The course will cover a diversity of autobiographical writings in different genres in prose narratives, diaries, letters and poetry. There will be a consideration of how writers select and edit material for theses works and also how they reflect and are reflective of the eras in which they were written. Works to be covered will be as follows: William Wordsworth: The Prelude Oscar Wilde : De Profundis Edmund Gosse: Father and Son George Gissing: The Private Papers of Henry Ryecroft ( extracts) Virginia Woolf: Diaries and letters Katherine Mansfield: Diaries and letters
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 and 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:
- Read texts with an enhanced critical awareness
- Express opinions and responses with increased confidence
- Demonstrate a greater awareness of the wide range of autobiographical writing that exists
- Discuss 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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