ENGL 128 PZ -Writing the Body

Institution: Pitzer

Description: In this course we will consider representations of illness, queerness, disability, and the imaginary body in contemporary literature. We will explore, and sometimes explode, the myth of normalcy. No body is normal, even to itself. No body is ever one thing, but growing and falling apart in time. When we come to know that our bodies are perforated, what do we gain and what do we lose? How can a poem or a story unravel the contradictions between body, world, and mind, solitude and community, stigma and resistance, poison and cure? How does medical discourse limit how we think [about] the body? Students will respond to the readings through creative writing exercises and literary essay. Students will also participate in a community outreach project.

Prerequisite(s): One previous literature or creative writing course. Strongly recommended: a previous course in gender studies or queer theory. Fulfills a creative writing elective. Please also check the current course schedule for requirements.

Formerly: ENGL 166 PZ Literature, Illness, Disability

For up-to-date information on current course offerings and details, please refer to the Pitzer class schedule on MyCampus2 Portal.