En 314: Post-colonial Literature Office Hours:
Fall 2001 M
3-4:30, W 3-6
Pranav Jani Parker
Hall 302
pjani@wagner.edu x3362
This class
will introduce you to basic themes in post-colonial literature, mainly focusing
on writing in English from South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, the centers of
British colonial dominance. Our aim
will be to see how fiction writers from the formerly-colonized world have
represented their new nations through novels and short stories. How do these writers depict colonial and post-colonial
societies? How do they confront
problems of continuing divisions of gender, class, and ethnicity? Is nationalism represented as a solution to
the ravages of colonialism, or part of the problem? What is the significance of the fact that these writers compose
their works in English—a language that most of their own people cannot read or
understand? Besides giving you an
appreciation for post-colonial literature, this course will help you bring an
understanding of history to your reading of literary texts.
In addition, we will also try to
understand—and possibly to transform—the perspective from which we view
the post-colonial world, a.k.a. “the Third World,” “the developing world,” “the
Global South,” “the Orient.” We’re all
coming to this study of post-colonial texts with some baggage—perhaps an
interest in the “exotic,” a faith in the U.S. as “the best of all possible
worlds,” or even personal ties to Africa and South Asia. But transcontinental travel requires a
complete and thorough identification of personal belongings. This class, in other words, will help you
check in.
Coetzee, J.
M. Waiting
for the Barbarians
Dangarembga,
Tsitsi. Nervous Conditions
El Saadawi,
Nawal. Woman At Point Zero
Ngugi wa Thiong’o. A Grain of Wheat
Roy, Arundhati. The God of Small Things
Course Packet for En 314, Fall 2001 (CP)
Response
Papers: 10%
Participation: 20%
Midterm Paper: 30%
Final Paper: 40%
Every other week you must turn in a 1-2 page response to
what we are currently reading. These
papers will be graded only with a “check,” “check-plus” or “check-minus” and,
as a whole, are worth 10% of your grade.
In other words, it’s a chance to experiment with your ideas and writing
without worrying about a severe grade.
However, late response papers will not be accepted.
Participation is worth 20%
because your discussion and active engagement is crucial to the success of this
class. This means: doing the reading by
the assigned date, participating in discussion to help formulate your ideas,
and showing a clear improvement in your approach to the subject matter.
Participation, of course,
requires attendance. You will be
allowed two (2) absences from class—excused or unexcused. In other words, come to class regularly and
save your two absences for the emergencies that DO happen.
Papers constitute 80% of your grade. Consider using the resources you have at
Wagner for helping you gather ideas and materials for your paper and improving
your writing. Call the writing center
at x3298 to set up an appointment. You
can also contact me—by email or phone—to set up an appointment or discuss
ideas. We will also discuss writing
concerns and practices in class.
Evidence of plagiarism or cheating will result in an “F” for
the course (not just the
paper) and disciplinary proceedings. We
will discuss how to cite sources to avoid plagiarism.
Out of fairness to each student, I will only give full
credit to papers and assignments turned in by the due date. This may require planning ahead on your part,
especially if you have multiple papers due on the same day. Late papers will be knocked down
one-third of a grade for each week-day they are late. On the other hand, please do not hesitate to
speak with me about a due date in case of emergency.
Weeks 1-4: The
Paradox of Nationalism in the Third World
M 8/27 Lord
Macaulay, “Minute on Indian Education” (England, 1853)—CP
Rudyard Kipling, “The White Man’s
Burden” (England, 1898)—CP
Jawaharlal Nehru, “Tryst With
Destiny” (India, 1947)—CP
Faiz Ahmed Faiz,
“Dawn of Freedom” (Pakistan, 1947)—CP
M 9/3 NO CLASS: LABOR DAY
M 9/10 Ngugi
wa Thiong’o, A Grain of Wheat (Kenya,
1967)
Gillo Pontecorvo,
from The Battle for Algiers (Italy,
1966)—in class
M 9/17 Ngugi, A Grain of Wheat
Pontecorvo,
from The Battle for Algiers
Weeks 5-6: The Honeymoon is Over…
M 9/24 Sadat
Hasan Manto, “Toba Tek Singh” (Pakistan, 1951)—CP
Manto, Black Margins (Pakistan, 1951)—CP
Benedict
Anderson, from Imagined Communities
(England, 1983)—CP
M 10/1 Ama Ata
Aidoo, from No Sweetness Here (Ghana,
1977)—CP
Bessie Head, from The Collector of Treasures (Botswana,
1977)—CP
In Class: Ousmane Sembene, Xala (Senegal, 1975)
Weeks 7-10: Women and the Nation
M 10/8 NO CLASS: COLONIZERS’ DAY
T 10/9 Monday classes
Nawal El-Saadawi, Woman at Point Zero (Egypt, 1981)
M 10/15 Dangarembga,
Nervous Conditions (Zimbabwe, 1988)
M 10/22 Dangarembga,
Nervous Conditions
F 10/26 Due: Midterm Paper (5-6 pages)
M 10/29 NO CLASS: FALL BREAK
Weeks 11-14: Exploring Otherness
M 11/5 Chandra
T. Mohanty, “Under Western Eyes” (U.S., 1991)—CP
Gayatri
C. Spivak, “Translator’s Preface” (U.S., 1995)—CP
Mahasweta
Devi, “Draupadi” (India, 1980s)—CP
Arrange Conferences for Final Paper
M 11/12 J. M.
Coetzee, Waiting for the Barbarians
(South Africa, 1982)
M 11/19 Arundhati
Roy, The God of Small Things (India,
1997)
Due: Final Paper Outline
THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
M 11/26 Roy, The God of Small Things
Conclusion
M 12/3 OPEN
DATE
Due: Final Paper (12-15 pages)