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Professor Cassandra Laity
ANG 1700
Fall 2010
Tuesday 4:00-7:00
Literature and Film: Modern Literature in the Movies
This class focuses on the early-twentieth-century “modern” period, in which (here mainly British) writers searched for new ways to describe a rapidly changing world, and how the film versions seek to recreate this complex period using the very different “language” of film. The vast casualties of World War I—the first, major high-tech war—provoked modern writers to depict the new horrors of trench warfare. Simultaneously, British society’s shift from passive Victorian images of women to active “modern women” compelled new ways of writing about female power, sexuality and gender, and writers began to examine the power relations in postcolonial India and Ireland. With regard to form, the increasing fascination with psychology and “point of view” prompted techniques such as “stream of consciousness” for describing the passage of “inner” thoughts.
In addition to carefully discussing the literature, we will spend time learning about film’s “language” (photography, sound, acting, editing, etc.) Questions will include, how do the authors/directors use the “tools” of these different mediums to convey the same emotions, themes, characters, scenes, settings, images, ideas? What are the limitations and advantages or simply differences of both mediums? How do the films strive to create the modern period and its challenges represented in the book? Do the films change the book, and why? How?
Books and Films:
James Joyce, “The Dead”: The Dead, John Huston
Virginia Woolf, Mrs. Dalloway: The Hours, Stephen Daldry
Erich Maria Remarque, All Quiet on the Western Front: All Quiet on the Western Front, Lewis Milestone
John Fowles, The French Lieutenant’s Woman: The French Lieutenant’s Woman, Karl Reisz
E.M. Forster, A Passage to India: A Passage to India, David Lean
Xeroxes from Louis Giannetti, Understanding Movies, Fussell The Great War and Modern Memory, Gilbert and Gubar, and other writings.
Materials from website: www.prenhall.com/giannetti
Class Organization:
All movies will be viewed during class time. Because the novels are long, the first class on each new book/movie will begin by discussing the first half of the novel, proceed with a viewing of the first half of the film, and conclude with a 20-30-minute discussion of both. The second class on each new book/movie will view the second half of the film followed by a full discussion of the entire book and movie. This may vary in cases where the book/movie is particularly short, long, or complex.
Schedule:
Sept. 7: Introduction
14. All Quiet on the Western Front: first half of book/ first half of movie (in-class)
21. All Quiet on the Western Front: conclusion of book/ conclusion of movie (in-class)
28. Mrs. Dalloway: first half of book/ first half of movie, The Hours (in-class)
Oct. 5. Mrs. Dalloway: conclusion of book/ conclusion of movie, The Hours (in-class)
12. Reading of Said, “Orientalism”; A Passage to India: opening section of book/ opening shots of movie
19. Mid-term test
26. No Class
Nov. 2. A Passage to India: central section of book/ central section of movie (in-class)
9. A Passage to India conclusion of book/ conclusion of movie (in-class)
16. “The Dead”: entire short story/ entire film (in-class)
23. Discussion of book/movie The Dead continued
30. The French Lieutenant’s Woman: first half of book/ first half of movie (in-class)
Dec. 7. The French Lieutenant’s Woman: conclusion of book/ conclusion of movie (in-class)
14. Final Exam
Class Requirements:
Students must stay in class during all film showings. The films should be fresh in your mind, and during every class we will spend time discussing both the book and the film. Although you are welcome to acquire the film and watch it outside of class for further study. It is also very important that you come to class having read the assignment. (There will be short quizzes and in-class writings.) This should be very manageable as you will never be expected to read an entire book in one week. We will be focusing closely on particular “scenes” in both the books and films.
Participation (including quizzes/in class writings) (10%)
Four Response Papers (30%)
Mid-term and final exam (30%)
Final paper (30%)
Pour commentaires ou information : info-etang@umontreal.ca
Page mise à jour le
27-08-2010
Département d'études anglaises - FAS / UdeM