Ateneo - UPO

GENERAL INTRODUCTION: PATHS OF LITERARY THEORY, LITERARY METHODOLOGY AND LITERARY COMPARATIVE STUDIES
Focus seminar:
The game of/in literature

General Introduction:
STEFANIA SINI, FRANCA SINOPOLI (a cura di), Percorsi di teoria e comparatistica letteraria, Milano, Pearson, 2021.

Focus seminar:
- 1. FËDOR DOSTOEVSKY, The Gambler ( Игрок / Igrok), Streetlib, 2017.
- 2. RAYMOND QUENEAU, Exercises de style, Gallimard, 1982.
or

- ITALO CALVINO, The castle of crossed destinies, Vintage, 1998

JULIO CORTÁZAR, Rayuela, Ediciones Cátedra.

Movies
PUPI AVATI, Regalo di Natale (1986)
or
MARTIN SCORSESE, Casino (1995).

TV series
SCOTT FRANK The Queen’s Gambit (2020) (the whole series)

Or
HWANG DONG-HYUK, Squid Game (2021) (I series).

Supplements for Students not attending classes:
STEFANO BALLERIO, Gioco, letteratura. Alcune riflessioni, in «Enthymema» 1 (2009), pp. 4-24 (online http://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/enthymema/issue/view/27).
STEFANO BARTEZZAGHI, Scrittori giocatori, Torino, Einaudi, 2010 (in particolare Introduzione, capp. I, II, V, VIII, IX, XI).

A second movie and a second series

Not attending Students are kindly requested to contact me for any doubt about the programme.

The general introduction of the course proposes to offer the fundamental theoretical
and methodological tools for a critical and updated knowledge of literary studies in their historical vitality and transdisciplinary latitude. The main issues of literature theory and comparative literature and the main analysis tools of the literary work will be presented, with particular attention to the narrative text.

The focus seminar proposes to examine and compare some examples of literary and film narratives belonging to different historical and cultural contexts from the second half of the nineteenth century to the present day, focused on the ludic mechanisms and devices, and in which the game is the dominant theme, identifying the characteristic techniques of these narratives and reflecting on the anthropological, psychological and semiotic foundations that link literature and game.

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

Frontal lessons, text readings, projections of films, discussions. During the course, Students who wish, singularly or in group, can present to the class a text or a film or a part of the programme.
DIR website will be used, uploading materials that will constitute an indispensable part of the preparation of the exam by the attending Students.

A classroom suitable to the number of Students is required.
Pc and video projector aree required.

Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request
specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse
e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-
students-physical-or-learning-disabilities
Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted
the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination
modalities, concerning didactic aspects.

In-presence exams: Students can choose between the written and oral forms of examination.

Both in oral and written form, the exam will consist in:
1) One question or more questions about the theory of literature, literary comparative studies, and literary methodology (general introduction);
2) Reading and narratological and stylistic analysis of an excerpt from literary texts, and of movies and tv series; their commentary and interpretation in the light of the issues addressed in the focus seminar.

The Student is thus required to demonstrate:

1. KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge of the basic topics of the theory of literature, literary comparative studies, and literary methodology (General introduction -(theoretical-methodological part).
In-depth knowledge of some literary, and movie and tv series narratives belonging to different historical and cultural contexts from the second half of the nineteenth century to the present day, focused on the ludic mechanisms and devices, and in which the game is the dominant theme. Knowledge of the anthropological, psychological and semiotic foundations that link literature and game (focus seminar).

2. SKILLS
Ability to analyze a literary work in the light of different critical and theoretical approaches (general course).
Ability to analyze narratives belonging to different historical and cultural contexts from the second half of the nineteenth century to the present day, focused on the ludic mechanisms and devices, and in which the game is the dominant theme, and to identify the characteristic techniques of these narratives (focus seminar)

3. (TRANSVERSAL SKILLS)
- ability to present information and opinions clearly and convincingly, using the appropriate language and terminology.

In particular, the following weight will be given to the verification of the aforementioned achievement of the training objectives:
1. 40%; 2. 40%; 3. 20%.

N.B. The evaluation of the written exam will also include grammatical correctness (orthography, morphology, syntax).

First week: presentation of the Course (General Introduction and Focus Seminar). The experience of literature. Imagination and reading. The ceremonial frame. Game, ritual, art. Game theories. Fëdor Dostoevsky, The Gambler. Introduction, reading, commentary analysis.

Second week: Writers gamblers. Theories of reception and the act of reading. Fëdor Dostoevsky, The Gambler. Reading, commentary analysis

Third week: Narrative and narratology. Temporality, narrator, point of view. Raymond Queneau. Exercises de style. Introduction, reading, commentary analysis.

Fourth week: Narrative and narratology. Mediacy. Narrative situations. Character Theories. Italo Calvino, The castle of crossed destinies. Introduction, reading, commentary analysis.

Fifth week: Rhetoric and argumentation. Spaces of literature. Julio Cortázar. Rayuela. Introduction. Reading, commentary analysis.

Sixth week: The comparative history of literature and world literature. Translation and transmediality. Julio Cortázar. Rayuela. Introduction. Reading, commentary analysis.

Seventh week. Intersectionality and literary criticism. Women and gender studies. Julio Cortázar. Rayuela. Reading, commentary analysis.

Eighth week. The vision of one of the movies in the program. Comment analysis. Conclusion of the course.

In order to achieve the knowledge and skills corresponding to the minimum level of sufficiency, the student is asked to demonstrate:

1. KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge of the fundamentals of literature theory, comparative literature, and of the tools of analysis of literary work, with particular attention to the narrative text (general course)

Knowledge of some literary and movie examples of narratives focused on the ludic mechanisms and devices, and in which the game is the dominant theme, with particular attention to the historical and cultural variations of the representation. Knowledge of the anthropological, psychological and semiotic foundations that link literature and game.
(Focus seminar).

2. SKILLS
Acquisition of analysis tools for literary work, with particular attention to narrative text.
Reading and analyzing a literary work, recognizing its historical context, expressive strategies, and devices and techniques.

Acquisition of the ability to compare works of different literary traditions, identifying their contextual and historical contexts and their stylistic and genre specificities (general course).

Ability to analyze narratives focused on the ludic mechanisms and devices, and in which the game is the dominant theme, of different historical and cultural contexts, by identifying their characteristic techniques (focus seminar).

3. EXPRESSION OF JUDGMENTS
Evaluation of the work as a stratified aesthetic object to be considered in its original context, its main structural and compositional elements, and in its historical and multicultural vitality.

(4TRANSVERSAL SKILLS)
- ability to present information and opinions clearly and convincingly,
using the appropriate language and terminology.

To achieve an advanced level, the student must demonstrate:

A global and unitary understanding of the path of the course, with the acquired complementarity between theoretical-methodological skills and interpretative skills.
The ability to autonomously re-elaborate the contents of the course and to apply the tools and knowledge acquired to texts and materials, including other ones than those in the program.
The active and confident competence in critical and theoretical terminology combined with excellent appropriate expression