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Hey /lit/. It's been a year or so since I've posted here, but I come to you needing opinions.
I've been asked by the university I teach at to present a short, half semester workshop on postmodern literature. I've only been working here for a couple of years so this is something I need to do well. This is my first open-ended teaching experience.
I've got to select and teach 4 books, one a week. I've chosen so far On A Winters Night a Traveler, Times Arrow, and crying of lot 49.
I need one more.
What do you guys think I should choose? And of my current list? I'm not a huge Pynchon fan personally but I feel Lot 49 is probably a necessary book for an undergrad seeing this stuff potentially for the first time.
I need to finalize all of this by December 3rd so the information can be processed and posted for students signing up.
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>>7388810
Of Grammatology
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The Cannibal by John Hawkes
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>>7388818
This is a great selection if the class was allowed more content, but I feel I need to throw them into applied concepts a little more. I selected Lot 49 and Times Arrow because they should be able to genuinely enjoy them, and I selected If On A Winters Night because I hope it will challenge and intrigue them, but I feel Of Grammatology is a little too philosophical to fill any logical role alongside these. To phrase it differently, I worry Of Grammatology may be too far in the direction of theory rather than application. I'm going to do on/off lecturing and cover as many general topics as I can while also having days dedicated to the books, and I certainly plan to weave other books and their ideas into the general days, but I can't justify having that one be one of the four books they actually read and have to write on.
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>Self Portrait in a Convex Mirror
or
>Some Trees
both by John Ashbery
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>>7388841
I haven't read this one. Care to discuss why you feel it belongs on a list of the first four postmodern books some of these students will read?
I've seen it mentioned among the first influences/applications of postmodern ideas, so I'm aware it has that relevance, but does it hold up as a presentation of still-relevant postmodern ideas being applied?
I'm going to order and read it either way just in case it strikes me as a good fit for part of my lectures, but I'm curious to hear why it was the first and only thing that came to mind for you.
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>>7388858
>Self Portrait in a Convex Mirror
I actually have this poem on the list of short stories/poems I wish to cover in the introductory week. On point. Any ideas for novels?
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>>7388865
no, sorry. i teach poetry to high school students and the extent of my knowledge of postmodern literature beyond verse wouldn't make for a good syllabus
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>>7388876
Thanks anyway.
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Just bumping this while I get my morning tea. I'll check back in much later in the day if anyone has ideas. Thanks for the posts so far.
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Breakfast of Champions is a good example of postmodern literature and it's very easy. Maybe By Night in Chile by Roberto Bolano.
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I'd personally go with Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldrich, Ubik or Book of the New Sun as examples of less standard/evolved postmodernist literature.
Distorted perception, all over the place plot, strangeness, unreliable narrator.
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>>7388810
Maybe some later Ballard?
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>>7389665
Also maybe 2666.
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House of Leaves
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