SA 248 - Society and the Literary Imagination

Institution:

Denison University

Subject:

Description:

This course begins with a question: Does the poetic and literary imagination transcend its particular cultural context? Are there universally recognized themes or criteria for judging literature, or is all literature a reflection of what is going on in society at a particular historical moment? If there is a relationship between society and literature, we will need to explore it from at least two vantage points: What are the sociocultural bases of literature, and how might literature, in turn, influence society? The course may use different examples or sub-themes to address these issues. For example, do the criteria by which we judge "good" literature vary over time and across societies? Do the stories we tell in different societies look at society, human virtues or the environment in the same ways? To what degree do our stories, critique it or propose alternatives to social arrangements? We will discuss works (novels, plays, short stories or poetry) often acknowledged in the West to be "great literature" and look at how we establish this "canon." Yet, we will also look at children's literature, science fiction and other "pulp fiction" as equally telling sources of information about our aesthetic values and social arrangements. This course has no prerequisite. (Not offered 2008-2009) (4 Credits)

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.denison.edu

Phone Number:

(740) 587-0810

Regional Accreditation:

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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