GM1TG-German Texts and Genres

Module Provider: Languages and Cultures
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:4
Terms in which taught: Autumn / Spring term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites: A-Level German or equivalent
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Dr Ellen Pilsworth
Email: e.m.pilsworth@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

In this module students develop their textual analysis skills by exploring a range of literary texts from different genres including short stories, novels, and poetry. Our readings of these texts will focus on questions about identity: How do we define ourselves? And what makes us who we are? How are we affected by others?

The course introduces students to some ‘classics’ of German literature, e.g. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Bertolt Brecht, Heinrich Heine, and Anna Seghers, and contemporary authors with hybrid German identities, such as Emine Sevgi Özdamar, and Saša Stanišic. Through these texts, students gain insights into German culture from the eighteenth-century to the present day, and can reflect on the questions of how literature shapes who we are, both as individuals and as national collectives.

Aims:
This module aims to build and enhance students’ text analysis skills in order to make as effective as possible their work and engagement with a range of primary and secondary texts which they will encounter during the remainder of their study programme.

Assessable learning outcomes:
By the end of the module students will be expected to:
• recognise and characterise a variety of genres across different domains of communication
• analyse the structure and style of texts in relation to genre characteristics and typicality
• demonstrate in-depth knowledge of a range of literary genres discussed in class
• organise and articulate a coherent written text analysis in a coursework essay and under examination conditions

Additional outcomes:
• Familiarity with a range of mainly literary genres
• Awareness of how genres shape communicative acts and intentions
• Recognition of playful undermining of genre conventions

Outline content:

In this module we develop your textual analysis skills by exploring a range of literary texts from different genres including short stories, novels, and poetry. Our readings of these texts will focus on questions about identity: How do we define ourselves? And what makes us who we are? How are we affected by others?

The course introduces students to some ‘classics’ of German literature, e.g. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Bertolt Brecht, Heinrich Heine, and Anna Seghers, and contemporary authors with hybrid German identities, such as Emine Sevgi Özdamar, and Saša Stanišic. Through these texts, students gain insights into German culture from the eighteenth-century to the present day, and can reflect on the questions of how literature shapes who we are, both as individuals and as national collectives.

We will focus on recognising different types of texts by looking at their structure, style and communicative purpose.In doing so, students will analyse in depth a variety of mostly literary genres, including novellas, poetry, drama and novels. We will also include some examples of transgression, development, subversion and blending of genres. These will serve to highlight how a reader’s expectations regarding the structure and purpose of different genres are influenced by assumptions about style, form and function, the disappointment of which contributes to the strong and mostly entertaining effect of, for example, parody.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Seminars and in-class discussions and analysis of material to prepare in advance of the classes.Ìý