Legacy Course Catalog
ENGL 341D - Desert Literature
| Effectivity: | 08/20/2007 - 12/15/2007 @ Purdue West Lafayette Traditional |
|---|---|
| Credits: | 3 |
| Instructional Types: | Lec |
| Usually Offered: | fal spr |
| Short Title: | Desert Literature |
| Description: | We sometimes divide literature by geopolitical region, e.g. southern writing, the western, or New England regionalism. If we divide it by bioregion, however, we learn to read through a lens ground more from the actual place, the land under the human artifact. Desert Literature focuses on writing affected by, inspired by, investigating, and/or infused with the physical properties of deserts. Our priority will be to hone your skills at reading a text closely and conducting sound, supportable literary criticism. In this class, we'll be adding to the traditional methods of doing so. We'll consider the Koppen climate classification system, aridity, plant and animal life, heat and sky, survival issues, urbanism, water management, dunes, hardpan, slickrock, steppe, even permafrost-all of which have active agency in literature set in the ecosystems we have labeled "deserts." Some of the books we'll read are Edward Abbey's Desert Solitaire, Paul Bowles's The Sheltering Sky, a desert reader of essays, and Robyn Davidson's Tracks. The list might also include any combination of the following: The English Patient, Dune, Refuge, Cadillac Desert, The Crystal Desert (about Antarctica), an excerpt from T. E. Lawrence, poems that include deserts, myths and fables of the deserts, and field writing on desert ecology. Expect to read nine or so books, to write a personal essay and a literary research paper, and to take an exam. There is no prerequisite; the class is open to anyone. It is recommended to students who have taken English 234: Ecological Literature and are interested in more advanced work in ecocriticism, as well as to students interested in pursuing graduate-level study in ecocriticism. It is also highly recommended to students in the life sciences. |
| School: | College Of Liberal Arts |
| Department: | English |
| Credit By Exam: | NO |
| Repeatable Flag: | YES |
| Max Repeatable Credits: | 9.00 |
| Temporary Flag: | YES |
| Full Time Privilege Flag: | NO |
| Honors Flag: | NO |
| Variable Title Flag: | NO |
Fall 2007 *** indicates the course was still an active course and was transferred to the Banner Catalog effective Spring 2008. This course was not expired Fall 2007.
