Literature and Life: War and the British Imagination (1914-1918) As the British scholar David Punter observes, “an artform or a genre derives its overall vitality, the ground on which specific excellence may be achieved, from its attempts to come to grips with and to probe matters of concern to the society in which that genre or artform exists.” There is arguably no matter which more concerns a society than war, and at the beginning of the twentieth century, there was war on an unprecedented scale. In this class, we’ll look at the writing and art inspired by the traumatic experiences of the “Great War” as we study how literature responds to social and historical events. We will read selections from a variety of genres, including fiction, poetry, and memoir, as well as visual forms like film, television, and drama, and we’ll discuss a variety of themes including friendship, class and gender, the horrors of war, the conflict between generations, the passing of an old civilization and birth of a new one, medicine and technology at home as well as at the front, nationalism, the relationship between history and literary production, and the lasting impact of WWI in the present day. Texts to Purchase Pat Barker, Regeneration (novel) Robert Graves, Good-Bye to All That (memoir) Pat Mills, Charley’s War 2 June 1916 - 1 August 1916 (graphic novel) Pat Mills, Charley’s War 1 August 1916 - 17 October 1916 (graphic novel) Rebecca West, The Return of the Soldier (novella – also available online) Course Requirements A final exam and a midterm as well as one 4-6 page paper will be required. You will also answer reading questions, to be posted to Blackboard on the day of class, except where noted. Additionally, regular attendance and active participation is mandatory. You are expected to be prepared for class, to be attentive and take notes, and to be respectful of others in discussion. All assignments are to be typed, and the paper is to be double-spaced, with 12 point font (Times New Roman) and 1-inch margins unless otherwise noted. Please turn the paper in electronically on Blackboard as well as in paper copy. We’ll talk about the paper in more depth as the semester goes on. It should be noted that this course focuses on improving written and analytical skills as well as obtaining a working knowledge of the relations between the dislocating experience of war and imaginative literature. To that end, the primary means of assessment are through your writing and through the exams, along with regular participation in class discussions. I will take attendance for record keeping purposes only. Please contact me before class if you must miss it, whenever possible. If you ever have any questions about your writing, about the reading or class in general, I am always available in my office hours and I would be happy to set up an appointment if you need to talk outside of that time. Class Policy on Violations of Academic Integrity The Student Handbook, available a ...