Mirrors of the Mind: The Interplay of Literature and Psychology

Catalog description

In exploring the longstanding and evolving partnership between literature and psychology, this course addresses the following questions: How does understanding of psychological theory enhance our reading of literature? How does reading of literature affect our judgements and our responses to real-world situations? How can literary texts aid psychologists in refining theories explaining human behavior? Readings include classics, as well selections by recent writers and theorists representing both disciplines. Among the themes typically discussed are struggles in achieving stage-salient goals in life (separation from parents during adolescence and beginning the assumption of adult roles, etc.); complexities in social interactions (familial, romantic, etc.); the development of empathy; perceptions of self and other; loss and grief, morality; and the influence of culture on personality and behavior.