Undergraduate Courses

FRT 3561
French Women Writers

Introduction - Text - Policies
Additional Comments

Introduction

This course will address issues of race, gender and class in a selection of works originally written in French by women writers of different historical periods and geographical areas (metropolitan France, French colonies, and territories like the Caribbean). All works will be read in translation. This course satisfies the multicultural requirement (category y), the Liberal Studies credit in humanities and the Gordon rule. This course may not be taken for major credit in French Literature. It does, however, count toward the minor in French.

Students in this course will be made aware of women writers' place in the historically masculine institution of literature and will be able to identify the strategies (recurrent plots, motifs and narrative techniques) women writers adopt to express their difference.

Text

• Duras, Claire de. Ourika (MLA)
• Sand, Indiana (Oxford UP)
• Rachilde, The Juggler (Rutgers UP)
• Colette, Sido
• Schwarz-Bart, Simone. The Bridge of Beyond (Heinemann Educational Books)
• Duras, Marguerite The Lover (Pantheon)
• Ernaux, Annie, A Woman's Story (Quartet)

Policies

Grading, Testing, Class Participation, Written Assignments
Participation and Attendance: 20%
2 essays (1,500 words each): 60%
Presentation: 20%

Strict Attendance Policy
Regular attendance is mandatory in this class. To enforce this policy and reward those who attend regularly, attendance will be taken every class. All absences are considered unexcused unless they fall within these 4 categories: (1) religious observance, (2) university-sponsored athletic or scholastic activity (official absence form required), (3) serious accident or illness (doctor’s note/accident report required) or (4) death in the immediate family. More than 4 unexcused absences will result in a lower end-of-semester grade. Please present your written permission to be excused from class no later than two weeks from the date of the missed class. Each unexcused absence after the fourth will reduce your final grade by two percentage points. If for instance your final grade was 87% but you missed 5 classes, your grade would be adjusted to B instead of B+. In the event you are absent you remain responsible for the work covered that day.

Presentation of Assignments
All assignments should be double-spaced. Essays must be typed; homework assignments may be hand-written, but they must be neat and easy to read.

Check your spelling and grammar before turning in your homework or assignment. You may use the spell-checker in your word processor.

Hand-in your work on time: late work will be marked down or not accepted at all. If you know you will be absent, hand-in your work in my mailbox in the Modern Languages department. Assignments will not be accepted by fax or email unless your have made special arrangements in advance with the professor.

Class Participation
For the benefit of all the students in the class, you will want to actively contribute to a respectful, relaxed and friendly atmosphere where everyone’s comments are welcome. Disagreement is constructive as long as you can express a different opinion in a respectful way. Do not hesitate to speak up so we can have a lively discussion.

Additional Comments

Do not hesitate to get in touch with me if you are experiencing difficulties in this class. Send me an email at aboutin@mailer.fsu.edu with your concerns or questions. Call me or leave a message at my office phone number 644-8398. Drop by during office hours.