WLAN 2315: Cultural Studies,
The Holocaust in Literature and Film
Dwight E. Langston
Irby 207D
450-5646
Office Hours: MWF 8-9; 1-1:50 p.m.
TTh 8-10:40
Readings
Paul Celan: “Death Fugue”
Nelly Sachs: Selected Poems
Tadeusz Borowski: “This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen”
Elie Wiesel: Night
Max Frisch: Andorra
Primo Levi: Survival in Auschwitz: The Nazi Assault on Humanity
Jurek Becker: Jacob the Liar
Jerzy Kosinski: The Painted Bird (excerpts)
Peter Weiss: The Investigation
Alexander Kluge: “An Experiment in Love”
Films
The Wannsee Conference*
Night and Fog*
The Boat is Full*
Goodbye, Children*
Sophie’s Choice*
Schindler’s List*
* Shown in film room of Audio-Visual Services, basement floor of Main Hall.
Goals of the Course
The principal goal of the course is to examine questions concerning various authors’ and film makers’ responses to the Holocaust in different cultures and genres. Different cultures and backgrounds are represented in the works examined as well as Jewish and non-Jewish perspectives. Interpretations of the Holocaust by survivors and by children of survivors and by those more removed from the immediate events are included.
Students are expected to participate actively in analyzing and critiquing the films and literary works examined in the course. For this purpose, the instructor will distribute a “study guide/critical response statement form” for each film and literary work. Groups of 5 to 8 students will work together on formulating critical responses to the works under discussion.
The works to be examined depict various aspects of one of the most horrible – perhaps even the most horrible – eras in human history. No one, however, should assume that all these works have handled the subject of the Holocaust (or Shoah) successfully or appropriately. Some have, but some have not. Therefore, all students should read and view these works with a critical as well as an appreciative eye. They should also pay particular attention to the relative strengths and weaknesses of particular literary genres in representing the Holocaust. In addition, they should be aware of the depictions of victims and oppressors and the role of stereotypes in depictions of the Holocaust.
Reader and viewer responses concerning what these works have to tell us about the Holocaust are strongly encouraged. The instructor will supply some background information and even offer some interpretations, but no one should assume that the instructor’s interpretations are definitive. They can be challenged at any time, as long as the challenge is a considered one based on the content of the works.
Final Grade
There will be a mid-term test and a final exam consisting of both essay questions and identification items. Each will comprise 30% of the final grade. The instructor’s class participation evaluation will comprise 20% of the final grade, and the critical analysis will comprise 20%.
Written Analysis
All students are to submit a written critical analysis of a film or literary work on the Holocaust which has not been examined in the course. The analysis may include both documented background information on the work as well as the student’s analysis or critical discussion of published analyses of the work selected.
Americans with Disabilities Act
The University of Central Arkansas adheres to the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you need an accommodation under this Act due to a disability, contact the
Office of Disability Support Services at 450-3135.
Academic Integrity
All students are expected to do their own work, especially on tests and research papers. This instructor does not tolerate any kind of cheating on tests or plagiarism in research papers and reports. Students discovered cheating or committing plagiarism will receive an automatic failing grade for the course and will be reported to the appropriate university authorities.
Foreign Language 2315: Cultural Studies
The Holocaust in Literature and Film
Daily Schedule -
[8-21-03] 1. Introduction and Background Information. How and why the Jews first came to German territory: an irony of history.
[8-26-03] 2. A Chronology of the Third Reich: Creeping Persecution & Oppression by Degrees.
[8-28-03] 3. Film: The Wannsee Conference*
[9-02-03] 4. Film: The Wannsee Conference* (conclusion) and discussion.
[9-04-03] 5. Poems by Celan & Sachs, discussion.
[9-09-03] 6. Film: Night and Fog* and discussion.
[9-11-03] 7. Borowski: “This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen”
[9-16-03] 8. Film: The Boat Is Full*
[9-18-03] 9. The Boat Is Full* (conclusion) and discussion.
[9-23-03] 10. Wiesel: Night
[9-25-03] 11. Wiesel: Night
[9-30-03] 12. Frisch: Andorra
[10-02-03] 13. Film: Goodbye, Children*
[10-07-03] 14. Film: Goodbye, Children* (conclusion) and discussion.
[10-09-03] 15. Levi: Survival in Auschwitz
[10-14-03] 16. Levi: Survival in Auschwitz
[10-16-03] 17. Mid-term Test
* Shown in film room of Audio-Visual Services, basement floor of Main Hall.
[10-23-03] 18. Becker: Jacob the Liar
[10-28-03] 19. Becker: Jacob the Liar
[10-30-03] 20. Kosinski: The Painted Bird (excerpts), read through of selected passages and discussion.
[11-04-03] 21. Kosinski: The Painted Bird and discussion.
[11-06-03] 22. Film: Sophie’s Choice*
[11-11-03] 23. Film: Sophie’s Choice* (conclusion) and discussion.
[11-13-03] 24. Weiss: The Investigation
[11-18-03] 25. Kluge: “An Experiment in Love”
[11-20-03] 26. Film: Schindler’s List*
[11-25-03] 27. Film: Schindler’s List*
[12-02-03] 28. Film: Schindler’s List* (conclusion) and discussion.
[12-04-03] 29. Review and summary discussion of films.
* Shown in film room of Audio-Visual Services, basement floor of Main Hall.
Final Exam: Thursday, Dec. 11 at 2:00 p.m.