Course Description

In this course we will investigate literary character—what it is; what makes it “round,” “flat,” “deep,” “shallow”; its history. In seeking to understand “character,” we will create our own stories, using characters from our readings, or introducing characters we create into plots or settings from those readings. In expository essays and class discussions, we will also consider the following questions: how and why did “fictional person” acquire the name “character” (literally “engraved mark”)? How does “character” relate to representations of body, property, authorship, gender, race? How does theatrical character relate to novelistic and short-story character?

 

NOTE: BECAUSE OF THE COVID 19 SHUTDOWN, THERE IS A CORRESPONDING CANVAS SITE  FOR THIS COURSE WHICH, REFLECTS ITS REVISION TO A PARTIALLY ASYNCHRONOUS FORMAT.  CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE CANVAS SITE.