Literature, Language, and Identity in Québec
This course will concentrate on the evolution of Québecois identity and show how it is inseparable from the language of Québec. We will examine the origins of Québecois culture and self-awareness through a brief overview of its history and then concentrate on the twentieth century, beginning with Emile Nelligan and the École littéraire de Montréal. We will study the nationalization of Québecois literature in writings about the terroir; the gradual introduction of the city into writing; early attempts at establishing an identity separate from France (La Relève); the Révolution tranquille and the rise of Québec nationalism and separatism with attention to the mass media; the question of le joual; and finally a new recent writing "without boundaries" by the many third-world immigrants to Québec. (FREN 0221 or by waiver). 3 hrs. lect./disc.