studies in Literature will focus on stories that convey the experience of coming of age, or growing up. We will explore examples of such stories in a variety of genres. In fact, the course structure will be based around questions of genre, with units dedicated to the following: short stories, poetry, film, and novels. Through these genres, we will consider questions of what it means to grow up, and of how different authors and genres address the idea of coming of age. This is a fully online section of ENL 200, which means that all of the course material will be accessed through Canvas. Also note that this is an accelerated course, meaning that it will only run for seven weeks and will cover material more quickly than a standard course.