In our story-telling times, who are the subjects of biographies? Who invent their own lives in words and images: famous or anonymous people; those who are not human? How do people recount their relations to a community, our place in the world? How to account for changing self-awareness: metamorphosis, personal epiphanies, conscious reflection? From portraits to ‘selfies,’ this seminar will take you on a journey in time and place. We’ll read, investigate, and discuss a variety of works in French: Nobel prize winning Annie Ernaux, the dreamer Rousseau. You’ll compare writers who identify themselves by declaring, “ I love” to those saying “I think.” We’ll consider writers who choose the French language as their way to express themselves: the Algerian Feraoun, the first woman writer making a living in French, Christine de Pizan. We’ll debate with critics including Michel Foucault and Cécile Wajsbrot; and dialogue with 2 writers who will visit our seminar. Visits to the Rubenstein Library and Nasher Museum will give us other rich material to consider. Throughout the seminar, work will combine some research with creative writing. This seminar aims in the end to support you in developing your French as another way to think critically and express yourself.
A seminar designed for majors, minors, those returning from abroad, and those interested in experimenting with their writing.
