Welcome to "Society through its Literature." In this thematic course, students explore the ways that society can imagine, articulate, question, and revise itself through literary forms of creative expression. In our section of English 238 the theme is "food literature." Students will consider how writers have used a range of genres (including fiction, poetry, drama, and nonfiction) to express aspects of society through food imagery, metaphor, and thoughtful reflection.

"Food literature" is an apt theme for English 238 because almost nothing is as essential to human existence and society as the consumption of food. Eating is an elemental aspect of every day of our lives, and it plays a special role in celebrating joyful occasions and offering comfort for sorrow and despair. What we eat connects us to history, to places, to ethnicity, and sometimes to community, family, or a particular person. Some recipes create a fusion of ingredients, which speaks to modern questions about identity and self. The act of accepting or rejecting food can be charged with religious, political, and cultural significance. Across time and cultures, food represents what we will take into ourselves, what forms and sustains us--and sometimes what we despise and fear. Students in this section of English 238 will investigate such representations and their implications. We will explore how food has been used to express political dissent, social criticism, and cultural awareness. We will see how literary and cinematic representations of food and cooking work to make connections and distinctions between generations, communities, and genders. We will look closely at issues such as the association between women and food, the significance of rejecting food through self starvation, and the darkest of taboos: cannibalism. Many of our readings will celebrate how representations of food intelligently reflect that which sustains humanity, offering recipes to live by.

The class will be conducted with a discussion format and students are expected to attend each class meeting, to prepare thoroughly, and to participate actively. Evaluation will be based primarily upon a series of original analytical writing assignments. The course will end with a cumulative final examination of the works covered over the course of the term. Expect to invest about four study hours per class meeting to be adequately prepared for discussions and assignments.

Required Texts
- A course reading packet, edited by your instructor and available at the WWU Bookstore. The charge for this packet is based upon the royalty fees for each author and for the cost of printing and binding.
- Laura Esquirel, Like Water for Chocolate