Studies in Literature and Film (386-0-21)
Topic
Rebels and Rule Breakers: Subversive Coming-of-Age
Instructors
Laura A MacKay Hansen
Meeting Info
Harris Hall L05: Mon, Wed 2:00PM - 3:20PM
Overview of class
Breaking the rules is a fundamental aspect of growing up, but some transgressions have more serious consequences than others, particularly for those who do not have the option of second and third chances. How do we push against the life stories that have been chosen for us? In this seminar, we will look at a variety of coming-of-age texts dealing with the development of identity, the loss of innocence, and the subversion of narratives. We'll consider the questions: How do friendships help to shape us, and how is betrayal a part of growing up? How do we navigate parental expectations that do not match with our own dreams or desires? How are the stakes different and higher for those who are not a part of the dominant culture? We will look at three novels that complicate the coming-of-age story in distinct ways: Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan tale My Brilliant Friend; Kazuo Ishiguro's dystopian elegy Never Let Me Go; and Cameroonian writer Ferdinand Oyono's epistolary anti-colonial work Houseboy. In addition to these texts, we will consider Marjane Satrapi's graphic novel Persepolis and a variety of films: Greta Gerwig's Ladybird, Stephen Chbosky's The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Sofia Coppola's The Virgin Suicides, and Jordan Peele's Us. Standing on the brink of adulthood, with one foot still partially in childhood, it can feel as though small decisions can have outsized consequences, and the people who should be the most supportive can create the biggest obstacles. We will use these novels and films to interrogate the conventional coming-of-age narrative and to raise questions about the hard work of defining ourselves against strong and sometimes dangerous forces-and the loss that may happen along the way.
Class Attributes
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area