The course will cover a diversity of autobiographical writings in different genres in prose narratives, diaries and letters and poetry. There will be a consideration of how writers select and edit material for theses works and alsoow they relect and our reflective of the eras in which they ere written. works to be covered will be as follows: Louis MacNiece: Autumn Journal Gerald Durrell: My Family and Other Animals Clive James: Unreliable Memoirs (First Volume) Jeanette Winterson: Why Be Happy When You Can Be Normal? Anne Frank: Diary selections Sylvia Plath: Diary selections
Course aim
An exploration of a wide range of autobiographical writings from the 19th to 21st centuries, considering such issues as why authors write about themselves nd what this writing reveals (or conceals) about their lives.
Do I need any particular skills or experience?
- No skills or experience needed
By the end of the course I should be able to:
- approach texts with enhanced critical appreciation
- express ideas and opinions with increased confidence
- have a greater awareness of the wide range of autobiographical writing that exists
- have some understanding of how autobiographical writing has developed and changed over time
How will I be taught?
- You may be asked to undertake additional work in your own time to support your learning
- Students will be expected to read certain specific texts in advance of the session in which they will be studied and discussed.
What kind of feedback can I expect?
- You will be encouraged to share your work with the group and discuss your learning
- You will be encouraged to consider other students work and give your opinions and suggestions
What else do I need to know?
- Students will need to obtain their own copies of full texts to be studied. the tutor will provide handouts of extracts from other texts.
Pre-course work, reading and information sources
- No pre reading or pre course work is required
What can I do next?
- Progress to another WEA course
- Progress to a course with another provider
- Become involved with the WEA in a range of voluntary work and other activities including campaigning as a WEA member
- Become involved as a volunteer for a WEA partner or another organisation
- You could progress to Higher Education courses. Follow link to the PEARL website for information http://pearl.open.ac.uk/
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