Learning objectives
The purpose of the course is to enable students to develop a critical essay or a review for publication in a literary magazine. As such, a significant part of the course is dedicated to the lessons on essay-writing.
Objectives of the course according to the Dublin Descriptors:
Knowledge and understanding
Teaching Italian essay-writing provides students with a critical understanding of the structure of literary texts, essays, reportage. The lessons will be supported with targeted interventions: lectures, seminars, conferences, encounters with writers and journalists.
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
The comprehensive study of methodologies and analysis of the literary communication techniques, along with the essay-writing, will hopefully produce understanding of the structure and content of the texts to be examined. This understanding, combined with the practice offered throughout the course of internships, will provide students with writing skills, suitable for the production of informational content of various kinds.
Making Judgements
At the end of the course, relying on the theoretical, linguistic and literary grounds, the students should have acquired the ability to collect data and critically interpret texts, as well as an aptitude to formulate independent judgments about the socio-cultural context.
Communication skills
At the end of the course, students should have achieved the ability to communicate in comprehensible manner and to apply all the skills required for writing a literary or a critical essay.
Learning skills
The commitment to the theoretical and structural grounds should give students a certain mastery concerning methodology, along with specific skills useful for their future professions related to communication and journalism.
Prerequisites
To take the course a basic knowledge of Italian literature is required.
For those who have not taken an Italian Literature exam in the three-year degree, a written test of 30 questions on the main authors and on the main works of literary history to be sustained in reception hours (prior notice to the teacher) is foreseen before the oral exam. The test will be considered passed with at least 18 correct answers and the result will NOT affect the final evaluation of the oral exam.
Course unit content
Critical essays and Autobiography.
The course, after the discussion of the essay as a literary genre, particularly with regard to its various types and forms of communication, will talk about autobiography, diary,autobiographical novel and mutual interference, with reference to texts and authors of the twentieth century.
Full programme
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Bibliography
Bibliography:
Critical studies:
SERGIO D'INTINO,L'autobiografia moderna. Temi, forme, problemi, Bulzoni
ANDREA BATTISTINI., Il riflesso nello «specchio d’un’acqua in tempesta». Forme e modi delle autobiografie novecentesche, in: Memorie, autobiografie e diari nella letteratura italiana dell’Ottocento e del Novecento, PISA, Edizioni ETS, 2008, 1, pp. 57 - 75
ANNAMARIA CAVALLI, Fuga dalla critica, Pàtron Editore
ANNAMARIA CAVALLI, Viaggiare con la scrittura, Archetipolibri
Books:
F. TOZZI, Ricordi di un impiegato
CARLO LEVI, Cristo si è fermato ad Eboli
EMILIO LUSSU, Un anno sull'Altipiano
Teaching methods
The course is structured as follows: frontal lessons, lectures, written assignment.
The final evaluation is expressed in thirties and will take in account the oral examination, along with the judgment on written essays, previously corrected and discussed during the oral examination.
To be admitted to the oral exam, it is necessary to reach the sufficiency (18/30) in the written essay.
Assessment methods and criteria
Oral and written test (critical essay)
In the essay will be assessed: good quality of writing, ability to synthesize, logical cohesion, adhesion to the object of discourse and communication skills.
To be admitted to the oral exam, it is necessary to reach the sufficiency (18/30) in the written essay.
In the interview will be assessed: ability to respond promptly to the questions, synthesis and communication skills.
Other information
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