Yes yes, I was one of the students who took this class to fulfill my literature requirement. HOWEVER, I also chose this class specifically because after taking SPAN 312C with him (look at me promoting your other courses), I liked professor Beasley’s teaching style. Anyways, I have to say this course went by quite fast. Normally I feel like the spring semester drags onnnnn forever but with this class, it really didn’t feel like that! I’m gonna miss the ease of this class and the fact that I got to read a book every week (even if I didn’t like the book) because honestly I’m so sick of reading boring philosophy papers (…I love my major). With this class, I got the chance to read books that didn’t require me to memorize or analyze anything, it really was reading for the sake of reading and I loved that.
So far I’ve been very positive….so I have to say one negative thing (just one!). Compared to SPAN 312C I enjoyed the selection of books a bit less, this time around. Maybe it was the books I chose every week…but these books were lowkey depressing. The topics of death, loss and adolescence made me really think about my life, my childhood, teenage years and my future. It was A LOT to think about, especially during a very stressful and already emotional term. However, despite the sad and heavy topics I did (at times) enjoy being on the emotional rollercoaster some of the books put me on…even shedding a few tears (The Shrouded Women) because it was kinda like therapy.
Also, I have to point out very happily that BORGES or any book like it was not part of the syllabus this term (YAYYYYY). I mean I did hate some books (If on A Winter’s Night a Traveler) or found some books to be similar to Borges’ confusing writing style (Faces in the Crowd). However, despite that no book came close to the heavy, and I mean heavy, hatred that I felt when reading Borges. Therefore, I will say this was a very successful term :)
Overall, I really enjoyed reading all the different blog posts this term and getting new perspectives on the books we read. So, thank you all for making this a very fun and engaging term!
One last question to think about: This one is a bit random but if you could spend a day in the body of any of the characters we read about, who would it be and why? It doesn’t even have to be a character you like.
“but these books were lowkey depressing“ Oh. That makes me a little sad… and also knowing that you didn’t like Calvino’s book. If you enjoy the other reads, I think I can say along with Tesi and Jon: Mission accomplished! Now enjoy the summer and rejoice with the sunny days :)
Hey alizey, I’m actually kind of surprised that you enjoyed the books this class less than span 312 because I feel the exact opposite- I actually enjoyed them a lot more on average! Also I ran into 1 book related to Borges….so yea. You got lucky this time ????. Maybe it’s just because I actually like the themes of this class (maybe I like depressing things?!?!?) but the books always have really loaded material to work with and think about which I really enjoyed. Also, picking a character is so hard because most of them live such fucked up lives. I would lowkey choose Agostino because it seems like the least severe punishment- no dying, no starving, no insanely traumatizing family members, he’s just a little rich boy who’s horny for his mom. And if I were him that problem would probably go away so…yea.