Intercultural Adaptations: Answering the Anglo-American Literary Canon

Catalog description

Students read texts from the Anglo-American literary canon and examine adaptations of or “answers” to those texts created within the context of entirely different cultures, some of which were the objects of English/European cultural influence or dominance. Discussion and written assignments focus on the revision, transformation, or decentering of the primary literary work when “read” or revised by creative artists from outside of the Anglo-English cultural tradition. The culturally-diverse adaptations of canonical texts might take the form of literature, film, or any other creative artifact (such as a graphic novel); students analyze the connections between paired texts in order to identify the contradictions within their foundational assumptions and value systems and develop strategies to interpret and appreciate the creative achievements of distinct cultures.