COURSE DESCRIPTION
Fall Semester
What is feminism? What is patriarchy? If you are a person who wants to better understand society, yourself and the gendered expectations of the world, this will be an interesting course option for you. Through reading, writing, and robust discussion we will examine the sometimes problematic, sometimes triumphant relationship of women to culture and society. As in all English courses, critical thinking and written and verbal expression will be an integral part of the class which will require attentive reading and a curious, open mind.
Spring Semester
Spring semester will examine women’s voices then and now. We’ll read the voices of women through their historical struggle(s) for equality and justice. By understanding where we’ve come from, we can see more clearly the complex intersection between gender, race, wealth, and human rights. The second part of the semester will focus on where we are now, and where we go from here as both individuals and a society. Again, close reading, vibrant and respectful discussions, and reflective and analytical writing are central skills for the course. Come with an open mind and willingness to engage with complex ideas.
What is feminism? What is patriarchy? If you are a person who wants to better understand society, yourself and the gendered expectations of the world, this will be an interesting course option for you. Through reading, writing, and robust discussion we will examine the sometimes problematic, sometimes triumphant relationship of women to culture and society. As in all English courses, critical thinking and written and verbal expression will be an integral part of the class which will require attentive reading and a curious, open mind.
Spring Semester
Spring semester will examine women’s voices then and now. We’ll read the voices of women through their historical struggle(s) for equality and justice. By understanding where we’ve come from, we can see more clearly the complex intersection between gender, race, wealth, and human rights. The second part of the semester will focus on where we are now, and where we go from here as both individuals and a society. Again, close reading, vibrant and respectful discussions, and reflective and analytical writing are central skills for the course. Come with an open mind and willingness to engage with complex ideas.
I really enjoyed this class. We had great discussions about toxic masculinity, feminism, sexual assault, and how "no" means "no." I highly suggest everyone to take this class and become educated on issues women and men face everyday. This class has definitely changed and improved me as a whole. We had many Socratic Seminars and thoughtful discussions about serious topics and really bonded as a class with our ideas.
This has been my favorite class hands down because it’s not like a traditional English class. Everything we learn is almost philosophical and I can relate to it because what we learn is all about societal issues and problems that directly relate to teenagers. The book we are reading right now stands out the most because it’s about a Chinese immigrant and her stories and struggles with her children. It’s meaningful because as an Asian American, everything we discuss, I’ve experienced and can relate to in an authentic way.
The works we studied written by women delved closely into the experiences of adolescent girls, women, and how the expectations of society subtly influences our life. The assignments we were given made use of our personal experiences. We also had interesting discussions about the experiences that were told in these stories. |
The amazing relationships I've made in this class have impacted me in such a positive way. The class is always engaging and challenging . we talk about real events that happen and apply the readings to our everyday life. We read Reviving Ophelia and The Joy Luck Club and they both aligned with my expectations of relating to literature in a meaningful way. |
I enjoy this class because instead of being quizzed in detail on what occurs in the book, we discuss together with our classmates about the common themes of the stories and how we can connect it to the real world. This, I believe, is a much more effective way to teach students about literature, by discussing how it relates to our lives. Reading Reviving Ophelia was surprising because although I don't live in an environment in which the girls in the stories lived in, it allows me to be more aware of my surroundings especially when I become independent in the future. What I was wrong about was that I thought we were going to learn about the history of feminism, instead we talked about the current issues surrounding feminism, and I really enjoyed that.
This class was a lot more fun than I expected. I was surprised about the range of topics we've explored such as patriarchy, feminism, family relationships, anorexia, problems encountered during adolescence, and traditional female roles. Reviving Ophelia and Joy Luck Club stood out most to me because there are many themes in these text that relate to modern life and the lives of my classmates and me. It fit my expectations because it did explore different literary works by women, but then I never really gave any thought that the authors were female.