ENGL 29
The Observer, The Subject, and The Audience
Winter 2024
This is not the current course catalog
Class Details
In his book The Peregrine, British naturalist J.A. Baker suggests that obsession and loss of self is required for anyone looking to capture truth: “the hunter must become the thing he hunts.” This class will explore the practice of observation, with a focus on documentary film and nonfiction literature. What are the methods and strategies? What are the ethics and the cultural implications? Through film viewings and readings, students will gain an understanding of narrative styles, while discussing how ethical, practical, and aesthetic choices influence the relationship with both the subject and the intended audience. Work will include six to eight hours of weekly viewing, and a similar amount of reading.
The Class:
Format: lecture
Limit: 16
Expected: NA
Class#: 1156
Grading: pass/fail only
Limit: 16
Expected: NA
Class#: 1156
Grading: pass/fail only
Requirements/Evaluation:
Paper(s) or report(s)
Prerequisites:
None
Enrollment Preferences:
English majors. Seniority.
Unit Notes:
Phil Wall '07 is an award-winning filmmaker known for [The Standard] (2020) and [The Book Keepers] (2022). He lives in Brooklyn, NY, where he works on independent and commercial narrative content.
Materials/Lab Fee:
$85
Attributes:
SLFX Winter Study Self-Expression
STUX Winter Study Student Exploration
STUX Winter Study Student Exploration
Class Grid
-
HEADERS
Column header 1
CLASSESColumn header 2DREQColumn header 3INSTRUCTORSColumn header 4TIMESColumn header 5CLASS#
-
ENGL 29 - 01 (W) LEC Observer and Subject
ENGL 29 - 01 (W) LEC Observer and SubjectPhil WallTR 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Wachenheim 0171156