Over at Tyee Books, Sarah Weigum talks about how college English Lit classes are incorporating Marajane Satrapi’s Persepolis into their curriculum:
Professor Manuela Costantino is one prof who’s teaching it in her English Lit course at UBC this summer. And she’s not alone. The book is on reading lists in over 100 colleges in the U.S. and is on the approved curriculum for elementary schools in France.But when Costantino explains the book’s success to her students, it’s with a sense of incredulity. “She’s touring the U.S. reading in public libraries,” she says, eyebrows raised, disbelief in her voice. “It’s just a comic book.”
One step forward, two steps back folks.
August 10th, 2007 at 9:32 am
also, “Bam-Pow” in the headline. *Wince*
August 10th, 2007 at 12:03 pm
It’s just an undergrad English lit course.
August 10th, 2007 at 1:07 pm
I had this as assigned reading in a Humanities class. There was no such attitude from either the students or teachers. They were very enthusiastic about comics.
August 13th, 2007 at 6:08 pm
I have to agree with Bill. Academia is currently embracing comics in all forms. Librarians (such as my lovely wife, Leslie Bussert) are pushing them and using them to engage faculty and students into using them. It’s a very hot topic right now, my wife has been in constant demand for articles and consultations about comics/graphic novels and how to make them classroom accessible (how do you use them to teach with). It’s been very interesting and fun to see how it all shakes out since she got into comics by marrying me!