In Comparison to Her: Exploring the Familial, Generational, and Societal Differences of Women in Literature *In-Person*

In this course, we will explore the diverse cultures and lives of humankind through the art form of fiction, with a focus on the expectations and the culture of womanhood. In our pursuit, we will examine the mother-daughter relationship between An-Mei Hsu and Rose Hsu Jordan in The Joy Luck Club (1989) by Amy Tan, and the sister relationship between Celie and Nettie in The Color Purple (1982) by Alice Walker. From our findings, we may gain insight into the following questions: What are the expectations of womanhood? How do these respective pieces of literature communicate the culture of womanhood? How are joy, pain, and suffering communicated? What missteps do we as humankind keep making in regard to womanhood?

Instructor: Melanie Reeves