ENG 265 / WMS 265 Women’s Autobiography

Prerequisite: ENG 102 or permission of instructor
3 credits

Traditionally, autobiography has been viewed as a direct and true reflection of a person’s life. This course is designed around current theories that question that view and posit, instead, autobiography as a construction of self. Through a focus on a diverse cross-section of 20th Century Womens’ Autobiographies, we will analyze how gender, sexuality, race, class, and location affect what is written and how it is written. We will also ask how are these women’s identities shaped by their placement in the text and in society? How do these women use their writing to modify or strengthen the ways that society has positioned them?