International Crime Fiction
ENGL 260
Spring 2015
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01
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Sex, drugs, and brutality often come to mind when we think about contemporary crime fiction, but this genre actually contains much complexity and sophistication. Crime fiction provides meaningful revelations about the way our political systems function, and how clashes between poverty and wealth define our urban spaces. It can depict the relationship between marginalized minorities and mainstream society with uncompromising candor. It asks fundamental existential questions about human existence in the modern world. In this interdisciplinary course, we will read numerous works of crime fiction from various countries and consider the following questions: How does crime fiction differ from mainstream literature, if at all? How does crime fiction differ from narrative non-fiction about crime? Are works of crime fiction important social documents, or are they simply produced and consumed for entertainment and pleasure? Why are human beings attracted to stories about brutality and violence? And finally, and perhaps most vitally, what does crime fiction reveal about terms like truth and morality? We will also focus on crime fiction at the craft level. Why do crime stories draw readers in so quickly? How do they simultaneous entertain readers and deal with sophisticated literary, political, and ethical issues? We will reflect on these issues and themes during rigorous classroom conversations, short written reflections, and also by creating our own original works of crime fiction. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA ENGL |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: None |
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Past Enrollment Probability: 75% - 89% |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
BOOKS:
Jean-Claude Izzo, TOTAL CHAOS
Graham Greene, THE QUIET AMERICAN
John Le Carre, A MOST WANTED MAN
Paul Auster, CITY OF GLASS
Gillian Flynn, GONE GIRL
Massimo Carlotto, THE COLUMBIAN MULE
Students will also read short stories and essays by writers from Argentina, the Philippines, Finland, India, Mexico, the USA, and the United Kingdom.
FILMS:
Elite Squad 2: The Enemy Within, José Padilha, dir. (Brazil)
A Prophet (France), Jaques Audiard, dir. (France)
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Examinations and Assignments:
Two non-fiction reaction papers;
1 Fictional Short Story;
1 Final Paper (fiction or non-fiction);
An Oral Presentation;
Various short writing exercises |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
This course fulfills the Literatures of Difference major requirement and contributes to the Race & Ethnicity, Creative Writing and Theory & Literary Forms concentrations of the English major. |
| Instructor(s): Sawhney,Hirsh Times: ...W... 01:10PM-04:00PM; Location: ZLKA202; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 19 | | SR major: 7 | JR major: 7 | | |
| Seats Available: 0 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 3 | JR non-major: 2 | SO: 0 | FR: 0 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 6 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 6 |
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