Tales from the Caribbean (Honors)
This course will extend the investigation of "What is a Good Society?"—and especially issues of "The Self and Self-Reflection"—by exploring two classic novels rooted in the Caribbean—Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe and Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre—as well as two great modern novels that serve as reactions to them—2003 Nobel-winner J.M. Coetzee's Foe and Jean Rhys's Wide Sargasso Sea—and several films based on these texts.
This set of texts will encourage us reflect on questions of how we form our own identities, what makes a family, what duty do we owe our family and friends, how much our social, political, and economic circumstances limit our life choices.
The pairings of these novels highlights the issue of point of view and will enrich our appreciation for seeing the world through other people's eyes.
The novels, films, and essays will also present a wide range of options for research projects.
