Coming of Age: The Open Road

Course Description

Summary

Coming of Age: The Open Road

I inhale great draughts of space,

The east and the west are mine, and the north and the south are mine.

I am larger, better than I thought,

I did not know I held so much goodness.

All seems beautiful to me.               --Walt Whitman

In this seven-week course we will investigate contemporary plays, films, and television shows in which the protagonists are challenged with both everyday and formidable obstacles, yet still survive, allowing their identities to unfold in time. They come of age with a difference, giving birth to their own narratives. We will examine stories that focus on the rights and responsibilities of the individual, considering films by Greta Gerwig, Barry Jenkins, Hirokazu Koreeda, and Megan Park We will read plays that challenge older notions of adolescence and adulthood, including selections from the work of Ngozi Anyanwu, KImberly Bellflower, Mashuq Mushtag Deen, Tarell Alvin McCraney, Heidi Schreck, Simon Stephens, and Lauren Yee. We will screen scenes, read aloud from plays, and discuss questions raised by the forms and experiences of the work considered. Students will write and workshop exercises inspired by our viewing and reading.

If possible, students should try to view these films at least once before the course begins. If you are concerned about the content, read a summary of each film before viewing.

“Lady Bird,” written and directed by Greta Gerwig

“Moonlight,” written by Tarell Alvin McCraney, directed by Barry Jenkins,

“My Old Ass,” written and directed by Megan Park

“Shoplifters” written and directed by Hirokazu Koreeda

“Adolescence.” Adolescence is a British television psychological crime drama series created by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham and directed by Philip Barantini.

Following the example of Lynn Hernandez, I will be presenting material and activities that respect equity, inclusion, and diversity. This embraces gender identity, sexuality, disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, nationality, religion, and culture.