First-Year Writing Seminar (101-8-25)
Topic
First-Year in the “Second City”: An Introduction t
Instructors
Clay Ross Cogswell
Meeting Info
University Hall 112: Tues, Thurs 3:30PM - 4:50PM
Overview of class
Topic: First-Year in the "Second City": An Introduction to Chi-Town
Located just north of one of America's most vibrant and historic cities, Northwestern University has had deep ties to Chicago since the school's founding in 1851. This first-year seminar will immerse you in Chicago, guiding you through an investigation of its rich literary and cultural life. Reading stories of the city's recent past like The Devil in the White City, The Warmth of Other Suns, and Gwendolyn Brooks's beautiful novel Maud Martha, learning about today's writing scene through the iconic local magazine Poetry, and shuttling down to our world-class libraries, students will gain a profound understanding of the city that starts just two miles south of campus. We will hold screenings of some of the best depictions of the city on film, including Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Candyman, and Mean Girls (set here in Evanston). Working across different genres and media, from the blues riff to the narrative poem, this class will help you hone your writing and critical thinking skills while you get to know the city that will be your home over the coming years.
Teaching Method
Seminar discussion.
Evaluation Method
Essays and class participation.
Class Materials (Required)
Wilkerson, Warmth of Other Suns (978-0679763888); Larson, Devil in the White City (978-0375725609); Brooks, Maud Martha (978-0883780619); stories by Saul Bellow Stuart Dybek
Texts will be available at: Norris Bookstore.
Class Attributes
WCAS Writing Seminar