AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:

• To introduce students to a selection of 20th century texts representing both significant categories of fiction and some major authors.
• To examine some key aspects of fictional narrative, such as disturbed time sequence, unreliable narrator and stream of consciousness, as they are exemplified by the texts selected.
• To explore some literary, cultural and social contexts which inform the reading of the texts.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

1.       Demonstrate an understanding of the critical contexts (literary, cultural and social) which inform the analysis of a range of fiction;

2.       Analyze the texts studied in terms of point of view, representation of dialogue and other aspects of narrative technique;

3.       Apply skills of close reading and analysis to a wider range of fictional texts.

CONTENT:

The course will seek to guide reading of a selection of seven or eight primary fictional texts, placing these in their social and cultural contexts, such as literary modernism, feminist writing, colonial and postcolonial fiction and social class. Aspects of narrative technique, such as stream of consciousness, focalization, disturbed time sequence and speech representation will be analyzed in the process of close reading from the set texts.

TEACHING AND LEARNING METHODS:

Two hours contact per week normally in the form of a one hour lecture plus one-hour seminar.
The lectures will serve to outline specific aspects of the above content and provide introductions to each of the texts in a way that promotes understanding of ethical issues relevant to both the novels and their historical context. The seminars will give students the opportunity to collaborate in the analysis of texts and discuss related aspects of literary, cultural and social significance.

Lectures - 12 Hours

Lecture related independent learning - 12 Hours

Seminars - 12 Hours

Seminar related independent learning - 24 Hours

Assessment related independent learning (1) - 36 Hours

Assessment related independent learning (2) - 54 Hours

ASSESSMENT:

A. A critical-creative exercise relating to one primary text, such as an account of a crucial event in the fiction in the persona of one of the characters, together with a brief commentary on the thinking behind this account (approx 1000 words, weighted 40%);

B. An essay which interprets two further texts in relation to some aspects of their literary, ethical, cultural or social context in a way that also demonstrates research into and handling of relevant background reading (approx 2000 words, weighted 60%).