IDS 4920/HUM 4920
Life Stories:
Biographical Studies
Spring 2003,
Wednesday 1400-1645
ACI 319 –305-919-5859
Brian Roberts, Biographical Research
Benjamin Franklin, Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
Nell Painter, Sojourner Truth: A Life, A Symbol
Pauli Murray, Proud Shoes
Esmeralda Santiago, When I Was Puerto Rican
|
1/8 |
Introduction to the Course |
|
1/15 |
What Makes a Life? READ: Biographical Research,
Chapters 1 and 4 |
|
1/22 |
Autobiography and Truth; READ: Autobiography of
Benjamin Franklin; Subject and sources for Biography Assignment
due |
|
1/29 |
Biography and Truth; READ: Biographical Research,
Chapter 7 |
|
2/5 |
Biography and History; READ: Sojourner Truth: A Life,
A Symbol |
|
2/12 |
Biography and Memory; READ: Biographical Research,
Chapter 8 |
|
2/19 |
Biography and Family; READ: Proud Shoes |
|
2/26 |
Life in Social Context; READ: Biographical Research,
Chapter 5 |
|
3/5 |
Memoir and Identity, READ: When I Was Puerto Rican; Mid Term Essay Due |
|
3/12 |
Representations of Life in Art; READ: Biographical
Research, Chapters 6 and 10; Autobiography Assignment Due |
|
3/19 |
SPRING BREAK |
|
3/26 |
Student Presentations |
|
4/2 |
Student Presentations |
|
4/9 |
Student Presentations |
|
4/16 |
Student Presentations; Biography Assignment Due |
Biographies, autobiographies, memoirs, obituaries, films, portraits, photographs, and
other genres all seek to capture an individual’s life. This course examines means of representing human lives. Whose life is found worthy of representation and by whom? How is life represented? What are considered the important aspects of life to remember? How does memory reveal or obscure truth? We will look at theories of biography and selected biographies and autobiographies. Guest lecturers will discuss life representations from the perspective of different disciplines. And each student will write a short autobiography and biography. Students will also do a class presentation of their work. This class is a seminar. In a seminar students learn both individually and through collective discussion. Reading assignments are due on the day indicated and are necessary for informed discussion. You owe it to yourselves and to your fellow classmates to come to class prepared to discuss the assigned reading. Class participation is crucial to the success of the course.
Mid Term Essay – Due March 5 – A 5 page essay in which you take one or more theoretical perspectives chosen from those presented in Biographical Research and apply it/them to the four texts that are assigned reading for the course. 25% of final grade.
Autobiography Assignment – Due March 12 – A 5 page autobiography. Your task is to present yourself in a manner that tells the reader what you think is most significant about your life. 25% of final grade.
Biography Assignment – Due April 16 – a 10 page biography of a subject of your choosing based upon either primary documents, oral history, or a combination of both. Choice of subject and available sources must be approved by the instructor. Subject and sources are due in written form on January 22. 50% of final grade.