Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures

SLA238S, Literature of the Ukrainian Canadian Experience, 1998-1999

Slavic 238 offers a survey of Canadian literature reflecting or depicting the experience or perceptions of Ukrainians in Canada from the earliest settlers to the present. The readings in the course consist of a selection of literary texts in which Ukrainians in Canada are depicted. The works are examined from historical, sociological, political, and aesthetic perspectives. Texts include works originally written in English, French and Ukrainian but all readings are in English. Among the works studied are: Ralph Connor's The Foreigner, Illja Kirjak's Sons of the Soil, Margaret Laurence's A Jest of God, George Ryga's A Letter to My Son, Ted Galay's After Baba's Funeral, and Andrew Suknaski's In the Name of Narid.

Workload: Students are required to take a final exam, to write an end-of-term paper (10-12 pages) and a mid-term assignment (5-7 pages), and to make a brief (10-15 minutes) oral presentation in class.

Slavic 238 is offered in the spring term every two years. It will be offerd in the spring term of the 1998-99 academic year.

Term papers are due at the penultimate class, Tuesday, April 6, 1999, in class. Late papers will be penalized three percentage points for every day they are late up to April 9, 1999. No paper will be accepted after the last day of classes in the semester. Papers are to be 12-15 pages, typed, double spaced, and in English. Papers are to be written on topics approved by the instructor.

Class Presentations are oral reports before the class on works other than those read by the class as a whole. Students must choose a work of literature from the list of suggested readings. Students are to give an oral presentation of from ten to fifteen minutes. Presentations should be constructed as a general overview of the work and its author along with a subjective evaluation of the most salient features of the work. Presentations are scheduled on a first come first served basis within normal class meetings. No more than two presentations per class meeting. Email the instructor to reserve a date.

Students are invited to read Prof. Tarnawsky's paper comparing Janice Kulyk Keefer's The Green Library and Askold Melnyczuk's What is Told.