Hebrew III: Topics in Hebrew Literature (216-3-1)
Topic
Between Two Writers: Sayed Kashu’a and Etgar Keret
Instructors
Hanna Tzuker Seltzer
847/467-5684
Crowe 5-159
Office Hours: Tuesdays 1:00 - 2:00, or by appt.
Meeting Info
Kresge Centennial Hall 2-319: Mon, Wed 2:00PM - 3:20PM
Overview of class
Topics in Hebrew Literature: Between Two Writers: Sayed Kashu'a and Etgar Keret
"This summer, the last vestiges of hope in my heart were crushed… I'm still writing to you, maybe because I want you to give me a little hope. You can lie, if you feel like. Please, Etgar, tell me a short story with a happy ending, please." (From a letter Sayed Kashu'a wrote to Etgar Keret on September 2014).
This course is for undergraduate and graduate students as well as post doc researchers who are interested in exploring contemporary writings by two prominent writers in Israeli culture, Sayed Kashu'a and Etgar Keret. These writers share unique perspectives on Israeli society: Keret, a son of Holocaust survivors, writes short stories, often surreal and absurdist, that deal with the paradoxes of modern Israeli society; Kashu'a, an Israeli Arab who grew up in the Israeli educational system, writes books and humorous columns in the Hebrew language in which he addresses the problems faced by Arabs in Israel. Shortly after Kashu'a and his family left Israel following a politically charged summer, the two writers began a lively correspondence chronicling their innermost thoughts and trepidations. In this class students will delve into the writers correspondence (which was translated into English and published in the New York Times), explore selective works from both authors, watch films and TV series they have created (such as Keret's movie Jellyfish and Kashu'a's TV series "Arab Labor") as well as discuss their other visual works.
Registration Requirements
Prerequisite: Hebrew 121-3, or permission of the instructor.
Learning Objectives
Exploring Sayed Kashu'a and Etgar Keret creative works as well as their biographies, we will discuss the similarities and differences between their writings , including literary style, use of Hebrew, and fictional reality. In-depth analysis and in-class discussions and reflections on the readings as well as on the visual works will enhance students' acquisition of vocabulary and idioms, improve their understanding of Hebrew syntax and style and help assimilate in an informed way how meaning emerges through word choice, style, and context. Additionally, the texts and the visual works will provide students with reliable and poignant snapshots of Israeli society, its fissures and intricacies. Students will gain a deeper understanding of some of the complexities in Israeli culture.
Teaching Method
Exploring Sayed Kashu'a and Etgar Keret creative works as well as their biographies, we will discuss the similarities and differences between their writings , including literary style, use of Hebrew, and fictional reality. In-depth analysis and in-class discussions and reflections on the readings as well as on the visual works will enhance students' acquisition of vocabulary and idioms, improve their understanding of Hebrew syntax and style and help assimilate in an informed way how meaning emerges through word choice, style, and context. Additionally, the texts and the visual works will provide students with reliable and poignant snapshots of Israeli society, its fissures and intricacies. Students will gain a deeper understanding of some of the complexities in Israeli culture.
Evaluation Method
The final grade for the course will be based on the following: Attendance and Participation, completion of class assignments and preparation of readings, watching stories and movies/episodes assigned, and short writing assignments that reflect student's understanding of the texts. Final project will be a 20 minutes presentation in pairs in class on one of Kashu'a or Keret's works.
Class Materials (Required)
The Hebrew course material is available on Canvas (PDF documents and links to video clips). There might be some additional background reading in English.
Class Attributes
Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area