English 138

Other Readings and Media

Coetzee, J.M.: Disgrace; T?ib?n, C.: The Story of the Night; Roy, Arundati: The God of Small Things; Achebe, C.: Things Fall Apart; Cliff, M.: No Telephone to Heaven; Smith, Z.: White Teeth

Description

The texts in this course bear a troubled relationship to the language, English, in which and about which they write. Questions of cultural, ethnic, gendered and national identity suffuse both their content and their form. We?ll be trying to understand some of the causes and consequences of the spread of English as a literary medium, from the age of imperialism to the age of so-called globalization. One short and one longer paper, alongside active and regular class participation, are required.