Celebration and Resistance: Modern Representations of War in Literature and Film
In this course we will consider some iconic war novels and films that have defined our modern understanding of war. In particular, we will consider the narrative as a vehicle for both celebration and resistance. Questions we will address include: Does the narrative change from war to war? Is there a “good” war in these narratives? If representation requires a kind of exaggeration to approximate its object, what happens when the object of representation is itself extreme? How is social capital transformed in war? What constitutes bravery in resistance? When does resistance become terrorism? What kinds of resistance are possible in literature? This course counts as elective credit towards the ENAM major.