Literary writers craft characters. Many were characters as well–in their own lifetime and after their deaths. In this course, we explore the character of the writer as portrayed in multiple genres including fiction, essay, biography, autobiography, obituaries, and docudramas. We ask how does our perception of an artist change over time? How might literary biography serve as a lens to discuss changing conceptions of creativity, trends in historiography, and the development of literary canons? Our case studies will focus on 20th-century American writers (including Carl Sandburg, Langston Hughes, and Adrienne Rich, among others) whose lives and work have been important to American education and social movements. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Research and Information Literacy, Creativity/Innovation.

Note that this information may change at any time. Please visit the MyBU Student Portal for the most up-to-date course information.