Tom Whalen
home	recent work	online	books	art	CV	courses film course	contact

Winter Semester 2011/2012
Universität Freiburg
Proseminar: Critical Approaches to American Short Novels of the 1920s

Do 20.10.11 14 – 17 Universitätstr. 5/Raum 1
Do 10.11.11 14 – 17 Bismarkallee 22/Raum 2
Do 24.11.11 14 – 17 Bismarkallee 22/Raum 2
Do 15.12.11 14 – 17 Bismarkallee 22/Raum 2

Proseminar II Literaturwissenschaft; Blockveranstaltung mit Tutorat.

SEMINAR - CRITICAL APPROACHES TO AMERICAN SHORT NOVELS OF THE 1920s

Three classic short novels from the 1920s (The Great Gatsby, Passing, and Red Harvest), each of them crime-related, will be used to explore critical approaches to the novel, in part with the goal of learning how to write a critical paper. Four 3-hour long class meetings, plus e-learning activity.

Oct 20
The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald

Nov 10
Passing – Nella Larsen

Nov 24
Critical essays on Passing

Dez 15
Red Harvest – Dashiell Hammett

Required Editions

The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald (Penguin Modern Classics)
Passing – Nella Larsen (Modern Library Classics)
Red Harvest – Dashiell Hammett (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard)

General Requirements

1. a reading quiz on the novels on the day the novel is discussed
2. an outline for a proposed essay on one of the three novels
3. a short presentation on a critical essay on Larsen's novel Passing (3rd class meeting, the essays to be assigned on the first day of class)
4. online activities, including two short writing assignments

On the first day, there will be a reading quiz on The Great Gatsby. Though you won't be tested on Tony Tanner's 50-page introduction in the Penguin Modern Classics edition, the essay will be discussed and should be read.