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Literature for Young Adults

 Fall 2011

Mondays, 5:30-8:20
 Stevenson Hall 221B

Tuesday and Thursdays, 11-12:15
Stevenson Hall 223

Dr. Karen Coats

 
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Course Description:

Sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll have been the battle cry of the teenage years at least since the 50s. In the 21st century, though, we need to add fame and consumerism to the triumvirate. In this course we will analyze texts that explore these dominant themes in adolescent literature, particularly as they relate to issues of  identity construction, gender issues, sexuality, embodiment, abjection, and ethics. Our question for each text will be: How is the world presented to young people through this text? In our answers to that question, we will consider the form of the text, its content and subtexts, and the context in which it was written.

Required Texts:

Fall:
Alexie, Sherman: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian

Anderson, M. T.:
Thirsty
Bray, Libba:
Beauty Queens
de la Pena, Matt:
Mexican Whiteboy
Donnelly, Jennifer: Revolution
Hinds, Gareth: Beowulf
Levithan, David: The Realm of Possibility

Lockhart, E.: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks
Meehl, Brian: You Don't Know About Me
Reeves, Dia: Slice of Cherry

Smith, Sherri L: Flygirl
Tan, Shaun: The Arrival
Tharp, Tim.: The Spectacular Now

 
*Bend it Like Beckham (film to be viewed in class)
 


Additional Readings:

       The theoretical readings will be available on-line. I will link to them from the calendar.