Literary Theory Workshop - Report

Report: Literary Theory Workshop

Date      : 31 August 2013

Venue   : Institute of English, University of Kerala

A workshop on Literary Theory was organized on 31^st August 2013 by the Institute of English as part of implementing new M. A. syllabus in various colleges under the University of Kerala.

Sponsors

The Workshop was financially sponsored by Federal Bank and Co-operative Bank

Inauguration and Participation:

Teachers from sixteen colleges (out of nineteen) under the University of Kerala participated in the workshop. The programme was inaugurated by Dr. Maya Dutt, Professor and Head, Institute of English. Dr. P. J. Jacob, Chairman, Board of Studies in English (Pass), and Dr. Anitha Dhamayanthi Associate Professor, Govt. College for Women, (Member, PG Board of Studies), Thiruvananthapuram addressed the gathering and gave a comprehensive overview of the new syllabus. The introductory note was given by Dr. G. S. Jayasree, Director, Centre for Women’s Studies (Member, PG Board of Studies). She threw light on the motives of the Literary Theory syllabus and the purpose of conducting a workshop based on the new syllabus. Dr. Vijayalekshmi, Associate Professor, University College, (Member, PG Board of Studies), Thiruvananthapuram delivered a formal vote of thanks.

Technical Session:

The inaugural function was followed by discussion on the first module of the Literary Theory paper. The workshop was divided into two sessions. Two hours were allotted for each session. Each session was further divided in to four sub-sessions of thirty minutes to be devoted to the discussion of each School of Thought. Teachers were grouped district-wise. Mr. P. Harikrishna, (Associate Professor, NSS College, Pandalam), Mr. Gireesh (Assistant Professor, University College, Thiruvanathapuram) and Ms. Lakshmi Priya (Assistant Professor, VTM NSS College, Dhanuvachapuram) coordinated the  Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam-Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha groups respectively. The discussion had the following aims:

Ø      Introducing the new syllabus

Ø      Proposing innovative teaching/learning methods

Ø      Suggestions from the participants

Ø      Identifying the problems faced by teachers while teaching Literary Theory

The discussion centred on evolving new teaching/learning strategies to successfully render the revised syllabus in the classroom. The group was of the common opinion that possible linkages between literary theory and literary texts should be properly worked out in the classroom. Students should be encouraged to understand theories in the context of contemporary life and culture so that they may use these approaches in understanding not just literary texts but the broader aspects of human nature and culture also.

The discussion was more on the “how to” part of the syllabus rather than the “what” part of it. It was suggested that a “text to theory” approach would make the theory lectures more acceptable in the classroom context. Many members felt that students often fail to understand how these diverse reading strategies work in the context of literary texts. As questions are often based on the prescribed essays, they have a tendency to limit their understanding to the few prescribed essays. Being a new subject, they need to strive hard to master the prescribed essays and this often leaves them with little time to ponder over their broader implications. Without broad reference points to relate to, this limited understanding of the topics may soon be lost. Grounding theories on works of literature would help deepen the students’ understanding of the topics and hence the “text to theory” approach.

Major Suggestions made by the Coordinators:

Ø      Bridge the gap between everyday life, theory and literature.

Ø      A separate workshop may be conducted for teachers with a focus on literature-oriented teaching/learning strategies.

Ø      Students may be encouraged to develop a parallel interest in the basic traditions of European philosophy.

Ø      While introducing the prescribed essays, the teachers concerned should ensure that the historical and philosophical evolution of the school of thought in question should be discussed.  

Ø      Give an introductory session

Ø      Need for a consensus on the. allocation of teaching hours for each module

Ø      Attempt a text to theory approach.

Ø      Discussions should be promoted in class.

Ø      Students should be guided to understand the material in the context of that particular school of thought.

Ø      The module on structuralism should be discussed thoroughly in the classroom. Other modules should be introduced only when the students are comfortable with the ideas of that school of thought. Since two or more teachers are likely to handle the syllabus, some consensus regarding the division of hours needs to be worked out among the teachers to make this possible.

Ø      Resource persons may be invited to offer introductory lectures as an entry-point to each module.

Ø      Conduct regional workshops

Ø      Conduct refresher courses for teachers

Ø      Avoid giving summary of the texts.

Ø      Provide text books and sample reading.

Ø      Arrangements should also be made for creating a pool of teaching/learning materials that can be easily shared by the teachers and students, preferably online.

Ø      Equal importance need to be given to the conduct of examination and in the preparation of the scheme for evaluation.

Ø      It was suggested that it would be rewarding if the valuation of papers be done by the teachers teaching the course and the examination should test the student’s overall knowledge of literary theory/schools, rather than limiting the questions to the prescribed essays.

Ø    An attempt could be made to link the prescribed approaches with Indian aesthetic approaches to literature and art.

Limitations of the Syllabus:

It was also felt that the syllabus fails to touch upon certain areas, despite being a “heavy” one. For instance, popular approaches like Eco-criticism, Diaspora criticism or relatively marginalized approaches like Darwinian Evolutionary criticism do not find a place. Similarly, an important school like Postmodernism fails to get an exclusive module. Although the limitations for setting a syllabus for an area as wide as literary theory was taken into account, the group still felt that Module 4 of Semester II paper could be moved to “Cultural Studies” paper and a new module on “Post Theory” could be accommodated instead. It was suggested that this would give the syllabus and the students a cutting edge. Members also wondered whether individual teachers would care to introduce these missing approaches as they—ostensibly—do not  form a part of the syllabus.

The concluding remarks were followed by the valedictory address delivered by Dr. G. S. Jayasree. She accentuated the importance of inducing theory into life.