In English 480
(W) – Folklore and Literature: Art, Culture and Cuisine, we will study folklore
in relationship to images of food in art and literature. A familiarity with myth, oral narrative, the
folktale, and the contemporary legend enables students to see themselves as
part of a larger cultural story as well as recognize and validate particular
stories that give meaning to their own experience. We will focus on how
storytelling informs art and literature in connection with perceptions of food. Through the readings, I hope students will
gain a broader understanding of diversity and multiculturalism and an
appreciation for narrative motifs that flow from ancient to popular culture. Students will have an opportunity to bring
their own experience to text–both personal and reading based. This course will
challenge students and will be quite a bit of fun.
Students will
post four reading responses on the class website, write two short essays (plus
drafts) and a 5-7 page research paper (plus drafts). MLA formatting is required of this
class. There will be quizzes, a midterm
and a final.
Books: The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood. Chocolat: A Novelby Joanne Harris. A Moveable Feastby Ernest Hemingway. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Caféby Fannie Flagg. The Rituals of Dinner: The Origins,
Evolution, Eccentricities, and Meaning of Table Mannersby Margaret Visser.
Books can be purchased at Revolution Books, 2626 South King Street, #201.
944-3106. In addition, a reader will be available for download.