Program Overview

Course Description and Objectives

In this seminar, we will explore the body in history as represented in a range of contemporary British novels. Our emphasis will fall more towards fiction than critical theory, but our secondary readings will prompt theoretically informed discussions about the authors and their novels. Our objectives are as follows:

• To study the narrative forms and themes of contemporary British fiction
• To study the body and/in history as represented in contemporary British fiction
• To participate in lively and informed discussions about our reading
• To develop a publishable idea and to get as close as possible to a publishable essay which engages with the existing critical conversation about contemporary British fiction

Requirements and General Expectations

Class Participation and Attendance

Class participation is required. To participate, you must complete the reading assigned for each class session, think carefully about what you have read, and be ready to share your ideas, in class and online. Excessive absences from our weekly meeting (two or more) may result in failure of the course.

Leading Class Discussion

Seminar participants will sign up individually or in pairs to lead class discussion for one of our class sessions, usually for the first half of the session. Questions and topics for discussion should highlight issues or themes or queries you think we should address. Other critical commentaries or historical context can be introduced, too, to help us explore the reading assigned for that day.

Electronic Bulletin Board

To offer another venue for discussion, we'll be using an electronic bulletin board. Each student should post at least one message a week to the bulletin board, responding to an existing thread of the conversation or initiating another; weekly postings will count towards your class participation grade.

Critical Writing

During the semester, you will be doing different kinds of critical writing: informal postings to the bulletin board, more formal response papers, and an essay review, all of which will lead towards your final paper: a 20-25 page essay which contributes to the current critical conversation about contemporary British fiction.

Required Texts

• Martin Amis, Time's Arrow (1991)
• Pat Barker, Regeneration (1991)
• A.S. Byatt, Babel Tower (1996)
• Angela Carter, Nights at the Circus (1984)
• Ian McEwan, Atonement (2001)
• Philip Pullman, "His Dark Materials" Trilogy: The Golden Compass (1995), The Subtle Knife (1997), The Amber Spyglass (2000)
• Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things (1997)
• Salman Rushdie, Midnight's Children (1981)
• Zadie Smith, White Teeth (2000)
• Class Pack (selected critical essays, interviews, reviews)

Schedule of Classes

The schedule is subject to change and includes the following dates and topics:

• August 20: Introduction: Body / Contemporary British / Fiction
• August 27: Barker, Regeneration
• September 3: McEwan, Atonement
• September 10: Amis, Time's Arrow
• September 17: Winterson, The Passion
• September 24: Carter, Nights at the Circus
• October 1: Byatt, Babel Tower
• October 8: Byatt, continued
• October 15: Rushdie, Midnight's Children
• October 22: Rushdie, continued
• October 24: Essay review due
• October 29: Roy, The God of Small Things
• November 5: Smith, White Teeth
• November 12: Pullman, The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife
• November 19: Pullman, The Amber Spyglass
• November 26: Thanksgiving Break
• December 3: Workshop Discussion for Final Papers
• December 5: Final Paper and abstract due
• December 10: Presentation of Final Papers

Assessment

• Response papers (20%)
• Essay review (10%)
• Class participation (20%)
• Final writing project (50%)