Department of Comparative Literature Fall 2006
CMLT-C BE 145: Major Characters in Literature: The Survivor.
meets A&H, Cultural Studies Requirements and fulfills the COAS,
School of Business and School of Education composition requirements
when taken in conjunction with W143.
(15353) MW 4:00-5:15			(15354) TR 6:00-7:15
(15355) MW 9:30-10:45		(15356) MWF 10:10-11:00
(15357) MWF 11:15-12:05		(15358) TR 1:00-2:15 , Prof. Jeff.
Johnson
(15359) MW 2:30-3:45			(15360) TR 9:30-10:45
(15361) TR 2:30-3:45			(15362) TR 1:00-2:15
		(24352) *2nd 8 weeks* MW 4:00-6:30

On primetime TV, being a “survivor” means force-feeding yourself
earthworms to win a million dollars and a change of clothes.  This
semester we will discover what else people have to do to survive:
lie, cheat, steal, run, hide, forgive, and forget.  The character of
the survivor can be found in literatures from around the world and
from any time period.  Men, women, the young and old, the individual
and entire communities—survivors represent the human spirit at its
most resilient, inventive, and inspiring.  We will witness not only
the trials and tribulations that literary characters must endure,
but also their personality traits and surprising talents that make
survival possible.  The chronic liar and the hopelessly honest
sucker, the damsel in distress, the political prisoner, and the
wounded genius plotting revenge populate the pages of our semester
of unforgettable stories.  We will also examine the people and
forces that put our survivors on the run for their lives or lock
them in a cell.  Is the survivor a victim of oppressive forces or a
pernicious influence that refuses to be stamped out?  What does the
survivor’s fragile existence tell us about the world we live in?
All sections of BE 145 will be reading Euripides’ Helen, Voltaire’s
Candide, Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and One Day in the Life of Ivan
Denisovitch by Alexander Solzhenitsyn.  Our readings are drawn from
different countries and time periods, both ancient and modern.
Individual sections will read some additional works unique to that
section that may include short stories, poetry, novels, drama, or
satire.  Individual sections may also include television, art,
music, and film.
This course focuses on developing skills in critical thinking, clear
communication, and persuasive composition.  The workload includes
three essays, mid-term and final exams, as well as shorter writing
assignments.  For composition credit, students must follow this
course with BE 146 in the spring semester.  Both BE 145 and BE 146
are automatically bundled with English W143 (a one credit hour
course) to certify composition credit.