Spring 2018 - ENGL 359 E100
Studies in the Literature of British Columbia (4)
Class Number: 1513
Delivery Method: In Person
Overview
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Course Times + Location:
Jan 3 – Apr 10, 2018: Mon, 5:30–7:20 p.m.
Burnaby
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Instructor:
Niall Mackenzie
nma45@sfu.ca
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Prerequisites:
Two 100 division English courses, and two 200 division English courses.
Description
CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:
The study of selected works of British Columbian literature.
COURSE DETAILS:
A "harrowing, compulsive read"; a "superbly puzzling and richly cinematic tale"; "an amoral compass." Such are the descriptions which critics have bestowed on some of the books we'll be reading in ENGL 359 this term, as we explore the ways in which Vancouver writers have responded to the clandestine drug trade and its social ramifications.
In looking at the effort to ban alcohol after the First World War, historians have described a "Prohibition culture." Narrowly construed, the phrase refers to the social arrangements (dealers, hangouts, codewords, etc.) that sprang up to facilitate the production, sale, and enjoyment of the forbidden substance. More broadly, "Prohibition culture" denotes the cinema, literature, popular music, etc. that reflect an age when new, bohemian interrelations between the sexes and races, new attitudes towards authority, and new rural-urban interconnections were emerging (alongside fearsome criminal syndicates) in contexts defined by resistance to the ban.
Is it possible to discern such a "Prohibition culture" in contemporary BC? If so, what are its salient features? And how does it interact with the wider field of cultural production? These questions will hover over our readings of a series of recent works of prose fiction by established as well as up-and-coming writers, all set at least partly in Vancouver and all exploring the distinctive physical and social landscapes of the city known as "Lotusland"--from a mythical island of stoners.
Grading
- Attendance, participation, in-class writing 25%
- Two research papers (4-5 pp. each) 30%
- First interpretive essay 20%
- Second interpretive essay 25%
Materials
REQUIRED READING:
E.R. Brown, Almost Criminal (Dundurn 2013)
ISBN: 9781459705838
Ranj Dhaliwal, Daaku (New Star 2006)
ISBN: 9781554200276
Eden Robinson, Blood Sports (Emblem 2007)
ISBN: 9780771076053
Eden Robinson, Traplines (Vintage Canada 1998)
ISBN: 9780676970265
Sam Wiebe, Invisible Dead (Random House Canada 2016)
ISBN: 9780345816276
Department Undergraduate Notes:
IMPORTANT NOTE Re 300 and 400 level courses: 75% of spaces in 300 level English courses, and 100% of spaces in 400 level English courses, are reserved for declared English Major, Minor, Extended Minor, Joint Major, and Honours students only, until open enrollment begins.
For all On-Campus Courses, please note the following:
- To receive credit for the course, students must complete all requirements.
- Tutorials/Seminars WILL be held the first week of classes.
- When choosing your schedule, remember to check "Show lab/tutorial sections" to see all Lecture/Seminar/Tutorial times required.
Registrar Notes:
SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://students.sfu.ca/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.
Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS