Singapore University of Social Sciences

Contemporary Literature

Contemporary Literature (ELT376)

Synopsis

This course examines contemporary literature—literature written in the past fifty years—and focuses on literature by women. This course encompasses multiple genres such as dystopian literature, (semi)autobiography, science fiction, and even creative rewriting of fairy tales. The course explores the diversity of narrative styles that have flowered in contemporary literature, as well as issues involving culture, race, sexuality, and so forth.

Level: 3
Credit Units: 5
Presentation Pattern: Every July

Topics

  • Women’s Writing and the Contemporary; Finding a Female Literary Tradition
  • Angela Carter’s The Bloody Chamber
  • Jeanette Winterson’s Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit
  • Toni Morrison’s Beloved
  • Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things
  • Making Connections Across Carter, Winterson, Morrison, and Roy

Learning Outcome

  • Demonstrate the use of close reading skills to examine literary style and thematic issues in contemporary writing by women.
  • Analyse the impact of literary innovations in contemporary writing by women.
  • Show the relevance of the social, political, and ideological context of contemporary writing, particularly in writing by women.
  • Formulate a critical overview of the key ideas and challenges that characterise contemporary writing by women.
  • Examine the validity of arguments in the secondary critical and theoretical material.
  • Compose academic essays that employ the appropriate skills in scholarly research, writing, and citation.
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