The term 'coming-of-age novel', or the Bildungsroman, has its origin in German literature of the late 18th century. Yet the literary tradition of telling stories of turmoil, negotiations of the self, alienation, disillusionment and the transition from innocence to experience is deeply rooted within Anglophone literature.
This course provides the setting for in-depth discussions of generic conventions and varieties, narrative patterns and themes which will extend our exploration of plot and character analysis.
We will familiarize ourselves with a selection of classic and modern coming-of-age novels which invite the students to apply and expand their knowledge of key principles of literary and critical analysis.
The reading list includes:
- Charlotte Bronte: Jane Eyre
- Harper Lee: To Kill a Mockingbird
- Bret Easton Ellis: Less than Zero
- Mark Haddon: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time
- David Mitchell: Black Swan Green
A concise reader containing seminal theoretical texts will be made available. |
