Banned Books: Novels which have Courted Controversy (10 credit points)

Pre-requisites for enrolment

No previous knowledge of the subject needed. Previous students on this strand will enjoy returning to study the new texts.

Content of Course

This course provides discussion of key issues around acceptability in the study of literature. You will explore five novels which have been banned, looking at the contemporary reasons for those bans but also whether the controversy is still a current issue. Our aim will be to investigate, through discussion and close reading where and if we draw the line in our reading. Guidance will be provided weekly of our focus points for discussion and additional resources will be available on our course website. By the end of the class, students will have a wider understanding of the way in society regulates how we deal with controversial topics in what we read.

Teaching method(s)

Students on this course will read five novels which represent key moments in the history of how we deal with controversy in literature. Through mini-lectures and seminar discussion, students will explore the key elements of each novel and develop skills in close reading, critical analysis, using and interpreting secondary reading and writing an academic piece of work. Students will engage with the texts through excerpts for close reading, chosen by the tutor, in a supportive tutorial atmosphere.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

• Confidently discuss texts.

• Assess literature based, to a certain extent, on own close reading.

• Place literature in its historical context.

• Understand the various issues which affect the critical and public response to novels.

Sources

Core Readings

Essential:

• Lawrence, D. H. (2006) Lady Chatterley’s Lover. Harmondsworth: Penguin.

• Burroughs, W. S. (2015) Naked Lunch. Harmondsworth: Penguin.

• Waugh, E. (2000) Brideshead Revisited. Harmondsworth: Penguin.

• Angelou, M. (2004) I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. London: Virago.

• Grassic Gibbon, L. (2006) Sunset Song. Edinburgh: Canongate.

Recommended:

• Mullan, J. (2008) How Novels Work. Oxford: OUP.

• Fishburn, M. (2008) Burning Books. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

• Karolides, N.J. & Wachsberger, K. (2011) Literature suppressed on political grounds. New York: Facts on File.

• Sova, D., & Wachsberger, K. (2011) Literature suppressed on sexual grounds. New York: Facts on File.

• Doyle, R.P. (2014) Banned Books: Challenging our Freedom to Read. Chicago, Illinois: American Library Association.

• Haight, A.L. & Grannis, C.B. (1978) Banned books, 387 B.C. to 1978 A.D. New York, London: Bowker.

Web Sources

http://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10

Class Handouts

Reviews of the novels and articles about the novels will be provided as handouts.

Assessments

10 credit courses have one assessment. Normally, the assessment is a 2000 word essay, worth 100% of the total mark, submitted by week 12. To pass, students must achieve a minimum of 40%. There are a small number of exceptions to this model which are identified in the Studying for Credit Guide.

Studying for Credit

If you choose to study for credit you will need to allocate significant time outwith classes for coursework and assessment preparation. Credit points gained from this course can count towards the Certificate of Higher Education.

Queries

If you have questions regarding the course or enrolment, please contact COL Reception at Paterson's Land by email COL@ed.ac.uk or by phone 0131 650 4400.

Student support

If you have a disability, learning difficulty or health condition which may affect your studies, please let us know by ticking the 'specific support needs' box on your course application form. This will allow us to make appropriate adjustments in advance and in accordance with your rights under the Equality Act 2010. For more information please visit the Student Support section of our website.