Nazi Occptn in Fren Lit/Film

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

In this seminar, we will explore the treatment of the Nazi Occupation in post-war French literature and film. We will concentrate class discussions on the narrative mechanics and the ideological implications of the variety of forms chosen to depict the "Dark Years," such as allegorical representation, testimonial narrative, autobiographical narrative, and documentary cinema. We will also investigate the complexity of the construction of remembering and forgetting in selected works. Readings will include works by Sartre, Camus, Perec, Modiano, and Duras. Films to be studied include L'Oeil de Vichy, Le Chagrin et la piti?, Lacombe Lucien, and Au revoir les enfants. This course fulfills the upper-division culture requirement for the French major. Cross-listed with Comparative Literature.