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AustLit

The Novel in English (EL332)
Semester 2 / 2014

Texts

y separately published work icon The Tree of Man Patrick White , New York (City) : Viking , 1955 Z470597 1955 single work novel (taught in 6 units)

'Stan Parker, with only a horse and a dog for company journeys to a remote patch of land he has inherited in the Australian hills. Once the land is cleared and a rudimentary house built, he brings his wife Amy to the wilderness. Together they face lives of joy and sorrow as they struggle against the environment.' (Publication summary)

Description

This unit covers the evolution and development of the novel in English. How has literary experimentation altered the genre? How and why has English emerged to better suit the needs of contemporary writers in a broader context? Students will study the relationship between selected novels and the historical, social and cultural context in which they were written. The implications of contemporary literary theory will also be examined as students critically approach the works of select novelists.

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