Beyond Literary Landscapes—Family

From my early beginnings as a young introvert, the public library has always been a bit of a refuge.  Years later, not much has changed, albeit with an additional affinity for endless hours spent scouring second-hand bookstores to add to my ever-growing “to-read” pile.

From one bookworm to another, this column will be underscoring and outlining various literary genres, authors, and recent reads and can serve as an introduction for those unfamiliar with these works, as a refresher for long-time aficionados, and maybe as an inspiration for readers to share their own suggested topics.  Do you have a topic that you would like covered in this column?  Feel free to contact me for an interview and a feature in an upcoming column.

Who

This week’s column focuses on family as a literary theme.  Novels and short stories by Jane Austen, Leo Tolstoy, and Charles Dickens and feature a variety of families, in a variety of socio-economic classes, and withstanding a variety of issues and problems.

What

Some examples of family as a literary theme include Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, and Charles Dickens.

Other examples include Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri, and The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende.

Where

These works take place in various geographical locations, including Bangladesh, Chile, the United States, imperial Russia, and the United Kingdom.

 When

These texts take place from the 17th to the 21st-centuries.

Why

These novels may be of interest to AU students who enjoy exploring family dynamics, both positive and negative, as well as those who would like to consider the various types of families that exist across the globe.

How

AU’s wide range of diverse courses make it easy to study this topic in depth.  Courses related to family as a literary theme are available in a variety of disciplines, including those that may fit into your Degree Works.  (Always check with an AU counsellor to see if these particular courses fulfill your personal graduation requirements!)

AU students interested in learning more about this topic may enroll ENGL 211: Prose Forms, a junior-level, three-credit course, which “include[s] American, British, and Canadian short stories and novels, ranging from the nineteenth to the twenty-first century.”  (Although no prerequisites are required, students are encouraged to have completed ENGL 255: Introductory Composition.)

 

Students may also consider ENGL 345: American Literature II, a senior-level, three-credit course, which “follows the introduction to American literature begun in ENGL 344 . . . [and] continues the exploration of the history and development of American literature and its rich variety of forms and techniques.”  (Please note that this course requires ENGL 211: Prose Forms and ENGL 212: Poetry and Plays as prerequisites).  Happy reading!