Literary Enigmas: Mystiques, Recluses & Frauds http://blog.lib.umn.edu/atschrag/mayterm/ EngL 3020-May Term 2009 | Adam T Schrag, Instructor en Copyright 2009 Mon, 08 Jun 2009 21:44:00 +0000 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=4.25 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Treuer Essay Here is the Treuer TREUER ESSAY. Print off a copy and bring it to class with you. We will read it during class.

]]> http://blog.lib.umn.edu/atschrag/mayterm/2009/06/treuer_essay.html http://blog.lib.umn.edu/atschrag/mayterm/2009/06/treuer_essay.html Course Materials Mon, 08 Jun 2009 21:44:00 +0000 Boyd Article on Pale Fire There may be an issue with Moodle. Our course didn't appear for some students. So....

Here are the Boyd to be read for tomorrow:

Boyd, Chaps. 1-2
Boyd, Chap. 3
Boyd, Chaps. 4-5

]]> http://blog.lib.umn.edu/atschrag/mayterm/2009/06/boyd_article_on_pale_fire.html http://blog.lib.umn.edu/atschrag/mayterm/2009/06/boyd_article_on_pale_fire.html Course Materials Tue, 02 Jun 2009 20:45:49 +0000 Course Info & Assignments Below you'll find pdfs of the syllabus, schedule, and major assignments.

Syllabus
Schedule
Reading Journal Assignment
In-class Presentation Assignment

]]> http://blog.lib.umn.edu/atschrag/mayterm/2009/05/course_info_assignments.html http://blog.lib.umn.edu/atschrag/mayterm/2009/05/course_info_assignments.html Course Materials Tue, 26 May 2009 03:11:03 +0000 Reading list for Literary Enigmas May Term will be here soon! With that in mind, here is the reading list in order of our readings. It is important that you get a hold of Laura as soon as possible because that's our first novel. The Bookstore has reasonably priced used copies of all our books.

1. Laura by Vera Caspary

2. Pale Fire by Vladamir Nabokov

3. The Translation of Dr. Apelles by David Treuer

We will also read some articles, all of which will be made available online (either on Moodle or here on the blog). There is NO course packet to purchase.

Lastly, we will also watch at least these 3 films:
Laura dir. by Otto Preminger
The Hoax dir. by Lasse Halström
Forbidden Lie$ dir. by Anna Broinowski

I look forward to meeting you all soon!

]]> http://blog.lib.umn.edu/atschrag/mayterm/2009/05/reading_list_for_literary_enig.html http://blog.lib.umn.edu/atschrag/mayterm/2009/05/reading_list_for_literary_enig.html Wed, 20 May 2009 03:28:42 +0000 Literary Enigmas: A Trailer Check out the trailer for the Literary Enigmas May Term class! Register at onestop.umn.edu for EngL 3020 - Literary Engimas.

A syllabus will be coming soon. Email any and all questions to Adam Tobias Schrag.

ENGL 3020-002, Studies in Narrative: Literary Enigmas
09:05 A.M. - 01:10 P.M.
M,T,W,Th (05/26/2009 - 06/12/2009)
Lind Hall 215 Ford Hall 170
Adam Tobias Schrag, Instructor











]]> http://blog.lib.umn.edu/atschrag/mayterm/2009/03/literary_enigmas_a_trailer.html http://blog.lib.umn.edu/atschrag/mayterm/2009/03/literary_enigmas_a_trailer.html Sun, 08 Mar 2009 20:30:44 +0000 Course Description Literary Enigmas: Mystiques, Recluses & Frauds
What the difference between James Frey, the fraudulent memoirist of Oprah fame, and, say, Vladimir Nabokov, one of the ‘Great’ novelists of the 20th century? Both of them engaged in a bit of literary trickery, yet one is scorned and one is praised.

The literary world is full of hoaxes and frauds, pseudonymous guises, and romanticized fantasies of elusive, reclusive geniuses. In this class we will read enigmatic works from enigmatic writers that challenge conventional ideas of authorship, literary voice, and authenticity including James Weldon Johnson’s Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man, Vera Caspary’s Laura, the short stories of Jorge Luis Borges, and, David Treuer’s The Translation of Dr. Appelles. We will also look at criticism about the recent literary scandals surrounding James Frey, Nasdijj, Margaret Seltzer, JT Leroy, and the Rosenblats.

Throughout the course of our reading we will revisit fundamental literary questions: How does an author’s life and legend influence the reading of literature? Does the authenticity of the author affect the authenticity of a text, or should the value and validity of literature be inherent within the text itself? From the white gay erotica writer posing as an authentic Navajo voice (Nasdijj) to an intentionally ‘fake’ autobiography about passing (James Weldon Johnson), from the never-photographed Thomas Pynchon to the famously reclusive J.D. Salinger, you’ll have the chance to explore the many facets of literary enigmas.

The reading list features some of the “giants” of the literary world alongside its hustlers and hacks. Where the two converge opens upon fundamental and enduring questions about literary truth, genre, and the author-text-reader relationship—questions around art versus commerce, novel versus memoir, truth versus fiction, and reality versus imagination. Our role will be as literary detectives, attendant to the import of both the scam and the sublime.

Reading load: 2-3 novels, several news clippings, and several short pieces of criticism
Writing load: reading journal and 5-pages essay

]]> http://blog.lib.umn.edu/atschrag/mayterm/2009/03/course_description.html http://blog.lib.umn.edu/atschrag/mayterm/2009/03/course_description.html Sun, 08 Mar 2009 19:57:12 +0000 Literary Enigmas Flyer enigma final small.jpg

]]> http://blog.lib.umn.edu/atschrag/mayterm/2009/03/literary_enigmas_flyer_1.html http://blog.lib.umn.edu/atschrag/mayterm/2009/03/literary_enigmas_flyer_1.html Sun, 01 Mar 2009 03:15:33 +0000