Postmodern Literature
Fall 2014
Postmodern Literature
University of Pittsburgh
ENGLIT 1350
Fall 2014
Dr. Bradley J. Fest
Office: CL 517F
email: [email protected]
[email protected]
MWF 10:00-10:50, CL 129
Office Hours: W 2:00-4:00
& by appointment
It seems easier for us today to imagine the thoroughgoing deterioration of the earth and of nature than the
breakdown of late capitalism; perhaps that is due to some weakness in our imaginations. I have come to
think that the word postmodern ought to be reserved for thoughts of this kind.
—Fredric Jameson, The Seeds of Time
The reason postmodernism doesn’t die is that postmodernism isn’t the figure in the black hat standing out
in the street against which it is being opposed. Postmodernism is the street. Postmodernism is the town.
—Jonathan Lethem, “Postmodernism as Liberty Valance”
Required Texts
Kathy Acker, Blood and Guts in High School (New York: Grove Press, 1978).
John Barth, Lost in the Funhouse: Fiction for Print, Tape, Live Voice (1968; repr. New York:
Anchor Books, 1988)
Jorge Luis Borges, Labyrinths: Selected Stories & Other Writings, ed. Donald A. Yates and
James E. Irby (New York: New Directions, 1964).
Jennifer Egan, Look at Me (2001; repr., New York: Anchor Books, 2002).1
Thomas Pynchon, The Crying of Lot 49 (1966; repr., New York: Perennial Classics, 1999).
Ishmael Reed, Mumbo Jumbo (1972; repr., New York: Scribner, 1996).
David Foster Wallace, Girl with Curious Hair (New York: W. W. Norton, 1989).
Additional texts to be covered and their bibliographic information can be found on the calendar
below. These readings are available on CourseWeb.
Prerequisites
Introduction to Critical Reading (ENGLIT 0500) is strongly recommended. Students must have
satisfied the general education requirement of an approved first course in Literature before taking
this course.
Course Description
Whether it is used to describe art, film, literature, architecture, economics, history, politics, etc.,
the term “postmodernism” has been the subject of wide-ranging debates for over fifty years. It
The epigraphs are drawn from Fredric Jameson, introduction to The Seeds of Time (New York: Columbia University
Press, 1994), xii; and Jonathan Lethem, “Postmodernism as Liberty Valance: Notes on a Ritual Killing” (2009), in
The Ecstasy of Influence: Nonfictions, Etc. (New York: Doubleday, 2011), 83.
1
N.b. that there are two paperback editions of Egan’s novel: one that is 415 pp. and one that is 528 pp. I will be
using the 415 pp. edition, as that is what is in the bookstore, but I will also be listing the pp. for the 528 pp. edition
in the calendar. The two editions will be listed as “S” (for “short”) and “L” (for “long”) on the calendar below.
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Fall 2014
seems apparent, however, that a rough consensus is beginning to emerge, as many have been
confidently claiming that postmodernism is “over” and that postmodernity can now be
considered a distinct historical period. This course will ask how we might now represent,
discuss, and interpret postmodernity and its literature as a definite historical period with a
beginning and an end, especially in light of how consistently postmodern literature has
challenged and complicated various received notions of history and periodization. For instance,
regarding the postmodern novel, literary critic Fredric Jameson once claimed that it “can no
longer set out to represent the historical past; it can only ‘represent’ our ideas and stereotypes
about that past.”2 This course seeks to understand how such a view of literature and history could
develop during the postwar era of the twentieth century, and what it might mean to consider such
literature historically. To aid us in this task, we will read a number of important postmodern
novelists, critics, theorists, essayists, historians, and philosophers. There has been an incredibly
diverse, productive, and heady international exchange between postmodern writers and theorists,
and though this particular section reads predominantly American literature, we will also look at a
number of writers from other countries who have informed the conversations about
postmodernity. We will spend significant amounts of time reading postmodern metafiction,
fictions of postmodern identity, and literature informed by television and other visual media. The
course will conclude with questions about what it means to be living, reading, and writing after
the postmodern in what some are beginning to call “contemporaneity.”
Course Requirements and Assignments
Texts—Students will be required to have read and be prepared to discuss the assigned text(s) for
each class meeting. This also entails that students bring that text to class, whether the book or the
reading from CourseWeb. Not bringing the assigned text(s) will count as an absence.3 This
course asks students to read quite a bit, and very carefully. Our meetings and discussions will
depend upon the rigorous, intelligent, and frequent involvement of each and every participant of
the class, and this involvement is simply not possible if students do not come to class prepared.
All students should obtain the edition of the texts specified above. Students should expect to read
roughly 150 pages per week.
Papers—Students will be asked to write 2 essays of 5-6 pages and a final paper of 7-10 pages
during the course of the semester. The assignments for these essays are designed to build upon
one another in preparation for your final paper. Their percentage of your grade will reflect this
process. Consequently, the final represents the most significant portion of your grade. All papers
should be proofread and polished. They should be typed, double-spaced, in 12 point Times New
Roman font, with one-inch margins, and should accord to MLA guidelines for citation and
format.4 A student who does not follow the directions for assignments or fails to meet the basic
requirements of an assignment—e.g., not meeting the page requirement5 or failing to format a
Fredric Jameson, “The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism” (1984), in Postmodernism; or, the Cultural Logic of
Late Capitalism (Durham: Duke University Press, 1991), 25.
3
For a number of reasons I would be happy to go into, I heavily urge students to print out all the .pdfs of the
additional readings.
4
For a good website on how to do this, visit http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/. The savvy reader
will note that I prefer Chicago Style. Students who wish to use Chicago Style are encouraged to do so but must
speak with me beforehand.
5
5-6 pages means that the paper must be at least 5 full pages (i.e., not 4 ½ pages). Students will not be penalized for
going over the page requirement (within reason).
2
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paper correctly—will automatically cost that student a minimum of half a letter grade (so C+ to
C-). Papers will be assessed primarily on the strength of their argument and the quality of their
idea. Due dates for these papers are below. The assignments will follow. All papers must be
handed in as hard copies in class and submitted on CourseWeb through SafeAssign. There will
be a link under “Assignments” to electronically submit your papers.
Quizzes—Students will often be given unannounced short quizzes on the assigned material.
Students who have done the reading will, for the most part, find these quizzes quite manageable.
Students who fail a quiz will lose two points off the possible fifteen points of their participation
grade. If you do the math, multiple failed quizzes could dramatically lower your grade (by as
much as almost two letters). Unless otherwise informed, all quizzes are open book.
Participation—An absolutely crucial part of this class will be student participation. Though I will
lecture from time to time, this class will be primarily discussion based, as I would like to see this
course as a collective endeavor into the subject matter. I am quite excited to delve into the
material, as I see it as both quite challenging and, in all honesty, quite fun. But this class will be a
two way street and will require the input of all of its participants. I am completely aware that
some students may be more vocal than others, but if I see a student consistently attempting to
add to the discussion, I will take this into consideration. I have a habit of a rambling a bit, so
please help me with this by asking questions of me if you are unclear. Asking questions can be
an excellent way to participate. Since this class will rely heavily on student participation, your
attendance is a necessity. More than three unexcused absences can be grounds for failure, in
which case you may want to consider withdrawing from the course and taking it again under
better circumstances. (Also, anyone observed texting in class, whether I call attention to it or not,
will be marked absent for the day.6)
Grading
Participation: 15%
Essay 1: 20%
Essay 2: 25%
Final Essay: 40%
6
Students would also do well to note the many recent studies about how information is more fully retained if notes
are taken by hand rather than on a computer. See Robinson Meyer, “To Remember a Lecture Better, Take Notes by
Hand,” The Atlantic, May 1, 2014, http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/05/to-remember-a-lecturebetter-take-notes-by-hand/361478/. Indeed, I am very close to the point of disallowing laptops in my classroom, so
please only use technology if it is necessary or pertinent to the discussion at hand.
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Fall 2014
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is a serious and intellectually inexcusable offense, and it will not be tolerated in this
class. Don’t do it. It will result in an immediate zero for the assignment, and could result in more
serious action, including failing the class completely and potentially being expelled from the
University. Plagiarism includes: lack of proper citations when quoting from someone else’s
work, representing someone else’s work as your own, and knowingly allowing one’s work to be
submitted by someone else. This should ultimately be a fun and stimulating class, and there is
absolutely no reason for you not to take advantage of being able to do your own work and
discuss it in an academic environment.
Students With Disabilities
If you have a disability for which you are or may be requesting an accommodation, you are
encouraged to contact both myself and the Office of Disability Resources and Services (DRS),
140 William Pitt Union, 412-648-7890, [email protected], or 412-228-5347 for P3 ASL users,
as early as possible in the term. DRS will verify your disability and determine reasonable
accommodations for this course.
Writing Center
Located at 317B O’Hara Student Center, 4024 O’Hara Street, the Writing Center is an excellent
resource for working on your writing with an experienced consultant. Although you should not
expect consultants to “correct” your work for you, they can assist you in learning to organize,
edit, and revise your papers. Consultants can work with you on a one-time basis, or they can
work with you throughout the term. In some cases, I may require that you go to the Writing
Center for help on a particular problem; otherwise, you can decide on your own to seek
assistance. Their services are free, but you should check on-site, call ahead (412-624-6556), or
visit their website (http://www.composition.pitt.edu/writingcenter/index.html) to make an
appointment.
E-mail Communication Policy
Each student is issued a University e-mail address ([email protected]) upon admittance. This email address may be used by the University for official communication with students. I will also
communicate with students via their pitt.edu address. Students are expected to read e-mail sent to
this account on a regular basis. Failure to read and react to either University or my own
communications in a timely manner does not absolve the student from knowing and complying
with the content of the communications. Students that choose to forward their e-mail from their
pitt.edu address to another address do so at their own risk. If e-mail is lost as a result of
forwarding, it does not absolve the student from responding to official communications sent to
their University e-mail address.
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Calendar7
8.25
8.27
8.29
Introductions, Syllabus
Brian McHale, “When Did Postmodernism Begin?”1
Jean-François Lyotard, “What is Postmodernism?”2
9.1
9.3
9.5
Labor Day, no class
Linda Hutcheon, “Representing the Postmodern”3
Jorge Luis Borges, Labyrinths (pp. 3-44)
9.8
9.10
9.12
Jorge Luis Borges, Labyrinths (pp. 45-94)
Jorge Luis Borges, Labyrinths (pp. 95-131)
Jorge Luis Borges, Labyrinths (pp. 132-173)
9.15
9.17
9.19
Thomas Pynchon, The Crying of Lot 49 (chps. 1-3, pp. 1-63)
Thomas Pynchon, The Crying of Lot 49 (chps. 4-5, pp. 64-119
Thomas Pynchon, The Crying of Lot 49 (chp. 6, pp. 120-152)
9.22
9.24
9.26
John Barth, Lost in the Funhouse (pp. 1-39)
John Barth, Lost in the Funhouse (pp. 40-97)
Roland Barthes, “The Death of the Author”4
Michel Foucault, “What is an Author?”5
9.29
10.1
10.3
John Barth, Lost in the Funhouse (pp. 98-167)
John Barth, Lost in the Funhouse (pp. 168-201)
William V. Spanos, “The Detective and the Boundary”6
10.6
Essay 1 Due
John Barth, “The Literature of Exhaustion”7
10.8 Ishmael Reed, Mumbo Jumbo (chps. 1-12, pp. 1-53)
10.10 Ishmael Reed, Mumbo Jumbo (chps. 13-27, pp. 53-103)
10.13
10.14
10.15
10.17
Fall Break, class will be held Tuesday
Ishmael Reed, Mumbo Jumbo (chps. 28-50, pp. 103-156)
Ishmael Reed, Mumbo Jumbo (chps. 51-53, pp. 156-191)
Ishmael Reed, Mumbo Jumbo (chps. 54-Epilogue, pp. 191-218)
10.20 Kathy Acker, Blood and Guts in High School (pp. 7-61)
10.22 Kathy Acker, Blood and Guts in High School (pp. 61-116)
10.24 Kathy Acker, Blood and Guts in High School (pp. 117-165)
10.27 Essay 2 Due
Jean Baudrillard, “The Precession of Simulacra”8
10.29 Fredric Jameson, “Postmodernism, or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism”9
7
N.b. that additional readings or handouts may be assigned when appropriate. For ease with citation, bibliographic
endnotes to the additional readings can be found below.
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10.31 David Foster Wallace, “E Unibus Pluram: Television and U. S. Fiction”10
11.3
11.5
11.7
David Foster Wallace, “Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way,” in Girl with
Curious Hair (pp. 232-286)
David Foster Wallace, “Westward,” in Girl with Curious Hair (pp. 286-319)
David Foster Wallace, “Westward,” in Girl with Curious Hair (pp. 319-373)
11.10 Jennifer Egan, Look at Me (chps. 1-3, S pp. 1-63, L pp. 1-81)
11.12 Jennifer Egan, Look at Me (chps. 4-6, S pp. 64-128, L pp. 82-164)
11.14 Jennifer Egan, Look at Me (chps. 7-8, S pp. 129-170, L pp. 165-218)
11.17 Jennifer Egan, Look at Me (chps. 9-11, S pp. 171-240, L pp. 219-307)
11.19 Jennifer Egan, Look at Me (chps. 12-14, S pp. 241-298, L pp. 308-379)
11.21 Jennifer Egan, Look at Me (chps. 15-17, S pp. 298-358, L pp. 380-456)
11.24 Jennifer Egan, Look at Me (chps. 18-20, S pp. 359-415, L pp. 457-528)
11.26 Thanksgiving
11.28 Thanksgiving
12.1
12.3
12.5
Final Paper Proposal Due
Slavoj Žižek, “Passions of the Real, Passions of Semblance”11
Adam Kelly, “Beginning with Postmodernism”12
Fredric Jameson, “Literary History After the End of the New”13
Terry Smith, “Aftereffects”14
Brian McHale, “What Was Postmodernism?”15
12.11—Final Papers due in my mailbox, CL 501 by 4:00 pm
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Endnotes
1
Brian McHale, “1966 Nervous Breakdown; or, When Did Postmodernism Begin?” Modern Language Quarterly
69, no. 3 (Fall 2008): 391-413.
2
Jean-François Lyotard, “Answering the Question: What Is Postmodernism?” (1983), in The Postmodern
Condition: A Report on Knowledge, trans. Geoff Bennington and Brian Massumi (Minneapolis: University of
Minnesota Press, 1984), 71-84.
3
Linda Hutcheon, “Representing the Postmodern,” in The Politics of Postmodernism, 2nd ed. (New York:
Routledge, 2002), 1-28.
4
Roland Barthes, “The Death of the Author” (1968), in Image, Music, Text, trans. Stephen Heath (New York: Hill
and Wang, 1977), 142-48.
5
Michel Foucault, “What is an Author?” (1969), in Language, Counter-Memory, Practice: Selected Essays and
Interviews, ed. and trans. Donald F. Bouchard, trans. Sherry Simon (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1977),
113-38.
6
William V. Spanos, “The Detective and the Boundary: Some Notes on the Postmodern Literary Imagination”
(1972), in Early Postmodernism: Foundational Essays, ed. Paul Bové (Durham: Duke University Press, 1991), 1739.
7
John Barth, “The Literature of Exhaustion” (1969), in The Friday Book: Essays and Other Nonfiction (New York:
G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1984), 62-76.
8
Jean Baudrillard, “The Precession of Simulacra,” in Simulacra and Simulation (1981), trans. Sheila Faria Glaser
(Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1994), 1-42.
9
Fredric Jameson, “Postmodernism, or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism,” New Left Review 146 (July/August
1984): 59-92.
10
David Foster Wallace, “E Unibus Pluram: Television and U.S. Fiction” (1993), in A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll
Never Do Again (New York: Little, Brown, 1997), 21-82.
11
Slavoj Žižek, “Passions of the Real, Passions of Semblance,” in Welcome to the Desert of the Real! Five Essays
on September 11 and Related Dates (New York: Verso, 2002), 5-32.
12
Adam Kelly, “Beginning with Postmodernism,” Twentieth Century Literature 57, nos. 3-4 (Fall/Winter 2011):
391-422.
13
Fredric Jameson, “New Literary History after the End of the New,” New Literary History 39, no. 3 (Summer
2008): 375-87.
14
Terry Smith, “Aftereffects: Architecture, Iconomy, Contemporaneity,” in The Architecture of Aftermath (Chicago:
University of Chicago Press, 2006), 1-16.
15
Brian McHale, “What Was Postmodernism?” Electronic Book Review, December 20, 2012, http://www.
electronicbookreview.com/thread/fictionspresent/tense.
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