Interpreting Literature: Reading Careful

What does it mean to “close read”? Does an author’s life, or the time and place of writing, change how we understand a text? This course introduces students to reading habits, writing practices, and interpretive approaches that deepen how we engage with novels, poems, and other cultural works. Together we will experiment with ways of developing a written voice—identifying what moves us in a text, crafting an argument, and responding to other interpretations. Our main reading, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, will anchor our explorations at the intersection of creativity and science, nature and technology, and personal ambition and societal responsibility. Students will participate in additional readings, films, and hands-on experiences and will also take part in a writing workshop at Tom’s Restaurant, visit the Shelley archives at the New York Public Library, and work with zines and diaries from Barnard’s Special Collections to connect literature, place, and creative process.