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2020/2021

Narrative: From Víctor Català to Mercè Rodoreda

Code: 105838 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2503998 Catalan Philology: Literary Studies and Linguistics OB 2 1
The proposed teaching and assessment methodology that appear in the guide may be subject to changes as a result of the restrictions to face-to-face class attendance imposed by the health authorities.

Contact

Name:
Josep Sanz Datzira
Email:
Josep.Sanz@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
catalan (cat)
Some groups entirely in English:
No
Some groups entirely in Catalan:
Yes
Some groups entirely in Spanish:
No

Prerequisites

It is advisable to have studied 'Moviments literaris del Modernisme a la Postmodernitat' and 'Gèneres literaris i societat contemporània' (Filologia Catalana: Estudis de Literatura i Lingüística program), or 'Literatura Catalana del segle XX I' and 'Literatura Catalana del segle XX II' (Estudis de Llengua i Literatura Catalana program).

Objectives and Contextualisation

The course aims to describe and analyze some significant samples of Catalan twentieth century narrative (novel and short story). From the perspective of the history of literature, this course will focus on the contextual elements essential to understand and value some of the most representative examples of literature of the period. Some significant literary works will be studied and discussed alongside some examples of contemporary criticism, with the aim of contextualizing debates and proposals that decisively conditioned the evolution of the genre. At the end of the course, the student must be able to:

a) Demonstrate basic knowledge about the history of 20th-century Catalan narrative.

b) Show the right level of reading comprehension and analysis of literary works and criticism texts.

c) Produce written and oral texts that analyze literary works taking into account the particularities of the genre and the contextual issues.

d) Use appropriately some basic resources for the search of information in the literary field.

e) Use properly secondary resources.

f) Express an informed assessment of the texts studied.

Competences

  • Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights, diversity and democratic values.
  • Apply concepts, resources and methods of literary analysis to Catalan literature taking into account the sources, periods of Western literary history and social context.
  • Assess gender inequalities when acting in this field of knowledge.
  • Carry out historical studies on the trends, genres and authors of the Catalan literary tradition.
  • Critically read and interpret texts.
  • Demonstrate a mastery of the rules of the Catalan language, its linguistic bases and all its application in the academic and professional fields.
  • Display teamwork skills.
  • Identify the main tendencies, most significant authors and most representative work in Catalan literature.
  • Innovate in the methods and processes of this area of knowledge in response to the needs and wishes of society.
  • Interpret literary texts from a philological and comparative viewpoint.
  • Produce written work and oral presentations that are effective and framed in the appropriate register.
  • Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
  • Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
  • Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  • Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
  • Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
  • Use information in accordance with academic ethics.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Comment on literary texts, using the instruments acquired, with regard to the historical, social and cultural context.
  2. Critically interpret literary works, taking into account the relationships between the different areas within literature and their relationship to humanistic, artistic and social areas.
  3. Describe the historical context of contemporary Catalan literature and relate works to their historical and cultural context.
  4. Discern the sex/gender factor in the configuration of the literary canon.
  5. Gain a greater capacity for reading, interpreting and critically analysing literary and linguistic texts.
  6. Identify principal and secondary ideas and express them using correct language.
  7. Identify the key elements of Western cultural tradition from the 19th century to the present day.
  8. Identify the relationships between literature and history, art and other cultural movements.
  9. Interpret Western cultural tradition from the 19th century to the present day, pinpointing features of the Western tradition in a contemporary text.
  10. Make appropriate use of the knowledge acquired in order to collect data and handle documentary sources in the study of Catalan language and literature.
  11. Master oral and written expression in Catalan.
  12. Plan, organise and carry out work in a team.
  13. Present and explain overall perspectives on phenomena of contemporary Catalan literature.
  14. Produce critical texts on the main trends, the most significant authors and the most representative works in Catalan literature.
  15. Produce normatively correct written and oral texts.
  16. Produce work in accordance with academic ethics.
  17. Produce written work and oral presentations that are effective and framed in the appropriate register.
  18. Recognise literary texts from philological and comparative standpoints, apply these criteria to texts in contemporary Catalan literature and write analyses of the literary language of contemporary Catalan texts.
  19. Respect the opinions, values, behaviour and customs of others.
  20. Use IT tools and be able to consult specific documentary sources.
  21. Use technological resources (digital and audiovisual) to acquire knowledge and apply it in language and literature.
  22. Write historical interpretative essays on the contemporary literary tradition.
  23. Write original essays, showing mastery of the relevant literature and of contemporary authors and works.
  24. Write text commentaries from a critical standpoint.

Content

 

1. The crisis of the genre and the literary models

1.1. The narrative forms and the broadcast platforms.

1.2. The search for new paths: the novel under the "modernisme".

1.3. "Noucentisme": narrative literature and criticism.

Readings: Víctor Català, Solitud (1905).

              Josep Carner, La creació d'Eva i altres contes (1922).



2. The interwar period and cultural modernity

2.1. Criticism, awards and the public.

2.2. The debate on the nove: function of the genre and literary proposals 

2.3. The new narrators: Carles Soldevila, Miquel Llor, Francesc Trabal

2.4. Women and literature

 

Readings: Josep M. de Sagarra, Vida privada (1932).

                M. Teresa Vernet, Les algues roges (1935).



3. Narratives of exile

3.1. Diaspora, publishing platforms and resistance

3.2. The post-war novel: from Joan Sales to Xavier Benguerel

3.3. Topics, models and authors


Reading: Pere Calders, Gent de l'alta vall (1957).



4. From reality to myth

4.1. "Realisem històric"

4.2. Literary geographies and narration: from Llorenç Villalonga to Jesús Moncada

4.3. History, memory and symbol: Mercè Rodoreda's novels

 

Readings: Jesús Moncada, Històries de la mà esquerra (1973).

                Mercè Rodoreda, Quanta, quanta guerra (1980).

 

 

Methodology

Flipped classroom

Teacher's presentations

Commentaries and debates

Tutorships

Discussions on texts and students's presentations

 

 

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Lectures and contextualization of selected texts. 35 1.4 10, 1, 3, 4, 7, 6, 8, 2, 9, 5, 18
Oral presentation on examples of criticism following a script overseen by the teacher. 11 0.44 10, 1, 3, 4, 11, 13, 17, 7, 6, 8, 9, 19, 12, 5, 15, 18
Type: Supervised      
Discussions on selected books and texts. 15 0.6 10, 1, 3, 11, 13, 7, 6, 8, 2, 9, 19, 5, 15, 18
Production of texts analysis under the teacher's guidance. 15 0.6 10, 20, 1, 3, 4, 11, 14, 16, 17, 6, 8, 2, 9, 5, 15, 18, 22, 23, 24, 21
Type: Autonomous      
Reading and personal study 46.5 1.86 10, 7, 6, 8, 9, 5
Search and systematisation of bibliographic and documentary sources. 19 0.76 10, 20, 5, 18, 21

Assessment

The course consists of the following assessment activities:

 

1. Active participation / seminars / complementary activities: 15%.

2. Elaboration of a group work: 20%.

3. Elaboration of an individual exercise: 20%.

4. Written test: 45%.

 

The correct use of language will be taken into account in the evaluation of all activities.

Review Procedures: At the time of each assessment activity, the teacher will inform the student (Moodle) of the procedure and date of review of grades.

In order to pass the subject, a minimum grade of 5 must be obtained. The presentation of any exercise cancels the possibility of obtaining Not Evaluated as a final grade.

Recovery procedures: all assessment activities can be recovered. Students will have the right to the recovery of the subject if they have been evaluated of the set of activities whose % is equivalent to a minimum of 2/3 of the total grade of the subject. That is, it must meet one of these two assumptions of minimums: a) it must have been evaluated from the written test (45%) and the individual exercise (20%), or b) it must have been assessed from the written test (45%) and group work (20%). To be able to present to the recovery of the subject, will have had to obtain an average between 3,5 and 4,9. The final grade, if passed, will be 5.

In the event of a student committing any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade awarded to an assessment activity, the student will be given a zero for this activity, regardless of any disciplinary process that may take place. In the event of several irregularities in assessment activities of the same subject, the student will be given a zero as the final grade for this subject. Those assessment activities in which there have been irregularities are not recoverable.

The calendar will be available on the first day of class. Students will find all information on the Virtual Campus: the description of the activities, teaching materials, and any necessary information for the proper follow-up of the subject. In case of a change of teaching modality for health reasons, teachers will make readjustments in the schedule and methodologies.

In the event that tests or exams cannot be taken onsite, they will be adapted to an online format made available through the UAB’s virtual tools (original weighting will be maintained). Homework, activities and participation will be carried out through forums, wikis and/or discussion on Teams, etc. Lecturers will ensure that students are able to access these virtual tools, or will offer them feasible alternatives. 

 

 

 

 

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Group work 20% 2 0.08 10, 20, 1, 3, 4, 11, 14, 16, 13, 17, 7, 6, 8, 2, 9, 12, 5, 15, 18, 22, 23, 24, 21
Individual work 20% 2 0.08 10, 20, 1, 3, 4, 11, 14, 16, 13, 17, 7, 6, 8, 2, 9, 5, 15, 18, 22, 23, 24, 21
Participation and contribution 15% 3 0.12 1, 3, 11, 13, 7, 6, 8, 2, 9, 19, 5, 15
Written exam 45% 1.5 0.06 1, 3, 11, 14, 13, 7, 6, 8, 2, 9, 5, 15, 18, 22, 24

Bibliography

General bibliography.

  

Bou, Enric (dir.), Panorama crític de la literatura catalana, vols. V i VI: segle xx, Barcelona, Vicens Vives, 2010.

 

Campillo, Maria, El conte de 1911 a 1939, Barcelona, Edicions 62, 1983.

 

Castellanos, Jordi. Literatura i societat. La construcció d'una cultura nacional, Barcelona, L'Avenç. 2013.

 

Castellanos, Jordi, "Estudis, edicions, escrits", Els Marges, Número extraordinari, 2013.

 

Gabriel, Pere (dir.), Història de la Cultura Catalana, vols. IX i X, Barcelona, Edicions 62, 1998-1999.

 

Panyella, Ramon (ed.), Concepcions i discursos sobre la modernitat en la literatura catalana dels segles XIX i XX, Lleida, Punctum i GELCC, 2010.

 

Panyella, Ramon; Marrugat, Jordi (eds.), L'escriptor i la seva imatge. Contribució a la història dels intel·lectuals en la literatura catalana contemporània, Barcelona, Grup d’Estudis de Literatura Catalana Contemporània / L'Avenç, 2006.

 

Malé, Jordi, Les idees literàries al període d'entreguerres, Lleida, Pagès, 2012.

 

Molas, Joaquim (dir.), Història de la literatura catalana. Part Moderna, vols. VIII, IX, X, XI, Barcelona, Ariel, 1986-1988.

 

Real, Neus, Les novel·listes dels anys trenta: obra narrativa i recepció crítica, Barcelona, Publicacions de l'Abadia de Montserrat, 2006.

 

Sullà, Enric (ed.), Poètica de la narració, Barcelona, Empúries, 1985.

 

Sullà, Enric (ed.), Antología de textos del siglo XX, Barcelona, Crítica, 1996.

 

Tadié, Jean-Yves, Le roman au XXe siècle, París, Belfond, 1990.

 

Triadú, Joan, La novel·la catalana de postguerra, Barcelona, Edicions 62, 1982.

 

Vilanova, Antonio, Auge y supervivencia de una cultura prohibida. Literatura catalana de postguerra, Barcelona, Destino, 2005.

 

Yates, Alan, Una generació sense novel·la?, Barcelona, Edicions 62, 1975.

 

 

 Webgrafia

 

Traces

https://traces.uab.cat/

 

Lletra (UOC)

https://lletra.uoc.edu/

 

Espais Escrits

https://www.espaisescrits.cat/

 

AELC

https://www.escriptors.cat/

 

* At the beginning of the course, a specific bibliography will be indicated.