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| Semester | fall semester 2018 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers | Michelle Witen (michelle.witen@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | As children, when we read 'children's literature', we are introduced to magical worlds where anything is possible and the lines of morality are either blurred or non-existent. However, the (re)visiting of these tales as adult readers exposes the delinquent vandalism of Hänsel and Gretel, who ate the witch's house and then burned her alive in her own oven; the vicious thievery of Peter Rabbit; the schizophrenia of Christopher Robin who seems to believe that his stuffed animals are alive; the 'écriture feminine' and latent lesbianism of "Anne of Green Gables"; the hoarding perniciousness of "The Borrowers"; Wendy's forced conformism to society's expectations of women in "Peter Pan"; environmental catastrophe and humanity's will towards destruction in "The Lord of the Rings"; the disturbing religious strain in the Narnia series; the political statements voiced through fluffy rabbits in "Watership Down" or less-than-egalitarian pigs in "Animal Farm"; ... and the list goes on. This course will approach children's literature with caution, armed with theory and context (historical, political, cultural, biographical etc.) as a way of understanding the adult subtext and to see how different lenses can change, subvert, and revolutionize our understanding of these seemingly straightforward texts. |
| Learning objectives | Students will engage with primary texts of British Children’s literature using their knowledge of other literature, culture, history, politics, theory and their skills in literary criticism. |
| Bibliography | - Roald Dahl - The Witches (Puffin 2013) - J. K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets— any edition - Richard Adams - Watership Down (Puffin 2012) - Frances Hodgson Burnett - A Little Princess (Puffin 2008) - Lewis Carroll - Alice in Wonderland (Norton Critical Edition, 2nded, 1971) - J. M. Barrie - Peter Pan (Puffin [Chalk] 2013) - A. A. Milne - Winnie the Pooh— any edition - R. L. Stevenson - Treasure Island (Alma Classics, CPI Group, 2015 (or 2016, or 2017) -Diana Wynne Jones - Howl’s Moving Castle (Harper Collins Children’s Books 2009) - Neil Gaiman – Coraline (Bloomsbury 2013) - Ursula Le Guin - Earthsea (book 1) — any edition There will also be a course reader containing the theoretical texts and shorter works of fiction available for purchase in the first week of semester. Films will also be screened during term-time (dates to be confirmed in advance of the semester). |
| Weblink | ADAM |
| Admission requirements | This seminar is intended for MA and BA students who have completed their Introductory modules (Literature, Linguistics and ACE). Please keep in mind that the reading list (i.e. the amount and level of reading - potentially one novel + one theoretical text per week) is tailored towards an MA student. |
| Course application | Please register for this course via doodle: https://doodle.com/poll/fk7cyqsfy5rws2az. When you doodle, please write your full name (first & last name) to avoid confusion; you will also be asked to input your email address. Registration is limited to 20 students. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | Online, mandatory |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
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No dates available. Please contact the lecturer.
| Modules |
Modul Anglophone Literary and Cultural Studies (Master's degree subject: English) Modul: Advanced Anglophone Literary and Cultural Studies (Bachelor's degree subject: English) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | Regular attendance, active participation, reading quizzes, oral presentation |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | no repetition |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Englische Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaft |