Good Lord. It’s here. (Almost)
I could’ve sworn that the countdown on the white board in the German room had a big “56″ on it a few days ago. Somehow, though, I am leaving for Germany in one week.
English Department adds two new courses
With course selection well underway for the 2008-09 school year, the English Department is taking every advantage to get the word out about the two new electives they plan to offer next year.
The first semester course, “Words without Borders,” focuses on non-Western writers’ novels, short stories, plays, poems, and critical essays that capture a global perspective on universal themes such as “justice, exile, censorship, isolation, war, nation building, etc.”
Ms. Frick plans to use the text, Axis of Evil: Writing from Iran, Iraq, North Korea and Other Enemy Nations. You can read reviews and preview the text here.
This course intends to raise contemporary, unexplored questions that history classes are often unable to fit into their own curriculums, questions such as, “What effect has 9/11 had on the American Idea? How does the threat of terrorism affect Western Identity? Has Globalization led to a more or less fluid notion of identity?”
The other course to be offered in second semester is “Writing Nonfiction.” This course, structured as a writers’ workshop, will gear students towards writing clearer, more vigorous prose on topics of their interest.
Ms. Frick also added that, “…this course will be to engage students in writing in a variety of prose styles toward eventual and possible publication.”
In the case that enough students sign up for either one or both of these courses, the English Department will have to replace pre-existing courses that show a lack of interest with the higher-demanding electives.
Other questions surrounding the courses can be addressed to Ms. Frick.
Away from Her
The Oscars showed us what an exciting year it was for visually stunning and technically virtuosic films. No Country for Old Men, Michael Clayton, There Will Be Blood, Sweeny Todd, and Ratatouille all had impressive visual panache. With all of this stylish filmmaking, one can easily overlook quieter and more discreet films, ones that conceal their artistry so that it registers subconsciously. Sarah Polley’s debut Away from Her qualifies as one of those movies. This heartfelt story follows a retired professor (Grant Anderson) who becomes conflicted when his Alzheimer’s-stricken wife (Julie Christie) falls in love with another man at her nursing home.
Despite this horrifying predicament, Polley tactfully avoids melodrama. This film never overbears the viewer with dramatic confrontations and lugubriousness. It follows two characters who handle personal crises with grace and dignity. At a time when even the best Hollywood filmmakers (the Coen brothers, Paul Thomas Anderson, Tim Burton) have become obsessed with the depths which humanity can sink to, it is refreshing to see a film about characters rising, honorably and realistically, to tolerate a nearly intolerable situation. Not to mention that Anderson and Christie invigorate with performances that are, respectively, touching, refined, and honest.
