#vlpa

WRITERS ON WRITING (ENGL 285)

Winter 2020         Tues/Thurs 12:30-2:20      Odegaard 136       Professor Maya Sonenberg

·         VLPA, 5 Credits

·         Lectures and Readings by UW Creative Writing faculty and other local fiction writers, poets, and nonfiction writers

·         Active Learning classroom & class structure provide opportunities for small group work & feedback on your writing

·         Assignments: brief responses to the talks, short creative writing exercises or papers (your choice!), writer’s notebook entries

·         Questions? Ask me! [email protected]

·         More info about me: https://mayasonenberg.com/ & https://english.washington.edu/people/maya-sonenberg

Student Endorsements

·        “If I had taken this class as a 1st year, I would be a creative writing major. It’s SO COOL.”

·        “In other creative writing classes, it can be intimidating if you have little to no experience…. But this course leaves more room for rough drafts, so it’s a great intro.”

·        “The lectures were fantastic. Every one of them was different & useful.”

·        “The variety of prompts & speakers did a great job of pulling me just slightly out of my comfort zone, enough to learn quite a bit without being stressed out.”

·        “Everyone should be able to benefit from creative writing—from self-exploration to enhanced perception of the world to increased overall writing ability—they should, of course, take this class.”

Contemporary American Indian Literature

AIS 377 | SLN 10205 | 5 CR | ENGL 359 | SLN 14543 LAURA DE VOS | M/W 3:30—5:20 | AUT 19 | Fulfills VLPA and DIV

Indigenous literatures have long suffered from limited readings as ways of accessing information about Indigenous peoples, rather than as works of literature in their own right where considering decisions of genre, style, audience, and more are as essential as the topics, values, and insights the works share. In the latter half of the 20th century, the Native American novel was considered the main way Indigenous authors were able to let their voices be heard and to push back on the stereotypes and common negative tropes in non-native literary representations of Indigenous peoples. In the 21st century, other genres are gaining access to publications, critical acclaim, and popularity with general audiences. As such, this class will focus on contemporary Native non-fiction and poetry, widely published and read in literary journals as well as many online platforms, as well as a novel. Guided by the organizing questions of Daniel Heath Justice’s 2018 critical work Why Indigenous Literatures Matter (“How Do We Learn to Be Human? -- How Do We Behave as Good Relatives? -- How Do We Become Good Ancestors? -- How Do We Learn to Live Together?”), we will be reading, discussing, and writing about 21st century Turtle Island literatures. From excerpts from Shapes of Native Non-Fiction: Collected Essays by Contemporary Writers (2019), New Poets of Native Nations (2019), and the Métis YA-novel The Marrow Thieves (2018), we will ask how, through the decisions authors made in the crafting of their work, they might offer insight into the guiding questions Justice offers. No prerequisites. Students of all majors and levels welcome!

If you are looking for Summer A-Term music courses, MUSIC 116 and MUSIC 117 still have seats available!

Both give VLPA credit, and can be counted toward the music minor.  They are offered concurrently, but students are welcome to register for both courses.  MUSIC 116 explores foundational music theory.   MUSIC 117 introduces students to the hands-on performance and analysis of music. Students will use the concepts learned in this course to listen deeply to some of the great musical masterworks, perform basic analysis, and compose a short piece of music.

MUSIC 116 2 credits 

MTWTh 10:50-11:50 A-Term

MUSIC 117 2 credits

MTWTh 1:10-2:10 A-Term

Would you like to take a short story writing course with author David Shields (https://davidshields.com/biography/)?

He is teaching both Beginning Short Story writing,  ENGL 284, description here:

(https://english.washington.edu/courses/2019/summer/engl/284/a)

and The Craft of Prose (intermediate fiction writing) ENGL 384.

If you are looking for a great way to fulfill VLPA credits this summer, start twirling your mustaches and buckling you swashes!

      DRAMA 353. Intermediate Acting: Physical comedy, vaudeville and                                                            melodrama

                 SLN 11184  A-term, MTWTh 9:00 - 10:40 3 credits, VLPA. 

Summer A term course for VLPA or W opportunities and/or interest in the pressing issues of immigration, identity and risk.  The instructor is a a senior English faculty member and recipient of the department's undergraduate teaching award. 

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ENGL 200 B,  "Immigrant/Transnational Fictions," is a VLPA and W course offered summer A-term,  M-Th,  noon-2:10, SLN 11347.      This course is dedicated to reading and writing about works of fiction that explore the global movement of people in a time when migratory flows are increasingly met with resistance and persecution.  Reading, discussion and writing in this class will engage this process of movement, what sacrifices are required, what restrictions are imposed, and what transformations might occur.  We will explore the ways in which these fictional works engage the challenges of daily life to enrich our understanding of the struggles encountered by others who seek to preserve a sense of self in the absence of familiar frames of reference or forms of support.  While being recognized is a powerful desire, it often conflicts with the fear of exposure, just as the pull of nostalgia competes with the embrace of new possibilities.  Texts: Signs Preceding the End of the World, by Yuri Herrera; Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue; Exit West by Mohsin Hamid 

Questions?  Contact the instructor John O'Neill: [email protected]

A few comments from students who took this course last summer: 

"As someone who comes from an     immigrant family, I have never read novels of global migration, and it was     nice to finally have that exposure, especially in a time like     this." 

"The way the instructor lead     class discussion is very inclusive.  He makes everyone feel like     their comment/idea matters."   

"I found I learned a lot about     my style in addition to how different each person’s critical eye     acts.  The themes of these books also gave some better life     understanding."

Take Italian 101 and/or 102 this summer!

TERM A:

 14468 ITAL   101A      ELEMENTARY ITALIAN MTWTHF 0930-1150 

TERM B:

 14469 ITAL   102B      ELEMENTARY ITALIAN  MTWTHF 0930-1150 

If you take Italian 103 in Fall 2018 you'll have completed 15 cr of VLPA!

Register starting Monday for summer quarter!