About
This course explores the ways in which, through literature, certain understandings of addiction are constructed, represented, and proliferated throughout our culture. We will explore the ways in which the experience of addiction is represented in various cultural forms and in specific texts. Additionally, we will look closely at the relationship between the idea of addiction and other categories such as gender, sexuality, normalcy, race and creativity. In this course we will compare various literary texts and films to see if some seem more "realistic" than others, and explore, through writing and discussion, the possibilities for why this may be so. We will consider how we as individuals and as a society are affected by various representations of addiction, and how this translates into everyday interaction with others. Are some representations dangerous? Students will explore the possibility that representation plays a significant role in our understanding of the experience of addiction and will be encouraged to think critically about the ways various media (film, popular texts, memoir, poetry, biography) affect the way we live our lives and the relationships we develop with others.
Resources