Memories of Studying Canadian Lit

» cmac29ca - You do bring back memories LOL

Reading your article made me giggle. I too had to study Canadian Literature to get my English Degree. In my case I studied Canadian novels. As I recall I first took the course and the professor was a pompous !@$! Made it to mid way through the course and then finally gave up. Just could not deal with The Temptations of Big Bear by Rudy Wiebe and a dreadfully dull instructor.

Alas, I had to retake the course but was fortunate to get a different Professor who truly loved Canadian Literature and selected wonderful novels and short story collections to read. Some of my favorites from this course were: The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz by Mordecai Richler, The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje Who Do You Think You Are? by Alice Munro and several titles by Margaret Atwood.

Looking forward to the books you recommend here.

-- posted by cmac29ca

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» calypso3 - Re: You do bring back memories LOL

In response to message posted by cmac29ca:

Thanks for your message! I remember being less than enthused about some of the selections in the CanLit prose course I took . . . we did some more obscure work by Michael Ondaatje rather than The English Patient (I think it was Coming Through Slaughter, about a jazz musician -- a great book, but still . . .), and the book by Rudy Wiebe also put me to sleep. We did nothing at all by Margaret Atwood, which was a surprise, nor by Richler. Our instructor was sort of a feminist type (who am I kidding -- she WAS a feminist-type) -- not that there is anyting wrong with that, but we did a lot of post-modern feminist authors instead. I like my instructor, but prefer it when professors don't have a political agenda, but rather, a desire to share their love of literature.

-- posted by calypso3

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» cmac29ca - Re: Re: You do bring back memories LOL

In response to message posted by calypso3:

Well, a feminist-type with an agenda is better than the first prof I had who thought he was God and treated students like we were wasting his valuable time LOL! On the other hand, I agree that it is better for learning "when professors don't have a political agenda, but rather, a desire to share their love of literature". I was fortunate to have that kind of professor the second time I took the course. As I remember that professor taught me how to write a proper research paper that got me an A-. Makes me wonder what the others were doing as the course was a third year course! <img src=http://www.suite101.com/files/topics/176...>

Cat

-- posted by cmac29ca

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