Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Introduction: What Is The Point?

"What is the point?"

There comes a time in a person's life where hands are thrown into the air, a big sign is huffed, and this statement comes splashing out.

"What is the point?"

Our study of literature this summer attempts to answer that question. You must first define the question: What is the point of what? Life? Love? Relationships? God? Existence? This is for you to decide. Your summer reading will attempt to help you define and answer this question.

You will begin by reading more about the literary movement which attempts to answer this question. Please visit Wikipedia to read more about this movement; check out Bohemian Ink, as well, for another overview.

Our study of literature this year will not be chronological, i.e., from old writing to newer writing. We will skip between genres, styles, and time periods. We will connect the written and spoken word across time through the universal themes most important to the human race - family, love, travel, solitude. Our culminating question - "What is the point?"

Your summer reading will provide you with the foundation of intellectual curiosity and academic rigor required for success throughout the rest of the course. As you read, continually monitor your understanding of each piece of literature. Do this through frequent writing in your notebook.

TASK: After you have read the above introductions to the literary movement called Absurdism, please answer the following questions in your notebook:

1. Have you heard of the Absurdist literary movement before this reading? If so, in what context (where)? If not, what literary movements or periods are you familiar with?

2. Do you agree with the ideas of Absurdism? Do you feel that humans are essentially alienated from each other, or do you feel that people are connected to each other? Do you feel that people are all alone in this universe, or do you feel that there is a "higher power" that takes care of humans? If you agree with the ideas of Absurdism, why? If you don't agree, what are your points of contention? What do you disagree with?


No comments: