Ateneo - UPO

General Introduction: Paths of Literary Theory, Literary Methodology, and Literary Comparative Studies
Focus Seminar: Stories and Images of Identity, Memory, and Oblivion

General Introduction

- Stefania Sini, and Franca Sinopoli (eds), Percorsi di teoria e comparatistica letteraria, Milano, Pearson, 2021

Focus seminar
- A full and complete reading of all the following texts:
1. Jorge Luis Borges – “Funes el memorioso”;
2. Leonardo Sciascia – “Il Teatro della memoria, la sentenza memorabile”;
3.Jonathan Franzen – My Father's Brain;
4.Umberto Eco, The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana;
5. Georgi Gospodinov, Времеубежище (Time Shelter).

- Two movies chosen from the following:
1. Andrey Tarkovsky – Solaris
2. Aki Kaurismaki, Mies vailla menneisyyttä (The man without a past) (2002);
3. Christopher Nolan - Memento (2000);
4. Paolo Rosa – Il menemonista (2000).

- A TV series of one's choice from the following:
1. Nic Pizzolatto, True Detective (season three) (2019)
2. Francesco Arlanch, Viola Rispoli, Doc – Nelle tue mani (season one) (2020)

Supplementary material for non-attending students

- An essay chosen from the following:
1. Marc Augé – Les formes de l’oubli, Payot & Rivages, Paris, 1998;
2. Adriano Prosperi – Un tempo senza storia. La distruzione del passato, Torino, Einaudi, 2021;
3. Paul Ricoeur – “Passé, memoire, histoire, oubli”. “La marque du passé”, Revue de Métaphysique et de Morale, 1998, 1, pp. 7-32. (German ed. Das Rätsel der Vergangenheit. Erinnern – Vergessen – Verzeihen, Wallstein, Göttingen 1998);
4.Tzvetan Todorov – Les abus de la memoire, Arlea, 2015
5. Aleida Assmann – Forms of Forgetting https://h401.org/2014/10/forms-of-forgetting/7584/.

The general introduction of the course is designed to equip students with the fundamental theoretical and methodological tools necessary for an understanding of the cognitive, existential, and social value of the literary experience, as well as for a critical, up-to-date knowledge of literary studies within their historical context and their inter- and transdisciplinary scope. The course will provide an overview of the major issues in literary theory and comparative literature, as well as the primary tools for analysing literary works, with a particular focus on narrative texts.

The focus seminar aims to examine and compare—using the tools proposed in the institutional section—some examples of 20th-century and contemporary literary and film narratives focused on the relationship between identity and memory/oblivion from an individual, historical, and social perspective.

A more advanced objective is to stimulate and/or enhance the the following abilities:

- to analyse a literary work in the light of different critical and theoretical approaches;
- to evaluate the work as a multi-layered aesthetic object to be considered within its original context, in terms of its main structural and compositional elements and its historical and multicultural vitality;
- to integrate methodological and theoretical content with independent and original interpretations of the texts and films covered during the course.

In this course, the proposed approach to teaching literature is inherently dialogic, with no neat demarcation between delivery-based (DE) and interactive teaching (DI).

The 6 CFU earned during the course are distributed as follows:
1.5 CFU (30 hours of teaching of lecture-based and interactive teaching) (DE + DI) (see ‘Teaching Methods’);
4.5 CFU of independent study.

Basic knowledge of history of italian, european and extra-european literature

Frontal lessons, text readings, projections of films, discussions.
Throughout the duration of the course, Students have the option of presenting a text, a film, or a segment of the programme to their peers, either individually or collaboratively.
The DIR website will be utilised for the uploading of materials that will constitute a mandatory component of the examination preparation process for the Students in attendance.

An optional, free series of sessions led by student tutors is available to assist and support students in their exam preparation.

Students with disabilities, Specific Learning Disorders (SLD), or Special Educational Needs (SEN) may request specific services and resources designed for them by contacting the Career Development and Coordination and Student Services Staff and consulting the dedicated page on the University website:
https://uniupo.it/it/servizi/servizistudentesse-e-studenti-condizione-di-disabilit%C3%A0-e-dsa. Once they have contacted the University staff, students with disabilities, SLDs, or SEN may contact the course instructor regarding the specific exam arrangements and any related instructional matters.

The student can opt for either a written or an oral examination.

Whether oral or written, the exam will consist of two parts:

A) One or more questions on literary theory, comparative literature, and methodological tools (General Introduction);

B) A narratological and stylistic reading and analysis of an excerpt from the literary texts or films covered in the course; commentary on and comparison with the other texts and films covered in the course; and an overall interpretation in light of the issues addressed during the course regarding the connection between identity and memory/oblivion from individual, historical, and social perspectives (Focus Seminar).

In order to pass the examination with a sufficient grade, students are required to provide a satisfactory response to the questions in both parts A) and B). A response to only one of the two parts, even if accurate, will not be sufficient.

Students are therefore asked to demonstrate (General Introduction + Focus Seminar ):

1. (KNOWLEDGE)
1a. Knowledge of the fundamentals of literary theory, comparative literature, and the tools for analyzing literary texts, particularly narrative ones.
1b. Knowledge of some examples of 20th-century and contemporary literary and film narratives focused on the connection between identity and memory/oblivion from individual, historical, and social perspectives.

2. (SKILLS)
2a. Ability to analyze a narrative in terms of its main narratological categories.
2.b. Ability to compare works from different literary traditions by contextualizing them historically and culturally and identifying their stylistic and genre-specific characteristics.
2b. Ability to analyze and compare short stories focused on the connection between identity and memory/oblivion from individual, historical, and social perspectives, identifying their narrative techniques and historical and cultural context.

3. (TRANSVERSAL SKILLS)
Ability to present knowledge, information, and opinions related to the topics covered during the course in a clear and effective manner, using appropriate language and terminology.

In particular, the following weightings will be applied to the assessment of the achievement of learning objectives: 1. 40%; 2. 40%; 3. 20%.

To achieve an advanced result in the examination, students must also demonstrate:

- Ability to analyze a literary work in light of different critical and theoretical approaches.
- The ability to evaluate the work as a multi-layered aesthetic object to be considered within its original context, in terms of its main structural and compositional elements and its historical and multicultural vitality.
- A comprehensive and integrated understanding of the course material, with a confident integration of theoretical and methodological knowledge and interpretative skills.
- Ability to independently rework the course content and apply the tools and knowledge acquired to texts and materials, including those not covered in the syllabus;
- A confident and active competence in critical and theoretical terminology, combined with excellent communication skills.

Note: It is recommended that only those who have a good command of writing choose the written exam. The evaluation of the written exam will, in fact, include an assessment of grammatical correctness of the written italian (spelling, punctuation, morphology, syntax).
Requests to evaluate content rather than form will not be considered here.

Non-attending students are also advised to opt for the oral exam format if possible.
In any case, non-attending students are encouraged to contact the professor well in advance for any clarification regarding exam preparation.

For the oral examination (not the written examination), students must bring the required narrative texts with them (in print or digital format).

First week. Course presentation (general introduction and focus seminar). The experience of literature. Imagination and reading. The ceremonial framework. Introduction to the ‘theme’ of memory. Historical and social memory versus individual memory. Forms of remembrance and forms of oblivion. Jorge Luis Borges, “Funes”: introduction, reading, analysis and commentary. Second week. Rhetoric and argumentation. Memory and topica. Memory and images. Literary spaces and places. “Funes el memorioso”, analysis, commentary, discussion. Leonardo Sciascia, “Il teatro della memoria”, introduction, reading, analysis and commentary. Week Three. Narrative and narratology. Temporality, narrative voice, perspective. Leonardo Sciascia, “Il teatro della memoria”, analysis, commentary, discussion. “La sentenza memorabile”, introduction, reading, analysis, commentary, discussion. Week 4. Narrative and narratology. Mediacy. Narrative situations. Character theories. Jonathan Franzen, “My Father’s Brain”, introduction, reading, analysis, commentary, discussion. Umberto Eco, “The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana’, introduction, reading, analysis, commentary. Fifth week. The reader. Theories of reception and the act of reading. “The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana”, reading, analysis, commentary. Sixth week: Comparative literature and world literature. Translation and transmediality. “The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana”, reading, analysis, commentary, discussion. Georgi Gospodinov, “Time Shelter*: introduction, reading, analysis and commentary. Week 7. Intersectionality and literary criticism. Gender studies and women’s knowledge. “Time Shelter”: reading, analysis, commentary and discussion. Week 8. Introduction to the films on the programme and key scenes. Discussion and conclusion of the course.

In order to demonstrate the requisite knowledge and skills that correspond to the minimum pass mark, students are required to demonstrate:

1. (KNOWLEDGE)
1a. Knowledge of the basic principles of literary theory, comparative literature and the tools for analysing literary texts, particularly narrative works.

1b. Knowledge of selected examples of 20th-century and contemporary literary and film narratives focusing on the link between identity and memory/oblivion from individual, historical and social perspectives.
2. (SKILLS) 2a. The ability to analyse a narrative in terms of its main narratological categories. The ability to compare works from different literary traditions by contextualising them historically and culturally and identifying their stylistic and genre-specific features.

2b. Ability to analyse and compare narratives centred on the link between identity and memory/oblivion from individual, historical and social perspectives, identifying their narrative techniques and historical and cultural context.
3. (TRANSVERSAL SKILLS)
Ability to present knowledge, information and opinions relating to the topics covered by the course in a clear and effective manner, employing appropriate language and terminology.

In order to achieve an advanced level, students must demonstrate:

- The ability to analyse a literary work in the light of different critical and theoretical approaches.
- The ability to evaluate the work as a multi-layered aesthetic object to be considered within its original context, in terms of its main structural and compositional elements and its historical and multicultural vitality.
- A comprehensive and coherent understanding of the pathway taken, with a confident integration of theoretical and methodological skills and interpretative abilities.
- The ability to independently rework the course content and apply the tools and knowledge acquired to texts and materials other than those included in the syllabus;
- A confident and active competence in critical and theoretical terminology, combined with excellent command of expression.