Telling Truths: The Skill of Autobiography

Semester and Year	SU 2013
Course Number	WRTNG-UG1316
Section	001
Instructor	Susan Weisser
Days	Mon,Wed
Time	1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Units	4.0
Level	U
Foundation Requirement

Notes/Restrictions

Session II: July 8 - August 16

Description

How can one tell the "truth" about one's life in narrative form? In this course we will explore the pleasures and dangers of telling stories about our lives through writing autobiographical essays, as well as through reading the autobiographies of selected others. Readings may include texts by Janet Frame, Nancy Mairs, Mary Karr, and David Sedaris. We will analyze the way in which self-narrative is constructed from the tangled materials of real life, how we read and understand the life writing of others, and how the stories of others can influence our own. Topics include authenticity, memory, identity, voice, point of view, and relationships.

Course Type

Advanced Writing Courses (WRTNG-UG)