Meta-Fiction reflects the process of writing in a fictional form, consciously recreating its own origin. This special form of literature can be full of humor and irony, because it makes the mechanisms of genre visible. But in some cases the writing (and reading) process seems to be associated with painful bodily experiences. What are the consequences of this kind of literature and how do we deal with these self-conscious texts that seem to resist common forms of interpretation?
The texts of this seminar are by four different authors of the 20th century: Franz Kafka, “In der Strafkolonie”; Samuel Beckett, Malone Dies; William Burroughs, Queer; and Kathy Acker, Empire of the Senseless.
The class can be taken as a seminar in literary studies or as a reading course.
Requirements:
- Reading the assignments.
- Handing in two essays. One on your reading experiences before the first session and one with more academic approach after the seminar.
- A short presentation in class. I will send around a list of possible topics.
Course Readings:
For Beckett’s Malone Dies I recommend one of the editions that also contain the other two novels, of the so-called trilogy: Samuel Beckett. Three Novels: Molloy. Malone Dies. The Unnamable. Grove Press, 1995.
William Burroughs. Queer. 25th Anniversary Edition. Penguin, 2010. (Please make sure you get this edition because there are textual differences to the earlier ones.)
Kathy Acker. Empire of the Senseless. Grove Press, 1989.
A reader with an English translation of Kafka’s “In the Penal Colony” (“In der Strafkolonie”) and some additional texts will be available online. |
