116-451 Themes in Contemporary Literature

Admission to the postgraduate diploma or fourth year honours in French.

This subject aims to develop a global understanding of certain key transformations in contemporary culture via the study of avant-garde literary French texts written around the turn of the century (Echenoz, Houellebecq, Laurens, Quignard, Darrieussecq and Toussaint). We explore the limits of French writing today in the post-new-novel, spearheaded by writers grouped under the heading L'Ecole de Minuit ("The Minuit School") who reinvented French fiction. We look at new narrative techniques, representations of modernity, the influence of painting, reader reception and the renewed focus on love and eroticism. Other controversial authors and contemporary women writers complete our study. At the end of the subject, students should be able to synthesise an approach to a general problem in contemporary culture through the use of a variety of material, including internet sites; develop the ability to write articles and to build personal research projects.

• Research: through frequent and systematic use of the library and other information sources, the definition of areas of inquiry and familiarisation with research methods;

• Critical thinking and analysis: through required and recommended reading, essay writing and tutorial discussion, and by assessing the strength of arguments;

• Thinking in theoretical and analytical terms: through lectures, tutorial discussion, essay writing and engagement in the methodologies of the humanities and social sciences;

• Understanding of social, political, historical and cultural contexts and international awareness/openness to the world: through the contextualisation of judgements and knowledge, developing a critical self-awareness, being open to new ideas and new aspects of French and Italian culture, and by formulating arguments;

• Written communication: through essay and assignment preparation and writing;

• Communicating knowledge intelligibly and economically: through essay and assignment writing, tutorial discussion and class presentations;

• Public speaking and confidence in self-expression: through tutorial participation and class presentations;

• Attention to detail: through close reading and textual analysis, essay preparation and writing, and examination revision;

• Time management and planning: through managing and organizing workloads for required and recommended reading, essay and assignment completion and revision for examinations.

A 30-minute classpaper of 1500 words in French subsequently written up 35% (due a week after the presentation), a 3000 word comparative essay in French 45% (due a week after the end of semester) and brief presentations on key issues for discussion totalling 500 words 20% (due at regular intervals during semester).

• A selection from: A Breton, Nadja. Gallimard 1964.
• C Laurens, L'Avenir. POL 1998.
• Houellebecq, Les Particules lmentaires. Flammarion 1998.
• M Darrieussecq, Mal de mer. POL 1999.
• Echenoz, Je m'en vais. Minuit 1999.
• P Quignard, Terrasse Rome. Gallimard 1999.