ENGL 236 - Postmodernism in Film and Literature

2 credit(s)
Traces postmodernism from its origins to the present, providing a historical, cultural, and theoretical context to frame discussions of such postmodernist authors as Beckett, Borges and Calvino, and film directors such as Haneke, the Coen brothers and Spike Jonze. We will consider how typical postmodernist techniques, such as the settling of frames within frames, the mosaic of merging of genres and styles, and the use of hyperspace, reflect post-WWII shifts in politics and philosophy. Overall, we will develop an understanding of the fundamental concepts that make postmodernism, such as fragmentation, mise-en-abyme, play, decentering, simulacra, and metafiction.
Core Requirement(s): Counts toward core requirements: International Perspectives and Analyzing and Interpreting Texts.