Loyola University Chicago

Instructor: Prof. Flaminio DiBiagi

Meeting Days: Tuesday and Thursday

Meeting Times: 2:20 - 3:35 pm 

Course Description
Literary texts from three different cultures will be studied comparatively. In particular, three European authors have been chosen to represent the complex (ambiguous and violent) theme of conflict between diversities: Polish-English Joseph Conrad; French-Algerian Albert Camus; and Jewish-Italian Primo Levi. Their works share common traits that will be the focus of our analysis: double identity, ethnic and cultural otherness, ethical outlook, representation of violence, western guilt, autobiography, realistic style achieving metaphysical profundity, etc. Other examples of conflict will be investigated in thematically contiguous novels, short stories, and films. Non-English books are read in translation; foreign films will have English subtitles.

ClassWork - Participation
Attendance is more than recommended. Students are expected to come to every class well prepared and having read textbooks, to pay attention, and to contribute to the class discussion. All should be familiar with the honor code of University life, abide by its standards at all times, and expect similar behavior from their peers.

Following the discussion of each novel (and connected film), there will be a small quiz/reading check (a total of four); a midterm and a final exam will be based on brief literary questions/critical essays. Students will give an oral presentation about their selected novel, providing handouts/photocopied guidelines to the class. Each student is expected to write two papers: a "comparative analysis" (8-10 pages) of the three main novels in the syllabus, and a short "research paper" (6-8 pages) on a novel selected from the list.

TextBooks - Materials
Books available from the LURC bookstore:

• Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness (1899)
• Albert Camus, The Stranger (The Outsider) (1942)
• Primo Levi, If This is a Man (Survival in Auschwitz) (1947)

Some photocopied short stories,

• Leonardo Sciascia, The American Aunt
• Guido Gozzano, The Tower of Silence,

will be distributed in class and these will also be considered study texts.

Film projections include

• Apocalypse Now (Coppola, 1979)
• The Battle of Algiers (Pontecorvo, 1966)
• The Garden of the Finzi-Contini (De Sica, 1970)
• The Night of the Shooting Stars (Taviani, 1982)
• Two Women (De Sica, 1960).

Students will choose one more text from the following:

• Anne Frank, Diary
• Eelie Wiesel, Night
• Giorgio Bassani, The Garden of the Finzi-Contini
• Joseph Conrad, Amy Foster or An Outpost of Progress
• Mario Puzo, The Dark Arena
• Primo Levi, The Truce
• Albert Camus, The Plague
• Sven Lindqvist, Exterminate All the Brutes.

Critical supports will be on reserve in the library under the instructor's name.

Grading
The final grade is actually the result of reading texts, attending classes, studying, and properly "processing information." The following scale and percentages will be used to evaluate the student's work and performance:

SCALE

• A = 100-93
• B+ = 92-91
• B = 90-85
• C+ = 84-83
• C = 82-77
• D+ = 76=75
• D = 74-70
• F = Below 70

PERCENTAGE

• 20% Class participation / Oral report
• 20% Quizzes
• 20% Mid-term
• 20% Final
• 20% Research paper

Schedule

• 1st Week: Introduction
• 2nd & 3rd Week: Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now ...Quiz 1
• 4th & 5th Week: The Stranger and The Battle of Algiers ...Quiz 2
• 6th Week: recap; Mid-term Exam; FALL BREAK
• 7th & 8th Week: If This is a Man and the Garden of the Finzi-Contini ...Quiz 3
• 9th & 10th Week: oral reports [one novel selected from the list]
• 11th Week: The Sicilian Aunt and The Tower of Silence ...Quiz 4
• 12th Week: Two Women or The Night of the Shooting Stars
• 13th Week: recap
• Final Exam

Office Hours
T 6:00 - 7:00 pm... Th 1:20 -2:20 pm ...and by appointment.