Bad Faery

Saturday, September 27, 2008

And so it begins

Today is the official start date of my latest Open University course. My third course so far and the first literature module on my degree path.

Above: some of my course materials for Approaching Literature.

Like my current course Exploring the English Language, Approaching Literature is a level 2 course which means it’s equivalent to year 2 material of a conventional ‘Brick Uni’ degree.

Here’s how the OU describe it: “This course offers a wide-ranging introduction to literary texts and how they are studied. Fiction, poetry and drama all have a place in the course and there is a variety of literature to read, study, analyse and enjoy. The texts selected for study are drawn mostly from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, but also include three Shakespeare plays. You will find other familiar names among the authors – Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Alice Walker, William Blake – and also some that are less familiar, such as Aphra Behn and Susan Glaspell.

“The focus throughout the course is on texts (words on the page or drama in performance), and the course material is designed to help you to gain a full understanding of the set texts. We also introduce some of the main ways in which critics approach literature, so that you can come to an understanding of what it means to study this subject. By the end of the course you should be equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to go on to literary studies at Level 3.”

It’s divided into four blocks, the first of which is called The Realist Novel. It introduces the concept of genre by looking at the development of the 19th century novel. I suspect that I might enjoy this block the most as it includes one of my favourite novels, Pride and Prejudice.

Of the other set texts there’s Shelley’s Frankenstein which I’d already read before and again a couple of weeks ago. An interesting read and still very relevant in its message.

I struggled through Great Expectations. Another one I’d read before but I’d manage to forget what an annoying little twerp Pip is for a large part of the book. I kept wanting to give him a smack, insufferable little snob that he was! I must admit to not being a fan of Dickens, a lot of his humour is lost on me and the prospect of having to read Dombey and Son, a great big doorstopper of a book that is one of my set texts for an OU course to come, makes my heart sink!

But getting back to A210, the final of the novels is Turgenev’s Fathers and Sons. For some reason I thought I wasn’t going to like it, I had this preconceived idea that it was going to be some terribly serious poe-faced poliitical tract but I ended up really enjoying it. Although I have to point out that I didn’t like the translation, too many modern turns of phrases are used, very jarring coming from the mouths of 19th century Russians.

BUT and it’s a big BUT! I still have my exam for U211 to surmount, it’s a week and half away and I shall be putting A210 on the back burner for now as I will be spending all my time revising, revising, revising!

Comments:

All this literature, all these books to read...how exciting. Do you do this on line? Is that what you meant by Brick UNI.?
Good luck on the exam.
I love the photo of Gesso holding up the books. Reminds us that your first an artist...do you have time for much art now? Or is all nose in the books time?

Posted by Lynn on 09/27 at 04:20 PM

“Do you do this on line?”

Not exactly. It’s distance learning so I get hard copy course materials and cds and DVDs and I have a tutor I can contact if I need help. But essentially I’ll be doing it at home alone, with a written assignment to be handed in every 4 weeks. For this course I have to do 7 assignments and an exam.

‘Brick uni’ is a term used by us Open University students to refer to normal universities that you have to turn up in person to.

Posted by Bad Faery on 09/30 at 12:07 AM

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