This course introduces students to a range of genres of life writing, including autobiography, memoir, autobiographical fiction, graphic memoir, testimony and biography. The course will begin with the 18th century origins of life writing, but the focus will be on 20th and 21st century literature. Students will become familiar with critical concepts, terms and approaches used to analyse life narratives, and with debates relating to authenticity, identity, truth, memory and self-representation. Special attention will be paid gender and sexuality, place and memory, Indigenous life writing, and the representation of traumatic personal and historical events in life narrative. The class will engage with critical readings on life narrative, including biography, diaries and journals. Confessional and testimonial paradigms, and the socio-cultural contexts in which authors deploy particular rhetorical modes of address will also be considered.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- identify features and characteristics of different genres of life-writing, including graphic memoir;
- explain and apply critical concepts used in analyzing autobiography, memoir, testimonial and autobiographical fiction;
- identify confessional and testimonial paradigms and explain their relevance to life writing;
- learn how to conduct detailed analysis of life narratives in written and oral presentations;
- explain current debates relating to authenticity, truth, and self-representation in life writing; and
- learn skills of critical thinking and oral presentation.
Other Information
This course is cross-listed with and counts towards an English major.
Indicative Assessment
- Short response answers (7 x 300 words for a total of 2,100 words) (40) [LO 1,2,3]
- Final essay (2,000 words) (40) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
- In-class presentation (5 minute duration) (10) [LO 1,2,5,6]
- Tutorial preparation and participation (10) [LO 1,2,3,5]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
130 hours of total student learning time made up from:a) 36 hours of contact over 12 weeks: 24 hours of lectures and 12 hours of workshop and workshop-like activities, and
b) 94 hours of independent student research, reading and writing
Inherent Requirements
Not applicable
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
Set texts available for purchase or on Short Loan at Chifley
Secondary literature provided via Wattle
Preliminary Reading
Sarah Polley, Stories We Tell (2012)
Anne Frank's Diary: The Graphic Adaptation (2018)
Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar (and selections from her journals)
Thui Bui, The Best We Could Do: An Illustrated Memoir (2018)
Chanel Miller, Know My Name (2019)
Hannah Gadsby, Ten Steps to Nanette: A Memoir Situation (2022)
Amy Thunig, Tell Me Again: a Memoir (2022)
Assumed Knowledge
GEND1001 or GEND1002 or ENGL1100 or ENGL1200 or any 2000 level GEND or ENGL course.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 14
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
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