LFU:online

Institut für Anglistik Institut für Anglistik

Dr. Geoffrey Vernon Davis Dr. Geoffrey Vernon Davis

609559

Literatures in English: Canadian Native Writing

SE 2

10

wöch.

semestral

Englisch

This seminar is conceived as an introduction to the native or First Nations literature of Canada. The texts we shall be discussing constitute a representative selection of fiction, autobiography and drama which will enable us to examine the kind of contentious social and political issues native authors address (such as the experience of the residential schools) and the literary forms they have chosen through which to do so. All of the texts shed light on the social situation of native people in Canada today; they may serve to illustrate how indigenous story-telling is being used as a means of healing the historical traumas arising from colonialism.

The texts exemplify the literary practice of Canadian native writers, demonstrating some of the ways contemporary indigenous literature has attempted to integrate aspects of traditional orature. They also provide access to literary questions such as the preservation of the native heritage, the recourse to mythology, the use of native languages, and concepts of narrative structure. The texts we will be discussing are: Halfbreed, the autobiography of Maria Campbell; April Raintree, the autobiographical fiction by Beatrice Culleton; Kiss of the Fur Queen, the novel by Tomson Highway; and two plays, Tomson Highway’s hugely successful The Rez Sisters and Drew Hayden Taylor’s comedy AlterNatives. Those students with time to spare might also like to tackle Three Day Road, Joseph Boyden’s best-selling novel on Cree participation in the First World War.

Anmeldevoraussetzung/en: Masterstudium: positive Beurteilung des Pflichtmoduls 3 Diplom- und Lehramtsstudium: abgeschlossener 1. Studienabschnitt Entspricht im Diplomstudium (343): SE 2: English Literature/Culture Entspricht im Lehramtsstudium (344): SE 2: English Literature/Culture
Beginn: 06. März 2012