Department of Spanish and Portuguese

Prerequisite: HISP-S 280 or HISP-S 310; or appropriate placement exam score.

This course provides students with the critical tools needed for the analysis and interpretation of Hispanic literatures through close readings of selected literary works and films from Spanish America and Spain, with an emphasis on issues of identity construction (e.g., regional, national, racial, gender, and sexuality); the relationship between Spain and Europe, and between Spanish America and the United States; questions of dictatorship, war, and resistance; the social and political roles and responsibilities of the writer; the relationship between art/the artist, society, and politics; and the sometimes-blurred lines between reality and art.  We will study three major genres (poetry, fiction, and the essay) and will become familiar with the goals and methods of literary criticism. Through in-class discussions and written work, students will learn to interpret texts by analyzing their content, ideas, and themes, examining the ways that content and structure/techniques work together to convey themes, and exploring how texts engage with-reflect, criticize, and, often, seek to change-their historical, cultural, social, and/or political contexts.

Through discussions, assignments, and writing workshops, students will improve their analytical, writing, and speaking abilities in Spanish. The analytical tools that students learn in this course will also prepare them for more advanced classes in literature and culture. 

We will also focus on strengthening writing skills, including thesis development and follow-through, analysis, and organization, among others.

HISP-S 328     #5626   HONORS    (3)     9:35A-10:50A     TR      SY 002     Prof. Deborah Cohn

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