ENG 111F 1CD - Coming of Age: Multicultr Fic & Film

4 Credit(s)

The Bildungsroman, or coming-of-age novel, has a long and distinguished history in American letters. Some critics have even seen the process of grappling with incipient adulthood a topic inherently suited to “American” themes of rebellion, individualism, and modernity. From Huckleberry Finn to The Catcher in the Rye, the argument has held true. But contemporary literature takes on the question of coming of age from diverse racial and ethnic perspectives. The rites of passage, cultural expectations, even the very definitions and values of personhood may differ according to a person’s heritage (and claimed group identities). This class seeks to redefine the “classic” Bildungsroman, taking into account portrait presented in the diverse and multifaceted novels of today.

Prerequisite(s): W tag or concurrent enrollment in a W tag course. This course is for first- semester freshmen or freshmen transfers.