CRWT 40.06 Uses of Fact: True Source Material in Prose, Poetry, & Film
This class will examine how a diverse group of artists work with factual material. One sometimes hears this sensible phrase: "You aren’t entitled to your own facts." But the truth is artists do frequently work with what one might call their own facts. We’ll look at what certain writers (Anna Deavere Smith, Eudora Welty, Joseph Brodsky), poets (Pedro Pietri, Elizabeth Robinson, Van Jordan) and filmmakers (Sarah Polley, Charles Burnett, and Earl Morris) do with true source material that interests, compels, perhaps repulses, above all, inspires them. Weekly writing exercises and workshops will help you develop our own ideas inspired by the works under discussion. The course will culminate in a final project where students will share own new work in prose, fiction or non-fiction.
Instructor
Not being offered in 2022-23
Department-Specific Course Categories
Course Group III (formerly ENGL 87.05)