Topics in Combined Studies (385-DL-20)
Topic
Literature and Leadership
Instructors
Leslie Fischer
555 Clark St., 240
With 35+ years of experience teaching English, Business Writing and Communication at Northwestern University and SPS, Fischer is an experienced mentor in writing, communication and team work. Experienced as both a student and teacher of online courses, she understands how students learn online and the particular challenges for adult students. Since 1998, Fischer has worked in Northwestern University's Writing Program, in a collaborative program with the McCormick School of Engineering and Segal Design Institute, Design Thinking and Communication. A life-long learner, she recently completed an MS in Information Design and Strategy at SPS. In addition to her work in higher education, she has significant professional experience as a career consultant, as a writer and trainer, and as an editor for publications. When she is not teaching, you'll find her hiking, cooking, going to the theatre or volunteering at the Butterfly House at the Chicago Botanic Garden.
Meeting Info
Online: TBA
Overview of class
In traditional literature, narratives often centered on the exploits of the hero, from Odysseus to Beowulf to King Arthur. But in contemporary culture the protagonists that draw our attention fall often fall far short of usual definitions of heroism, from Walter White in Breaking Bad, to Claire Underwood in House of Cards, to Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones. We will read four short novels--Dostoevsky's Notes from Underground; Camus's The Stranger; Hammett's The Maltese Falcon (turned into a classic film, perhaps the first major example of film noir); and Baldwin's Giovanni's Room--and one long novel, Margaret Atwood's The Robber Bride, as well as two short plays, Sartre's No Exit and Beckett's Waiting for Godot. Assignments will include literary analysis papers, with options for the second topic that involve film comparisons. For the major assignment, students will work as individuals or in groups to analyze a television or movie character as an anti-hero, with an oral presentation and video clips; then each student will write their own analysis of that character.
This course is conducted completely online. A technology fee will be added to tuition.
Humanities distribution course.
Registration Requirements
This course is limited to School of Professional Studies students only. Undergraduate students in other schools at Northwestern are not permitted to enroll in this course
Students should have fulfilled the SPS writing requirement or completed equivalent writing courses prior to enrolling. Meets the post-1830 literature requirement for English Writing majors.
Class Attributes
Asynchronous:Remote class-no scheduled mtg time