Literature: Contemporary British Fiction
Course details
Course code
Q00019812Course date
Number of classes
10 sessionsTimetable
Branch
RichmondTutor
Stephen SmithFee range
How you'll learn
Venue
Duke Street ChurchQuadrant Road
Richmond
TW9 1DH
Level of study
Entry Levels 1,2,3: If you have never studied this subject before and you’re not confident in your ̨Íåswag, Entry levels are a good starting point.
Level 1: Covers basic ̨Íåswag and knowledge needed for this subject
Level 2: Building on basic knowledge or experience. Similar to Grade 4/ C at GCSE or O level in England or Standards in Scotland.
Level 3: Learn about the topic in-depth and have a broad range of ̨Íåswag. Independent working Equivalent to an A level in England or Higher in Scotland.
Beginners: A perfect introduction if you have no experience and ̨Íåswag in this subject.
Improvers: The next step if you have basic ̨Íåswag or knowledge but want to progress them further.
Advanced: Build on the solid experience and ̨Íåswag you have in this subject, applying your ̨Íåswag and knowledge in a more complex way.
Course overview
Course description
Our first text, The Stranger’s Child by Alan Hollinghurst will chart the life and afterlife of a fictional British poet of the Great War. We will explore issues surrounding literary biography and the right to privacy in what is a text of great lyrical beauty. Our second text, The Blue Flower by Penelope Fitzgerald also concerns a poet, the German Romantic Novalis. Here we will explore ideas relating to the ideal in a richly comic text. Our third text by Ishiguro is also historical, set in postwar Nagasaki and contemporary Britain. It will introduce us to themes of memory and legacy through an eldritch tale, which draws on Japanese ghost stories. Our fourth text is Last Orders by Graham Swift which is a mordantly funny modern pilgrimage. We will conclude with the Booker nominated On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan. These texts will allow us to discover the breadth of subjects addressed by British fiction in the last half a century. Each will prompt us to reassess our views of identity constructed from memory and those myths which societies cultivate to explain
themselves. It goes without saying that these texts represent some of the strongest British writers to emerge in recent times. The course promises plenty of lively and stimulating discussions on Wednesday mornings in Richmond.
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What financial support is available?
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We don't want anything to stand in your way when it comes to bringing Adult learning within reach so if you need anything to support you to achieve your goals then speak to one of our education experts during your enrolment journey. Most of our courses are government funded but if you don't qualify or need alternative financial help to access them then let us know.
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What other support is available?
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All of our digital content, teaching and learning activities and assessments are designed to be accessible so if you need any additional support you can discuss this with the education experts during your enrolment journey and we will do all we can to make sure you have optimal access.