Bradley University, Peoria Illinois

This course focuses on autobiographical writing, travel literature, and fiction which represent various journeys undertaken by Anglo-Europeans. We explore these texts from two critical perspectives: 1) as narrative imitations of journeys from one site through space and time to final destination by travelers who observe, marginalize, and ignore scenes and peoples along the road; 2) as embodiments of various and possibly conflicting discourses, understood as linguistic-cultural systems of meaning and value. The first mode of inquiry emphasizes the temporary or diachronic aspects of the texts; the second mode emphasizes the spatial or synchronic aspects.

The comments below represent selections for group work done in class. Each group posts the comment on the course Cyberprof Chatgroup; each student then responds outside of class to another group’s comments. These responses form the basis for subsequent class discussion and for individual student writing projects. (The groups are composed of different students for each text.)

The course syllabus is available to the public at: "http://cyberprof.bradley.edu/Conley/ENG332"; access to the Chatgroup is restricted to students enrolled in the course.