Everyone has favorite literary works that have been transformed into better or worse film versions, though we’ve often heard the verdict that “the book was much better than the film”. In this course, we’ll consider works of literature and their film adaptations from around the world, especially focusing on ones in which non-standard varieties of English are showcased. Each week, we’ll read excerpts from selected novels, memoirs, short stories, or plays and critically compare them to their cinematic adaptations. Topics considered will include racial, gender, and sexual oppression; (civil) war; migration; religious and cultural clashes; addiction; rebelliousness and crime; and the individual’s relationship to society. We’ll also discuss differences between cinema and literature as forms of artistic expression, examining their strengths and weaknesses in portraying the myriad dimensions of human experience. Participants will be expected to provide short team reviews of selected books and films, actively discuss and critically analyze course topics and materials, and write a brief final essay or review.
- Course owner: Chris Hank