Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Class Wednesdays, 9/2-9/30, from 7-8 PM on Zoom
In this course, seminar scholars will dive into Slaughterhouse-Five, Kurt Vonnegut’s groundbreaking novel, and explore how it weaves history, science fiction, autobiography, and satire into a compelling journey through war, space, and time. We will follow protagonist Billy Pilgrim as he drifts “unstuck in time”—bumbling through World War II, surviving the Bombing of Dresden as a prisoner of war, and enduring moments of time travel and alien abduction. Through close reading and discussion, scholars will debate the concept of fatalism, engage with key elements of Postmodernism, and critique Vonnegut’s deceptively simple style and penetrating dark humor. Together, we will consider how the novel challenges conventional ideas about heroism, free will, and the stories societies tell about war. Students who successfully complete the four-week course will receive a letter of recommendation that can be used for applications and/or scholarships.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Class on Tuesdays, 9/1-9/29, from 7-8 PM on Zoom
In this course, seminar scholars will immerse themselves in Mary Shelley’s Romantic novel Frankenstein. Shelley’s novel may have been written in the 19th century, but its central question – what happens if we attempt to bring inanimate matter to life – resonates in our 21st century world. Just because we can pursue our scientific and technological ambitions, does that mean we should? What are our responsibilities to what we create? We’ll explore these questions alongside the novel’s themes of isolation, loneliness, and their consequences. Students who successfully complete the four-week course will receive a letter of recommendation that can be used for applications and/or scholarships.
The Stranger by Albert Camus
Classes Thursdays, 10/1-10/29, from 7-8 PM on Zoom
In this course, seminar scholars will explore Albert Camus’ The Stranger, a seminal novel that compels readers to confront the unsettling logic of the absurd. We will trace the experiences of Meursault, an unconventional protagonist who drifts through life—from his mother’s death to his own impending execution—with striking emotional detachment. Through close reading and discussion, scholars will probe Camus’s philosophy of Absurdism, examine the tension between society’s moral expectations and individual authenticity, and analyze the novel’s spare, unembellished prose style. Together, we will grapple with questions of meaning, morality, and human existence, and consider how The Stranger challenges conventional ideas about alienation, justice, and the value of life itself. Students who successfully complete the four-week course will receive a letter of recommendation that can be used for applications and/or scholarships.
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
Classes Sundays, 10/4-11/1, from 4:30-5:30 PM on Zoom
In this course, seminar scholars will read Jhumpa Lahiri’s Pulitzer Prize (2000) winning collection of short stories Interpreter of Maladies. Lahiri’s stories, which largely examine the experiences of immigrants in America, often focus on loneliness, love, and the experience of being an outsider. More than that, though, her stories reflect characters who are caught between worlds, identities, and lives. By focusing on small, universal experiences, Lahiri’s stories invite each of us to interrogate our own identities and ask fundamental questions about our place in the world. What does it mean to live between conflicting senses of self? Can we ever truly understand those around us, even those whom we most love? How much of ourselves do we hide from each other, and what are the consequences of this secrecy? Special attention will be paid to Lahiri’s pacing and use of language, making this class an ideal study space for aspiring writers. We will ask questions not only about what Lahiri is saying, but how she is saying it. Students who successfully complete the four-week course will receive a letter of recommendation that can be used for applications and/or scholarships.