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Representations of Food/Eating in Text & Image
German 270 / WL389

SYLLABUS

"L'amore per la buona tavola é amore per la vita"
(A passion for food is a passion for life)

  SEPTEMBER

1.

Introductory Discussion

8.

A.J. Liebling, "A Good Appetite" (G.43-55) and Isak Dinesen, "Babette's Feast" (G. 146-172)
FILM: Babette's Feast (Denmark, 1988, 102 min., Dir. Gabriel Axel)
~ Mary Douglas, "Deciphering a Meal" (in Geertz, Clifford, ed. Myth, Symbol, and Culture)

15.

Laura Esquivel, Like Water for Chocolate
Marge Piercy, "What's that smell in the kitchen?" (poem)

22.

FILM: Like Water for Chocolate (Mexico, 1992, 105 min., Dir. Alfonso Arau)

29.

Peter Mayle, "January" (G. 11-14); M.F.K. Fisher, "Define This Word" (G. 90-97); Robin Hemley, "All You Can Eat" (G. 191-200)
Elizabeth Telfer, "The pleasures of food" (Ch. 2: four types of eaters: normal, gluttons, epicures, addicts)

**FIRST PAPER DUE**

  OCTOBER

6.

FILM: Eat, Drink, Man, Woman (Taiwan, 1994,124 min., Dir. Ang Lee)
Elizabeth Telfer, "Food as art" (Ch. 3)

13.

Guest Lecture: "The Representation of Food in Still-life Paintings" (Dr. Mindy Nancarrow, Art Dept.)

20

FILM: Big Night (US, 1996, 109 min., Dir. Stanley Tucci)
~ Mary Douglas, "Food as a System of Communication" (in M.Douglas, In the active voice, 1982; see especially "Food as an art form")

27

Günter Grass, The Flounder (excerpts); Tobias Wolff, "Smorgasbord" (G. 173-85)
In-class viewing of clips from 9 and 1/2 Weeks and Tom Jones

**SECOND PAPER DUE**

  NOVEMBER

3.

FILM: Sugarbaby (Germany, 1985, 87 min., Dir. Percy Adlon)

10.

Lawrence Durrell "Something à la Carte" (G.98-101); William Hamilton, "Madame Vache"(G. 201-03); Betty Fussell, "On Murdering Eels and Laundering Swine" (G. 221-25)
Eric Asimov, "Close Your Eyes. Hold Your Nose. It's Dinner Time" (1-page photocopy)
Elizabeth Telfer, "Food duties" (Ch. 4 , non-moral prohibitions on food; vegetarianism)
In-class viewing of Günter Grass, The Tin Drum (excerpts from film by Schlöndorff)

17.

Thomas Mann, Buddenbrooks (Chapters 1-7); Jay Jacobs, "A Feeder in France" (G. 74-83)
Elizabeth Telfer, "Temperance" (Ch. 6, Gluttony and types of temperance)

24.

James Villas, "I took Die Kur" (G. 120-27)
FILM: "La grande bouffe" (The Big Pigout, France, 1973 , Dir. Marco Ferreri)

**THIRD PAPER DUE**

  DECEMBER

1.

Franz Kafka, "The Hunger Artist" (photocopy); Hemingway, "Hunger Was
Good Discipline" (G. 84-9)

8.

Somerset Maugham, "The Three Fat Women of Antibes" (G. 57-69)
FILM: Eating (US, 1990, 110 min., Dir. Henry Jaglom)
 

SYLLABUS NOTES:

  • "G." -- In: Golden, Lilly, ed. A Literary Feast; An Anthology
  • Elizabeth Telfer -- Food for thought; Philosophy and Food by E. Telfer
  • "~" -- optional reading

 

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Elaine Martin, emartin@bama.ua.edu