WRT3405

Contemporary Fiction ( 6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL)

Leader: Simon Cooper and Paul Atkinson

Offered:
Gippsland Second semester 2006 (Day)
Gippsland Second semester 2006 (OCL)

Synopsis: The unit requires students to study a number of examples of recent fiction, drawn from a range of traditions (West Indian, US, British, for example) and exemplifying different kinds of formal developments. Issues include social, feminist and historical concerns in the texts studied.

Objectives: Students successfully completing the subject will have; 1. Demonstrated an ability to analyse and evaluate textual representations in terms of: stylistic elements; narrative form; aspects of literary theory (genre, authorship, postmodernism, psychoanalysis); literature and its relation to historical and social contexts. 2. Students will also have developed an understanding of a range of critical and theoretical approaches to literary studies and their place in the wider field of cultural studies. At third year level students will be able to demonstrate a more extended understanding of these theoretical issues.

Assessment: Essay (2000 words): 40% + Examination (2.5 hours): 60% + Third-year students will be expected to read more widely and work at a higher level than second-year students.

Contact Hours: 2 hours (1 x 1 hour lecture and 1 x 1 hour tutorial) per week

Prerequisites: COM1010 or GSC1402 and COM1020 or GSC1901 or equivalents

Prohibitions: GSC2405, GSC3405, WRT2405