552.282 (20W) Topics in Anglophone Literary Studies: Moments of Magical Realism in US-American-Literature

Wintersemester 2020/21

Registration deadline has expired.

First course session
12.10.2020 12:00 - 14:00 N.0.43 On Campus
... no further dates known

Overview

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it may be necessary to make changes to courses and examinations at short notice (e.g. cancellation of attendance-based courses and switching to online examinations).

For further information regarding teaching on campus, please visit: https://www.aau.at/en/corona.
Lecturer
LV Nummer Südostverbund ENL04002UL
Course title german Topics in Anglophone Literary Studies: Moments of Magical Realism in US-American-Literature
Type Proseminar (continuous assessment course )
Course model Online course
Hours per Week 2.0
ECTS credits 3.0
Registrations 9 (25 max.)
Organisational unit
Language of instruction English
possible language(s) of the assessment English
Course begins on 12.10.2020
eLearning Go to Moodle course
Remarks (english)

Class sessions will run for the full 2 hours.

Time and place

Please note that the currently displayed dates may be subject to change due to COVID-19 measures.
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Course Information

Intended learning outcomes

This class will familiarize students with the literary genre of magical realism in the context of US-American-Literature. They will gain a better understanding of how authors of different (ethnic) communities choose to incorporate this narrative device into their writings and which issues are depicted through Magical Realism. Students will further develop their skills of interpreting texts within specific socio-cultural and literary historical contexts and pay close attention to issues such as class, gender, ethnicity, and race.

Teaching methodology including the use of eLearning tools

Short lecture inputs, in-class discussion of assigned primary texts through close textual analysis, group discussion.

Course content

Narratives that are considered magical realist are characterized by displaying a borderless combination of and alteration between ‘magical’ elements and settings, characters, and events in the real world. A critical sensitivity to magical effects may offers insight into the layered consciousness that makes up US-American society and culture. Indeed, the texts we focus on in this class incorporate such ‘unreal’ moments into their plots that they are utterly normal in their settings. We start out with Franz Roh’s essay Magic Realism: Post-Expressionism (1925) in which he coined the term “Magical Realism” and then continue with selected short stories. Next, we will read Jonathan Safran Foer’s Everything Is Illuminated (2002) which offers a retelling of holocaust history, juxtaposed with a contemporary protagonist’s plot. We will then watch the 2005 adaptation which allows us to discuss differences between a literary text and a visual narrative and how these two media are able to depict ‘magical’ elements. After this, we will read Toni Morrison’s Beloved (1987) and explore the ways in which ‘Magical Realism’ can be used to portray issues such as trauma, the permissibility of memory, and race. Finally, we will turn our attention to Alfredo Véa Jr.’s La Maravilla (1993), an embodiment of belonging to two worlds, and being torn between the love and fear of both. In this novel, we encounter a place seemingly built by outsiders, allowing us to further explore the intersection of ethnic marginalization and to observe similarities and overlaps between distinct spiritual traditions. 

Literature

Foer, Jonathan Safran. 2002. Everything Is Illuminated. Any edition.

Morrison, Toni. 1987. Beloved. Any edition

Véa, Alfredo Jr. 1993. La Maravilla. Any edition.

All other materials will be provided by the instructor.

Examination information

Im Fall von online durchgeführten Prüfungen sind die Standards zu beachten, die die technischen Geräte der Studierenden erfüllen müssen, um an diesen Prüfungen teilnehmen zu können.

Grading scheme

Grade / Grade grading scheme

Position in the curriculum

  • Bachelor-Lehramtsstudium Bachelor Unterrichtsfach Englisch (SKZ: 407, Version: 17W.2)
    • Subject: Anglophone Literary Studies II: Historical Surveys, Terminology and Practice of Interpretation (Compulsory subject)
      • ENL.004 Topics in Anglophone Literary Studies ( 2.0h PS / 3.0 ECTS)
        • 552.282 Topics in Anglophone Literary Studies: Moments of Magical Realism in US-American-Literature (2.0h PS / 3.0 ECTS)
          Absolvierung im 7., 8. Semester empfohlen
  • Bachelor-Lehramtsstudium Bachelor Unterrichtsfach Englisch (SKZ: 407, Version: 15W.2)
    • Subject: Anglophone Literary Studies II: Historical Surveys, Terminology and Practice of Interpretation (Compulsory subject)
      • ENL.004 Topics in Anglophone Literary Studies, Lehrveranstaltung ( 2.0h PS / 3.0 ECTS)
        • 552.282 Topics in Anglophone Literary Studies: Moments of Magical Realism in US-American-Literature (2.0h PS / 3.0 ECTS)
          Absolvierung im 3., 4. Semester empfohlen
  • Bachelor-Lehramtsstudium Bachelor Unterrichtsfach Englisch (SKZ: 407, Version: 19W.2)
    • Subject: Anglophone Literary Studies II: Historical Surveys, Terminology and Practice of Interpretation (Compulsory subject)
      • ENL.004 Topics in Anglophone Literary Studies ( 2.0h PS / 3.0 ECTS)
        • 552.282 Topics in Anglophone Literary Studies: Moments of Magical Realism in US-American-Literature (2.0h PS / 3.0 ECTS)
          Absolvierung im 7., 8. Semester empfohlen
  • Bachelor's degree programme English and American Studies (SKZ: 612, Version: 15W.3)
    • Subject: Fachliches Grund- und Aufbaustudium Literature (Compulsory subject)
      • Module: Aufbaustudium Literature
        • 5.5 Topics in Anglophone Literary Studies ( 0.0h PS / 3.0 ECTS)
          • 552.282 Topics in Anglophone Literary Studies: Moments of Magical Realism in US-American-Literature (2.0h PS / 3.0 ECTS)
            Absolvierung im 4. Semester empfohlen
  • Bachelor's degree programme English and American Studies (SKZ: 612, Version: 10W.3)
    • Subject: Fachliches Aufbaustudium (ab 11W) (Compulsory subject)
      • Module: Literature (ab 11W)
        • Topics in Literature ( 2.0h PS / 5.0 ECTS)
          • 552.282 Topics in Anglophone Literary Studies: Moments of Magical Realism in US-American-Literature (2.0h PS / 3.0 ECTS)

Equivalent courses for counting the examination attempts

This course is not assigned to a sequence of equivalent courses