CEEL 0943 - The Beat Generation

Institution:

Brown University

Subject:

Description:

This course will explore the creative work of a unique and radically diverse group of artists who gathered primarily around the cosmopolitan cities of New York and San Francisco during the 1950s and 1960s. This group of bohemian intellectuals revolutionized art and introduced a new way of seeing America. Although this course will focus on the origins of the "Beat Movement" by examining the work of Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs, and several others, a significant portion of the course will be devoted to examining the role of women, African Americans, and non-Europeans in order to see the tremendous role they played in defining the "beat aesthetic" plus the appalling lack of contemporary critical recognition of their contributions. This course will take a close look at the eclectic and exciting artistic products of the movement : auto-biography, novel, essay, film, poetry, jazz, painting, etc, in order to come to a more comprehensive and theoretical understanding of the "Beat Vision" and its influence on contemporary culture. As far as possible, the class will be run as a discussion. Students will respond to assigned readings and will write a short critical essay which is aimed at developing university-level writing skills which will increase critical thinking in all subject areas. Students will also be responsible for a literary biography on a specific author. A literary biography includes not only information on the life of the author, but is also concerned with the author's life as a writer and the significance of their work over time. Prerequisite: enthusiasm and an open imagination!

Credits:

0.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.brown.edu

Phone Number:

(401) 863-1000

Regional Accreditation:

New England Association of Schools and Colleges

Calendar System:

Semester

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