GSC2407

Authorship and writing

Mike Griffiths

8 points
* First semester
* 3 hours per week (1-hour lecture, 2-hour discussion)
* Gippsland and distance
* Prerequisites: English major, GSC1401 and GSC1402 or equivalents; writing major, GSC1901 and GSC1402 or equivalents

Objectives On successful completion of this subject students will develop an understanding of a range of questions concerned in the study and analysis of the media. This subject will build on this knowledge by studying a number of texts and offering opportunities for critical and creative work. Student will develop an understanding of the notion of authorship of literary and other texts (such as film) and its development historically; a knowledge of the critical debate about the place of the author in the production of texts in the light of recent critical theories; an awareness of the concerns with individual and collaborative production of texts, related to specific examples; the ability too articulate critical interpretations of texts in systematic written form and oral presentation; an ability to write creatively and to reflect upon the nature of their own practice.

Synopsis This subject combines the opportunity for students to develop and reflect upon their own creative writing skills with the critical study of a number of texts. The notion of authorship will be interrogated in relation to a variety of writing practices. The Romantic conception of the author (and that of the film auteur) will be examined in the light of recent critical theories.

Assessment Essay one (1000 words): 20%
* Essay two (2000 words): 30%
* Examination (3 hours): 50%
* The total word length for assessment will not exceed 6000 words

Prescribed texts

Bloch R Psycho Tor Books, 1989
Grenville K The writing book Allen and Unwin, 1990
Jeyaretnam P First loves Times Editions (Singapore), 1987
Vargas Llosa M Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter Picador-Pan, 1984
Williamson D Authorship and criticism Local Consumption, 1989
Winterson J Oranges are not the only fruit Vintage, 1991