For everyone who hasn't already heard, Robyn Bell will be returning to the mothership for the Spring 2008 Quarter.
As a meager second year, I've only had once class with Robyn. The course was titled "Graphic Novels" and cycled through a collection of books that were certainly not "comic books," with authors like Neil Gaiman, Craig Thompson and Marjane Satrapi (writer of now motion picture Persepolis!). The ten weeks of writing, reading, discussing and, on one day, painting with Robyn were enough to leave me with a strong impression. Besides her sharp wit and wry sense of humor, which always kept the class at a relaxed but crackling mood, she constantly drank green tea out of those little Arizona juice boxes. That was super adorable. I remember thinking that.
For those of you that have been here longer, I'm sure you have better anecdotes to tell about the professor who many consider the "heart" of CCS Literature. Those lucky enough to have her as an adviser tell stories of her sitting with them and imparting lessons in between checking classes on their yellow slips. Those that are yet to experience one of her amazing classes, well, I feel much like my friend Megan did when she realized I hadn't seen the third Star Wars and told me she wished she could go back and experience it again. Robyn's like that — a showdown on a lava covered rock. Meaning that she'll keep your hearts abeating and your brains aworking. Rejoice.
Robyn will be teaching two courses next quarter as follows:
Solo Author
Is there a writer you like who is not taught, or not sufficiently taught? In this course, you investigate that writer. You sleuth through all your author's writing and through pertinent criticism, biography. You teach class in small weekly installments; distribute weekly written reports; and in the end produce an article, for class, presenting your findings, mysteries, and other research.
Emily Dickinson's Bookmaking
When she was in her late twenties and early thirties, Emily Dickinson transformed herself from a gifted amateur to "one of the greatest poets of all time." We watch that happen. How? By reading, in very approximate chronological order, most of the poems she produced then — those that she copied and bound into 40 small booklets. From first to last, we try to keep up with her; we follow Dickinson's hairpin turns, light-year leaps, and zero-to-the-bone stops.
Also, the Literature Collaborative will hopefully be co-hosting a welcome back party for Robyn at the beginning of the quarter, so keep an ear out for news!
And don't forget to sign up for Robyn's classes when your next pass time comes!
