30.387 Alternate Worlds

We will examine a rich series of “scenario-spinning” works, in which authors create worlds that are neither completely fantastic nor fully representative of our own world. Fiction to be studied could include Mitchell, Cloud Atlas; McCarthy, The Road; Cabon, The Yiddish Policemen’s Union; Vonarburg, The Maerlande Chronicles. Films could include Wenders & Handke, Wings of Desire (Der Himmel uber Berlin) and Jeunet & Laurant, Amelie (Le fabuleux d’estin d’Amelie Poulain). Titles may change with little notice.

Prerequisite: 6 credit hours in fist-year English or permission of instructor.