Love and Self-Identity in Hung Lou Meng
S07
Shunzhu Wang
Hong Lou Meng (Dream of the Red Chamber) is a phenomenal novel that has created such literary and critical interest all over the world that a special term, “redology,” has been created for the study of the book. In additional to being a great literary work, the book is also a rich reservoir of Chinese culture. It provides students with an opportunity to navigate and acquire a basic understanding of various cultural and social issues embedded or embodied therein. By following the protagonist, Bao Yu’s, journey to self-discovery and “enlightenment” (the decision to detach himself from his family and from the illusory and evanescent phenomenal world), students will focus their attention on the relationships between love and self-identity, and self and other. As in the introductory level classes, students will have an opportunity to develop narrative skills as well as critical reading skills. While retelling will be part of regular homework assignments, more emphasis will be placed on critical reading, research, and finding evidence to support and express a critical point of view. Mixed intermediate level. An additional class may be scheduled for lower intermediate.