Fine Arts and Literature   

The course offers participants instruction and feedback on writing short fiction and poems. A one-act play and perhaps an essay are also possibilities. A goal is for as many participants as possible to produce publishable material. Lifelong Learning at Wofford will sponsor the publishing. The editors, Bill Pell and Linda Powers, will decide on the material to publish. The course is a unique creative writing and publishing opportunity in an increasingly difficult world to find publishing outlets even for quality material.

We will read two great Victorian novels: Charles Dickens' Great Expectations, published in England in 1861, and William Dean Howells' The Rise of Silas Lapham, published in the USA in 1885. Although they are very different novels, the perennial concerns of material gain and social status are central to each. Students can expect to read between 80 and 100 pages a week and come to class meetings ready to discuss them. Class meetings will be discussion-based.

We will learn about interesting characters each week: 1. The two men who started the A.I. wave of our future - Sam Altman and Jensen Huang, 2-3. Frank Sinatra - his whole life and great music in two sessions, 4. The "Wide Awakes" movement of 1859 and connections to Lincoln and the American Civil War, 5-7. Alexander Hamiliton, 8. Johnny Hartman - a really great singer of the 1947-1963 period of classic easy listening, discussing his life and his music (as an African American singer, he had to be very careful where he sang and how he performed). David looks forward to sharing his research with Lifelong Learners.

Back by popular demand! In light of the chaos around the world and at home, we are once again offering a chance for you to take a breather and view some films that will hopefully make you laugh for a spell. If you have a film/films that you have enjoyed and would like to suggest for the class please feel free to do so. So join us for a good time and a lively discussion where you can let your hair down and simply laugh out loud.

"It's a masterpiece!" is a powerful phrase. Let's look at what defines a masterwork in the visual realm. From the cave paintings of Lascaux through the works of Leonardo and Michelangelo to current trends in global art, we will examine what defines a masterpiece. We will compose definitions employing slide shows, concise lectures and class discussions. No need to have a degree in art history. No outside work is expected. Bring an open and curious mind to class, and we will delve into works of art through a new lens. This will be fun. A better title for this course might be: "It's a Masterpiece!...Or Is It?" PLEASE NOTE: "It's a Masterpiece!" will meet 4 times.

Embark on a captivating literary journey delving into stories of identity, and human connection through the lens of two spellbinding novels, The Weight of Ink (Rachel Kadish) and People of the Book (Geraldine Brooks). We will focus on the remarkable journey of sacred documents and the lives of extraordinary women separated by time and geography. Delve into themes of intellectual curiosity, religious tolerance, and the enduring power of literature. We can marvel at the miraculous survival of these documents through war and conflict, as they unveil stories of love, loss, and resilience. Through vibrant discussions, critical analysis, and immersive exploration of these novels, we will uncover the rich tapestry of historical events together

 

This course continues reading and discussing challenging short stories and poems. The content is all new material, and both former and new participants are very welcome to join the class. More fun ahead!

The Iliad is a heroic epic poem, a seminal work of Western literature. Attributed to Homer, it was written in ancient Greek around the late 8th or early 7th century B.C.E. It has survived and been read and/or listened to -- there was a long oral tradition -- by millions of readers in many languages for over 2700 years. It is set in the ninth year of the ten-year-long war between a coalition of Greek forces and the city of Troy or Ilium, located in present-day Turkey. We will read three chapters (books) per class in order to complete the work in eight weeks. The text will be presented on the classroom computer screen. Some class preparation (prior reading) and interactive discussion are expected. Maybe the Odyssey in the spring.

"What we have here is a failure to communicate!" (From the film Cool Hand Luke). Though we are living in the age of information we might readily imagine that we are really living in an age of static. Have you ever paid someone a compliment and it was taken as an insult? How do men and women communicate differently? This is a broad exploration of how we communicate through our humor, our words and the images we share! (Or fail to share!)