Joe Medlicott |
Wednesdays 9:00 - 11:30 AM |
March 23 through May 11, 2005 |
DOC House |
"Memoir was defined as some portion of a life. . . . A memoir writer takes us back to a moment in his or her life that was unusually vivid, such as childhood, or that was framed by war or travel or some other exceptional event . . . . Memoir is a window into a life." (William Zinsser, ed., Inventing the Truth (1995)).
"Remembrance" is designed so that everyone will write and share his or her work with others in the class. The format is simple: Writers read their work aloud in the class as others follow along with a photocopy. Then everyone "critiques" the work. That is, everyone will evaluate what they've heard and read on the basis of form, content, and technique. Don't worry about reading aloud. Your classmates will be supportive and helpful in their evaluations.
Once a memoir is read aloud in class, discussed, and evaluated, your instructor will re-read the work carefully; and at the next class meeting he will hand it back carefully edited with a written evaluation attached.
There is assigned one text for this course: William Zinsser's Writing About Your Life (2004), available at the Wheelock Bookstore. Your instructor will also hand out copies of selected works that he feels augment Zinsser's book.
This is the 13th time that "Remembrance" has been offered in ILEAD. Those who have taken the course before will be welcomed back, as will those who have never taken it.
Class is limited to 15 members.
JOE MEDLICOTT is a Dartmouth graduate, with an M.A. from Trinity College and a Ph.D. from the University of Washington. He has taught English at several universities; prior to his retirement he was Master of English at Deerfield Academy.
