Courses

Spring 2009 - French Course Descriptions

French 001 — Elementary French I

A - Block C - Nancy Kelly
B - Block D - John Julian
C - Block E - Marie Gillette

This course introduces the fundamental grammatical structures and vocabulary of French.  Through the development of basic language skills of reading, writing, listening comprehension, and speaking, it promotes the practical use of language in a variety of social settings.  Conducted in French.  No prerequisites.

Texts: Capretz, French in Action, Textbook and Workbook, Part I (Yale U. Press).

French 002 — Elementary French II

A - Block A - John Julian
B - Block E - Emese Soos
C - Block F - Wen-Yee Ho
D - Block I - Wen-Yee Ho

A continuation of French 001.  The course advances the study of basic grammar, fosters the development of vocabulary, and broadens the range of situations in which the student can understand and impart information.  Audio-visual materials provide the cultural context for linguistic activities.  Conducted in French.  Prerequisite:  French 001 or equivalent.

Texts: Capretz, French in Action, Textbook and Workbook, Part I (Yale U. Press).

French 003 — Intermediate French I

A - Block A - Nancy Kelly
B - Block G - Ellen Detwiller
C - Block I - Ellen Detwiller

Review and continued presentation of French grammar with attention to all four skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking.  The course aims to develop fluency and the functional use of language.  Class discussions will be based on short literary texts and readings about French society.  Regular listening work and frequent compositions are required.  Conducted in French.  Prerequisite:  French 002 or equivalent.

Texts: Muyskens et al., Bravo! Textbook and Workbook, 5th ed. (Heinle & Heinle).

French 004 — Intermediate French II

A - Block E - CANCELLED
B - Block F - Annie Geoghegan
C - Block G - Agnès Trichard-Arany
D - Block D - Luisella Simpson

The course continues the grammar review begun in French 003, introduces the use of more advanced structures, and promotes the acquisition of a large active vocabulary.  It aims to develop language proficiency sufficient to converse about practical concerns and to narrate in past, present, and future time.  Readings from several different types of prose develop sensitivity to tone and style.  Course work consists of regular lab assignments, compositions, class discussions, and oral presentations.  Students are required to register for a recitation section that consists of a weekly 40-minute conversation group.  Conducted in French.  Prerequisite:  French 003 or equivalent.

Texts: Course Packet.  Muyskens et al., Bravo! Textbook and Workbook, 5th ed. (Heinle & Heinle).

French 021 — Composition and Conversation I

A - Block A - David Pauling
B - Block C - Marie Gillette
C - Block H - Viola Thomas

This course aims to develop the students' ability to speak and write French, with special emphasis on oral-aural skills and a focus on contemporary French culture.  A review of more advanced grammar structures promotes correct expression.  Lab assignments and readings, in the form of cultural texts and short fiction, serve to expand vocabulary and provide subjects for class discussions.  Given the focus on oral expression, active participation in class is essential.  Regular lab work, compositions, oral exposés, and debates.  Students are required to register for a recitation section that consists of a weekly 40-minute conversation group.  Conducted in French.  Prerequisite:  French 004 or equivalent.

Texts:
All Sections: Barson, La Grammaire à l'œuvre, 5th edition (Heinle & Heinle).
Section A: Barson, A l'oeuvre, Cahier d'exercices, 6th edition (Heinle & Heinle); Françoise Sagan, Bonjour tristesse (Julliard Poche).

French 021 and 022 — Intensive Composition and Conversation I and II

21-I - Block D - David Pauling
22-I - Block C - Tracy Pearce

This intensive course earns two course credits.  It meets six hours a week (2 time blocks) and is taught by two instructors.  It is recommended for anyone who wishes to make rapid progress in French and particularly for those who plan to study in France in the near future.  A variety of sources will be used as a basis for class discussion: a text on contemporary French culture, short stories, newspaper and magazine articles, films, and television programs.  There will be a thorough review of grammatical structures and weekly compositions.  Other course work includes vocabulary-building exercises, dictations, and oral reports (a skit and a traditional presentation), weekly grammar and vocabulary tests, and a final oral exam.  Students are required to attend a weekly 40-minute conversation section.  Conducted in French.  Prerequisite:  French 004 or equivalent. 

Texts: Barson, La Grammaire à l'œuvre, Textbook and Workbook, 5th edition (Heinle & Heinle); Oukada, Bertrand, & Solbert, Controverses (Thomson/Heinle); Françoise Sagan, Bonjour tristesse (Julliard Poche), Albert Camus, L'Exil et le royaume (Folio), Annie Ernaux, La Place (Folio).

French 022 — Composition and Conversation II

A - Block C - Annie Geoghegan
B - Block E - Lisa Walters
C - Block J - Viola Thomas

This course, like French 021, provides a grammar review and work on oral/aural skills, but its focus shifts to written expression.  Readings are drawn from contemporary French and Francophone texts.  To prepare students for upper-level courses, increasing emphasis is placed on analytical skills and on the cogent presentation of ideas and points of view.  Course work includes oral and written assignments, video, film, and exams.  Students are required to register for a recitation section that consists of a weekly 40-minute conversation group.  Conducted in French.  Prerequisite:  French 021 or equivalent.

Texts:
All Sections: Barson, La Grammaire à l'œuvre, 5th edition (Heinle & Heinle).
Section A: Mariama Bâ, Une si longue lettre.
Section B: TBA
Section C: Oukada, Bertrand, & Solbert, Controverses (Thomson/Heinle); Yasmina Reza, Théâtre (Livre de Poche); Didier van Cauwelaert, Un Aller simple (Livre de Poche).

French 022-X — Politiques économiques et sociales en France

A - Block I - Anne Taieb
B - Block KLr - Anne Taieb

The purpose of this course is to further develop speaking and writing skills in French through the reading and analysis of articles and texts related to politics and business in French-speaking countries.  The course will help students become familiar with the social and economic aspects of France that affect the business world.  Coursework includes the usual French 22 grammar review, written assignments, oral presentations, class discussions, and mid-term and final exams.  Students are required to register for a recitation section that consists of a weekly 40-minute conversation group.  Conducted in French.  Prerequisite:  French 021 or equivalent.

Texts: Barson, La Grammaire à l'œuvre, 5th edition (Heinle & Heinle); Philippe Claudel, Le Café de l'Excelsior (Livre de Poche).

French 032-A — Readings in French Literature II

Block E+mw - Agnès Trichard-Arany

Readings from literary genres of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries: autobiographical and fictional novel, short story, and poetry.  Emphasis on techniques of close reading and on critical analysis of different genres.  Two papers (4-5 pages), one exposé, mid-term and final exams.  Conducted in French.  Not for seniors or for students returning from programs abroad.  Prerequisite:  French 21 or equivalent.

Texts: Gustave Flaubert, Madame Bovary (extracts); Guy de Maupassant, La Peur et autres contes fantastiques (Classiques Larousse); Charles Baudelaire, Les Fleurs du mal (Classques Larousse); Colette, Sido (Livre de Poche); Jean-Paul Sartre, Huis clos / Les Mouches (Folio); Marguerite Duras, L'Amant (Editions de Minuit).

French 032-B — Readings in French Literature II

Block I+ - Gérard Gasarian

A close reading of five major works from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.  Through lectures, class discussions, and oral and written assignments, the course will introduce specific methods for dealing with literary texts from different genres and periods.  Short papers and exposés will be required.  Conducted in French.  Not for seniors or for students returning from programs abroad.  Prerequisite:  French 21 or equivalent.

Texts:  Baudelaire, Le Spleen de Paris (Livre de Poche); Maupassant, 13 Histoires Vraies (La Bibliothèque Gallimard); Apollinaire, Alcools (La Bibliothèque Gallimard); Duras, Moderato cantabile (Editions de Minuit); Roubaud, 128 poèmes (La Bibliothèque Gallimard).

French 032-C — Readings in French Literature II

Block K+ - Zeina Hakim

Readings in various genres of nineteenth- and twentieth-century literature: drama, novel, short story, and poetry.  The course will address the major literary movements of these periods, while emphasizing techniques of close reading and literary analysis.  Written and oral French will be of central importance.  Class discussions, two four-to-five-page papers, and a final exam.  Conducted in French.  Not for seniors or for students returning from programs abroad.  Prerequisite:  French 21 or equivalent.

Texts:  Baudelaire, Les Fleurs du mal (Livre de Poche);  Maupassant, Le Horla (Classiques Larousse); Flaubert, Madame Bovary (Folio); Gide, L'Immoraliste (Folio); Beckett, Fin de partie (Éditions de Minuit); Ponge, Le Parti pris des choses (Gallimard, coll. "Poésie").

French 032-D — Readings in French Literature II

Block D+ - Tracy Pearce

Readings of nineteenth- and twentieth-century texts in various genres: novel, short story, poetry, and theater.  The course is intended to strengthen students' oral and written expression, with emphasis on techniques of close reading and on critical analysis of different genres.  Two papers (4-5 pages), one oral presentation, mid-term and final exams.  Conducted in French.  Not for seniors or for students returning from programs abroad.  Prerequisite:  French 21 or equivalent.

Texts:  Charles Baudelaire, Les Fleurs du mal (Classiques Larousse); Guy de Maupassant, La Peur et autres contes fantastiques (Classiques Larousse); Jean-Paul Sartre, Huis Clos / Les Mouches (Folio); Samuel Beckett, En attendant Godot (Editions de Minuit); Marguerite Duras, L'Amant (Editions de Minuit).

French 032-E — Readings in French Literature II

Block H+ - Isabelle Naginski

Selected readings in various literary genres (novel, short story, poetry) from Pre-Romanticism to the present.  The course emphasizes close textual analysis and is designed to refine further students' critical skills.  Class participation is essential.  Four short papers (2-3 pages) or three short papers and one exposé; midterm and final examinations.  Conducted in French.  Not for seniors or for students returning from programs abroad.  Prerequisite:  French 21 or equivalent.

Texts: Chateaubriand, René (Folio); Victor Hugo, Le Dernier jour d'un condamné (Folio); Baudelaire, Les Fleurs du mal (Nouveaux Classiques Larousse); Baudelaire, Petits poèmes en prose (Nouveaux Classiques Larousse); Flaubert, Trois contes (Garnier-Flammarion); Colette, La Maison de Claudine (Livre de Poche); Albert Camus, L'Exil et le royaume (Folio).

French 075 — Classics of French Cinema (*In English)

Block L+ - Brigitte Lane
Film Screenings:  Block 10 (M 6:30-9:00), or individually, at any chosen time, at the Tisch Media Center.

A study of remarkable French films that, since the early 1930's, have proven to be landmarks in the history of French cinema and have left their imprint on more recent “new classics.”  Special attention will be given to the aesthetic styles that these films represent (from the subversive poetic realism of Jean Vigo to the rebellious spirit of Godard and Kassovitz), as well as to the political and sociocultural context of the times and to the major impact of the French “New Wave” movement.  Viewing of films (one per week), individual presentations, class discussion, short readings.  Analysis of excerpts of films that are not part of the basic syllabus.  One mid-term paper (6-7 pages), one final paper (10-12 pages).  Active class participation a must.  No prerequisites.  Counts toward the Majors in ILVS, Media Studies, and Film Studies.

Texts: Rémi F. Lanzoni, French Cinema: From its Beginnings to the Present (Continuum); Carrie Tarr, Reframing Difference: Beur and Banlieue Filmmaking in France (Manchester UP); and either Isabelle Vanderschelden, Amélie (U. of Illinois Press, coll. “French Film Guides”) or Ginette Vincendeau, La Haine (U. of Illinois Press, coll. “French Film Guides”).
Recommended: Susan Hayward & Ginette Vincendeau, eds., Cinema Studies: The Key Concepts (Routledge).
Films: Vigo, L'Atalante; Gance, J'Accuse; Renoir, The Rules of the Game; Carné, Children of Paradise; Truffaut, The 400 Blows; Godard, Breathless; Godard, Pierrot-le-Fou; Varda, Cléo from Five to Seven; Vigne, The Return of Martin Guerre; Truffaut, Farenheit 451; Jeunet, Amélie; Kassovitz, Hate; Charef, The Daughter of Keltoum.

French 121 — Advanced French Language I: French and Francophone Women's Voices

Block F+tr - Claire Schub

In-depth study of contemporary language, with emphasis on idiomatic usage and on different styles of expression, through analysis of written and spoken French.  Readings include both critical and fictional prose, and concentrate on women's voices in French and Francophone society, culture, and literature.  Grammar review; frequent written assignments; explications de texte; development of oral proficiency through exposés and group projects; mid-term and final exams.  Active class participation essential.  Not for native speakers or for those who have studied in French-speaking countries.

Texts: Available at Schoenhof's Foreign Books, Harvard Square.  C. Abbadie, B. Chovelon, M.-H. Mosel, L'Expression française écrite et orale (Presses Universitaires de Grenoble); Colette, La femme cachée (Gallimard, coll. “Folio”); Annie Ernaux, Journal du dehors (Gallimard, coll. “Folio”); Annie Ernaux, Vie de l'extérieur (Gallimard, coll. “Folio”); Leïla Sebbar, Métro: Instantés (Editions du Rocher, coll. "Esprits Libres"); course packet available at Gnomon Copy, Medford.

French 152 — The French Enlightenment

Block G+ - Zeina Hakim

Starting with Kant's fundamental question – “What is Enlightenment?” – this course will investigate the hopes and shortcomings of the intellectual movement known as “Les Lumières.”  Through the study of major works by Montesquieu, Voltaire, Rousseau, and Diderot, we shall explore whether the Enlightenment truly constitutes a dividing line between a “before” (Classicism) and an “after” (Romanticism, modernity).  Topics will include the search for origins, the rewriting of history, and the various metaphors of light used in several eighteenth-century works.  Class discussions, two five-to-six-page papers, and a final exam.  Prerequisites:  French 31 and 32, or consent.

Texts: Montesquieu, Lettres persanes (Garnier Flammarion); Voltaire, Contes (Garnier Flammarion); Rousseau, Les Confessions, vol. 1 (Garnier Flammarion); Rousseau, Discours sur les sciences et les arts / Discours sur l'origine et les fondements de l'inégalité parmi les hommes (Garnier Flammarion); Diderot, Jacques le Fataliste (Folio); Diderot et al., L'Encyclopédie (extracts).

French 178 — French Autobiography: Fact and Fiction

Block D+ - Claire Schub

One of the guilty pleasures in which many of us indulge is a fascination with the scandalous lives of celebrities.  All of the twentieth-century celebrities of the literary world whose autobiographies we will read in this course led unconventional lives.  How did they portray their relationships to their careers as writers and to their personal and historical situations?  Autobiography, it has been suggested, is “le roman de soi.”  To what extent is it fact or fiction or both?  Is it confession, concealment, soul-searching, manipulation, narcissism?  We will study works by Simone de Beauvoir, Jean-Paul Sartre, Nathalie Sarraute, Georges Perec, and the 2008 Nobel Laureate in Literature, J.-M. G. Le Clézio, as well as excerpts from Philippe Lejeune's Le pacte autobiographique and Leah Hewitt's Autobiographical Tightropes.  One five-to-six-page paper, one ten-to-twelve-page paper, two exposés, and active class participation.  Prerequisites:  French 31 and 32, or consent.

Texts: Available at Schoenhof's, Harvard Square: Simone de Beauvoir, Mémoires d'une jeune fille rangée (Gallimard, coll. “Folio”); Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio, L'Africain (Gallimard, coll. “Folio”); Georges Perec, W ou le souvenir d'enfance (Gallimard, coll. “L'Imaginaire”); Nathalie Sarraute, Enfance (Gallimard, coll. “Folio”); Jean-Paul Sartre, Les Mots (Gallimard, coll. “Folio”).

French 192-A — Seminar: The Quarrel of Romanticism & Realism

Block L+ - Isabelle Naginski

The nineteenth-century French novel is often understood as evolving within the framework of a series of conflictual literary movements.  This seminar will look at the ways in which Romanticism (or Idealism) and Realism clashed, quarreled, but also – in the works of George Sand and Gustave Flaubert – entered into a fertile dialogue.  We will begin by reading manifestoes of the two “schools.”  An in-depth analysis of Lélia and Madame Bovary will allow us better to understand the fundamental tensions as well as the unexpected alliances between Romanticism and Realism.  Finally, we will study the Sand-Flaubert correspondence, which constitutes one of the great literary dialogues of French literature.  Through these readings, we will see emerge two very different visions of fictional norms and ideals, of authorship, and of the figuration of characters.  At the same time, we will discover the writers' common cult of Literature and their belief in the inspirational value of melancholy.  One short paper (5-6 pages); one long paper (10-12 pages); exposé or final take-home exam.  Active class participation is essential.  Counts toward the Interdisciplinary Major in Women's Studies; counts as a seminar for the I.R. Major.  Prerequisites:  French 31 and 32, or consent.

Texts: George Sand, Lélia (Folio Classique); Flaubert, Madame Bovary (Folio); George Sand, Les Maîtres mosaïstes (extracts; photocopy); George Sand, “Obermann” (photocopy); Gustave Flaubert, “Novembre,” “Passion et vertu” (photocopy).
Recommended: Gustave Flaubert-George Sand, Correspondance, ed. A. Jacobs (Flammarion).

French 192-B — Baudelaire & His Readers

Block K+ - Gérard Gasarian

Since his trial of 1857, Baudelaire has elicited from his readers a wide array of literary, aesthetic, moral and political judgments which will be traced and discussed in chronological order.  Successively seen as Realist, Satanist, Decadent, Symbolist, Dandy, Aesthete, Classic, Catholic, Reactionary, Modernist and Formalist, Baudelaire presently stands as one of the most complex and puzzling literary figures of the modern period.  In studying the poet's many faces and facets, the course will pursue several goals: (1) Reach a full appreciation of his major works; (2) Acquire a general knowledge of modern literary criticism; (3) Learn about intellectual European history since the 1850's.  Particular emphasis will be placed on Les Fleurs du mal, which will be approached from various critical points of view (sociological, theological, thematic, psychoanalytic, structuralist).  Other works by Baudelaire will be read in conjunction with this major volume of verse.  These include Le Spleen de Paris (prose poems), L'Art romantique (art criticism), Mon Coeur mis à nu (journal).  Counts as a seminar for the I.R. Major.  Prerequisites:  French 31 and 32, or consent.

Texts: Baudelaire, Oeuvres complètes (Laffont, coll. “Bouquins”).

French 192-C — The Multicultural French Novel

Block F+tr - Brigitte Lane

Marked by globalization and cultural métissage (cross-breeding), the French novel has, since 1980, taken new and multicultural directions through the works of writers who – for the most part – live in France and write in French but have more than solely French national origins.  Deliberately subverting the tradition of the linear psychological novel, these writers adopt alternative approaches to the representation of reality as well as new ways of confronting contemporary concerns.  Beyond perennial themes such as love, death, or freedom, they address postmodern issues such as cultural crossings, shifting identity, emotional inner exile, racism, and violence.  Special attention will be given to the notion of littérature des métamorphoses.  One short mid-term paper (7-8 pages), one long final paper (10-12 pages) and two oral presentations.  Active class participation a must.  Counts as a Seminar for the I.R. Major.  Prerequisites:  French 31 and 32, or consent.

Texts: J.-M. G. Le Clézio, Désert (Folio); Leïla Sebbar, Marguerite (Babel Poche); Linda Lê, Conte de l'amour bifrons (Bourgois/Poche); Dai Sijie, Balzac et la petite tailleuse chinoise (Folio); Marie Ndiaye, La Sorcière (Editions de Minuit, coll. “Double”); Marie Darrieusecq, Truismes (Folio); Amin Maalouf, Le Premier siècle après Béatrice (Livre de Poche).

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