
From
the imaginative delight of Anne of Green
Gables to the emotional depth of
Bridge to Terabithia, the genre traditionally identified as domestic
fiction contains some of the most beloved works of children’s literature.
Reading the classic novels of authors, such as Louisa May Alcott and L.M.
Montgomery, is considered to be a quintessential part of childhood in Western
culture. This course will delve into the genre of domestic fiction, closely
investigating this genre’s portrayal of gender, its involvement in constructing
conceptions of race, and its promotion of values – such as empathy,
imagination, and community. This course will cover: the origins of the genre in
didactic short stories; some of the genre’s defining works, specifically those
produced by Alcott and Montgomery; resistance to and revisions of white-settler
domesticity by authors of colour, such as that by Yankton-Sioux author
Zitkala-ša; as well as modern classics that embrace and adapt the tradition of
domestic fiction.
- Teacher: Ariel Little