Middlebury

FYSE 1462

Animal Encounters in Lit.

Animal Encounters in Literature
Animals have haunted literary texts ever since Aesop’s fables. What different roles do they play? In this seminar we will explore the complexity of representing animals in literature by studying novels and short stories that imagine wildlife, revisit the myth of animal metamporphosis, or use animals as symbols for other purposes. We will discuss what specific social, political, and linguistic issues these literary texts address and in some cases, how they complicate our understanding of the human/animal divide. Texts include: Balzac, Passion in the Desert, Kafka, The Metamorphosis, and Darrieussecq’s dystopian novel Pig Tales. 3 hrs. sem.
Subject:
First Year Seminar
Department:
First-Year Seminar Program
Division:
Interdisciplinary
Requirements Fulfilled:
CW LIT

Sections

Fall 2015

FYSE1462A-F15 Seminar (Weber)