I enjoyed this class. The novels we read were good reads and really fun to talk about during class. A lot of the literature I've read in my English classes this year I would never dream to tackle on my own but with a class full of different perspectives, reading stuff like Libra or Mumbo Jumbo doesn't seem nearly as daunting.
As compared with last semester, I think some of the books we read were a little harder to talk about right of the bat. Sometimes I felt like I didn't have enough to say about the books this semester then suddenly, half way through the book, once I was finally oriented, I would have too many things to say in class discussion. I like being able to draw upon last semester's literature in relation to this semester's because it was helpful in gaining a better understanding of what authors were doing with certain characters. Also, at the beginning of this semester I was disappointed to learn that there would be no pastiches, which I enjoyed last semester, but the semester project definitely made up for that loss of fictional composition. This semester's project was much more challenging than last semester's but it was really interesting and I found myself really enjoying the writing.
Although initially the readings about postmodernism seemed pretty dry, I appreciated doing them because it made me feel like I was learning something new in English class while I usually feel like I'm practicing old skills in English. They also provided proper context for what we were going to be doing all semester.
I think my favorite book was Kindred and my least favorite was the first couple chapters of Mumbo Jumbo or the first like ten chapters of Libra. The latter two were the most difficult books this semester in my opinion. I thought I was going to want to die the whole time I was reading Mumbo Jumbo but I surprised myself, got oriented, and started really liking the Reed's relaxed writing style. I think that my response paper for Mumbo Jumbo was my best one.
Looking back at the class and thinking about what I'm taking away from it, I think the examination between history and fiction has not changed my opinions of either but it has given me a new perspective on how one should study both. My story really helped me see that. For me, new perspectives are extremely valuable. I think learning is based on looking at things in different ways and so listening to someone who has a different idea than yourself is just as valuable as learning a new skill.
This was a great class. Thanks! I look forward to next year.
I'm glad you liked it, in the end. I was definitely picking up on the dynamic you describe, where the class seemed to have a lot more to say at around the halfway point of a novel, once we were all oriented. This isn't too surprising--the kinds of issues we're exploring in this course are maybe less evident in the early chapters of a novel, and they depend on a well-developed picture before we can really start to engage them.
ReplyDeleteThis course has truly been an experiment for me from the start, and I've been along on this ride with the rest of you. Your participation throughout the semester has been crucial to its success.