Great Books Unbound: Stories and the Self (FYS)
COL 150F
Fall 2026
| Section:
01
02
03
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Where, how, and why do we tell our stories? Are our stories always ultimately about ourselves? How do we know who our stories are really about and who we really are? What role does language play in constituting our stories and, thereby, our sense of self? These are some of the questions we will ask, inflecting them through different texts, locations, time periods, and humanistic disciplines. Our readings will range from Plato's dialogue about virtue, memory, and the meaning of philosophy (Meno), to the impossible double-parentage of Alexander the Great in his Romance, to Franz Kafka's allegories of human-animal metamorphoses, to Mary Shelley's story of monstrosity and belonging (Frankenstein). This course equips students with the skills to unbind influential texts from their traditional readings using the collaborative and interdisciplinary approach of the College of Letters. We combine small FYS discussion sections with weekly lectures by three professors from different disciplines (philosophy, literature, history), and occasional writing workshops. Designed as a gateway course to any of the core humanities disciplines, Great Books Unbound is not a prerequisite for a College of Letters major, but students considering the major are strongly encouraged to enroll. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA COL |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: Credit/Unsatisfactory |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: None |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 | | Special Attributes: FYS |
| Instructor(s): Smyth,Daniel Times: ..T.R.. 01:20PM-02:40PM; Location: TBA |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 15 | | SR major: X | JR major: X | | |
| Seats Available: 15 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: X | JR non-major: X | SO: X | FR: 15 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
| SECTION 03 | | Special Attributes: FYS |
| Instructor(s): Weil,Kari Times: ..T.R.. 01:20PM-02:40PM; Location: TBA |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 15 | | SR major: X | JR major: X | | |
| Seats Available: 15 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: X | JR non-major: X | SO: X | FR: 15 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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