ENG 255 H LITERARY MASHUPS: HOW AUTHORS RIFF OFF OTHERS TO EXPLORE COMPLEXITIES AND PERSPECTIVES

In this course, we will examine how literary authors draw to and from literature, art, music, and film to engage in a more nuanced and complex subtext. As Misty Krueger argues, “narratives—even those written by literary giants—are not closed but open to manipulation and reiteration.” Adrienne Rich calls this “re-vision”, in which one author builds, transforms, and creates from the work of another. As multiliterate readers of the 21st century, we regularly engage in such layering of texts and media. This course will allow us to explore Tommy Orange, A. Van Jordan, Kevin Powell, Raymond Carver, Walt Whitman, Ray Bradbury, Sylvia Plath and more as we journey to and from art, music, film, poetry, short story, script, and novel.