English 271 (Sections 7 and 8)
The Woman Narrator
In this course we will consider the effects woman narrator have on our experience of texts. The works we read, written by authors who chose woman narrators to tell a story, will be considered relevant to how this narrative choice reflects issues of identity–whether of gender, ethnicity. We will consider, as well, how a writer’s shift of the gender of a narrator in the middle of a work affects our reading. Overall, we will remain attuned to the effect women narrators have on how a work strikes us as readers, and how it influences our reception and understanding of the story the narrator tells.
Texts (All available at Revolution Books or posted on Laulima)
- The Lover by Marguerite Duras
- The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
- “Recitatif” by Toni Morrison (posted on Laulima website)
- Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
- Comfort Woman by Nora Okja Keller
Assignments and Evaluation
- Three 4-page essays (Avg. 50% of grade)
- Casual in-class writing assignments & several brief reading quizzes (Avg. 15% of grade)
- Final Exam (Avg. 25% of grade)
- Participation and Attendance (Avg. 10% of grade)