Commonwealth Speakers:Literature
One Ring to Bring Them All: The Phenomenon of J. R. R. Tolkien
The success of Peter Jackson's film version of The Lord of the Rings has
renewed popular interest in J.R.R. Tolkien and his works. In this cultural critique that is
supplemented with film clips from the Jackson movies, Jamie Dessart discusses
Tolkien's life, how his works reflect our time, and how the movies represent the books.
TV and DVD player required.
Jamie Dessart, Ph.D., Chair of English and Fine Arts, Waynesburg College
The runaway success of the Harry Potter books is unparalleled in the world of English fantasy writing. In a presentation intended for adult readers of the Potter books, Doug Rosentrater explores J.K.Rowling's allusions to Greco-Roman and Celtic mythology and to her own personal experiences, and he briefly discusses the wider genre of English fantasy writing, from Beowulf to C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.
TV, VCR, and CD/cassette player required.
Douglas B. Rosentrater, Professor of Communications, Bucks County
Community College, Newtown
Each year Americans buy millions of mystery books by classic authors such as Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle as well as by contemporary writers from an ever-growing list. Mystery writer Lisa Lepovetsky explores the very concept of the mystery story, its origins, its evolution over time, and how mysteries reflect the cultural attitudes of the times in which they were written.
Lectern required.
Lisa Lepovetsky, Author, St. Mary's
In American literature, the term multicultural designates work produced by Americans of certain cultural or ethnic identities. In practice, though,these authors and their works often fail to fit neatly into any particular cultural or ethnic category. Lesliee Antonette discusses the ways in which multiculturalism has been defined in literature as well as the reality of the multicultural roots of American literature. This presentation can be tailored to provide an overview of American literature from a specific cultural and/or ethnic perspective.
Lesliee Antonette, Ph.D., Associate Professor of English, East Stroudsburg University
Jewish Playwrights in American TheaterSince the 1920s, Jewish playwrights have made profound contributions to the development of a uniquely American theater. From Clifford Odets, whose social consciousness came largely from his Jewish roots, to Tony Kushner, who has added the Jewish gay male voice to mainstream theater, Jewish playwrights have engaged Jewish and gentile audiences alike. Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer performs short monologues tracing the history of Jewish-American theater and shares with the audience short scenes excerpted from the plays being discussed.
CD/cassette player required.
Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer, Author and Playwright, Philadelphia
Traditional dramatic structure follows a clear arc, in which a protagonist encounters an obstacle and, through the course of the play, struggles and resolves the conflict. But many 20th century playwrights, like Beckett and Ionesco, created works that were more circular than linear. Today's world theater offers a variety of styles, from the traditional to the innovative. Is there still such a thing as a "well-made" play? Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer uses excerpts from both traditional and non-traditional plays as she examines the common elements of drama.
CD/cassette player required.
Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer, Author and Playwright, Philadelphia
William Shakespeare's plays transformed English literature, but where did he get his ideas? Who were his inspirations, his models, his rivals? Steven Anderson takes you down a trail of intellect and sensitivity, profanity and blood which spans two thousand years and much of Europe, as participants join in for readings of brief excerpts from plays that shaped the master's.
Steven G. Anderson, Actor and Adjunct Professor of English and Theatre, Mechanicsburg
Dangerous Times: The Moravian Songs and Poetry of Lydia Huntley Sigourney and Hilda DoolittleSong is a key aspect of the Moravian religious and social tradition. In this slide-illustrated presentation, Carla Rineer explores how some Moravian women used song and poetry to make controversial social statements. She examines the inspirations, motives, and works of such women as Lydia Huntley Sigourney, who used poetry to criticize U.S. policy toward Native Americans in the early 19th century, and Hilda Doolittle of Bethlehem and Upper Darby,who brought her Moravian songs of courage and reconciliation to World War II London.
Slide projector and screen required. PowerPoint preferred.
Carla Rineer, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of English, Millersville University
National Book Award winner John O'Hara, born in Pottsville, Schuylkill County, authored 16 novels and 402 short stories during his prolific writing career. His ear for dialogue, his experience and obsession with social status, and his attention to the details of culture make his work an illuminating view of life in the early 20th century. Christine Goldbeck, an expert on O'Hara and the author of A Tribute to O'Hara and Other Stories, discusses O'Hara the person, O'Hara the writer, and past and current reactions to his work.
Projection screen required.
Christine Goldbeck, Author, Editor, and Publisher, Shenandoah
Through the use of color slides and brief literary examples, Len Gougeon discusses the painting and literature of American Romanticism, which thrived as an artistic movement between 1820 and 1860. He explores how the Romantics viewed and interpreted life in the pre-Civil War era by examining, in particular, the paintings of Thomas Cole, the great master of the Hudson River School of painting, and the poetry of Ralph Waldo Emerson, William Cullen Bryant, and Walt Whitman.
Slide projector and screen required.
Len Gougeon, Ph.D., Professor of American Literature, University of Scranton
The Nobel Prize is the most prestigious award in literature. It has been given to some of the most recognizable names in literature, such as Camus, Faulkner, and Eliot, as well as to many unfamiliar writers whose works are not widely available. Using slides and excerpts from the essays of various prize winners, David Clippinger discusses the history of the Nobel Prize, analyzes selected Nobel-Prize-winning works, and tackles the daunting questions of what constitutes "great" literature and what role literature should play in society.
Slide projector and screen required.
David Clippinger, Ph.D., Independent Scholar, Pittsburgh
Many artists, musicians, and writers have found inspiration for their work in the history, culture, and landscape of Pennsylvania. Painters have been captivated by its mountains and rivers and the faces and postures of its people. Composers and musicians have been inspired by the landscape and by the plight of the industrial workers of the coal and steel regions. Writers have shaped passionate poems and novels out of its rich cultural heritage. David Clippinger uncovers the inspirational character of Pennsylvania culture by exploring the work of some of Pennsylvania's most famous poets and novelists, along with songs, paintings, and photographs about Pennsylvania.
Slide projector, screen,and CD/cassette player required.
David Clippinger, Ph.D., Independent Scholar, Pittsburgh
Using literary excerpts and slides of images from fine art and popular culture, Gayle Samuels explores how literature has contributed to our understanding of and relationship to the environment. The works of many authors are discussed, but special attention is given to Rachel Carson and Henry David Thoreau.
Overhead projector and screen required.
Gayle B. Samuels, Author, Adjunct Faculty, Dept. of Environmental Studies,
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
Do you remember your favorite books and stories from childhood?Join Carla Verderame for a lively discussion of children's literature and its timeless appeal. She will explore the history of children's literature, the biographies of some well-known children's authors, and both traditional and contemporary examples of this wonderful genre. Children's literature—it's not just for children anymore!
Carla L. Verderame, Associate Professor of English, West Chester University
Poe: Keys to the House of UsherEdgar Allan Poe's impact on both high and popular culture is as great as that of any American writer. He invented the detective story, perfected the tale of terror, pioneered science fiction, and wrote a handful of unforgettable poems. His theories of poetics and the short story have influenced writers around the world. Daniel Hoffman, author of the National Book Award finalist Poe Poe Poe Poe Poe Poe Poe, discusses Poe's themes and examines why his work still haunts us.
Daniel Hoffman, Poet Laureate of the U.S. (1973-1974), Swarthmore
Reading Poetry After 9/11After September 11, 2001, Billy Collins, the U.S. poet laureate (2001-2003), asked Americans to read poetry. Many Americans who had never cared for poetry did just that, and found solace and wisdom there. But poetry does more than console; it hints at what we can be and moves us toward a deeper understanding of life and death. Jeanne Walker reads poems with the audience and discusses how to read poetry for maximum pleasure and understanding. Come, and bring your favorite poem with you!
Jeanne Murray Walker, Writer, Professor of English, University of Delaware (resides in Merion, PA)
Weaving Fact into FictionDenise Williamson compares factual and fictional accounts of such topics as slavery, the American wilderness, and the colonial era. She shows how authors such as Esther Forbes, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and James Fenimore Cooper used nonfiction texts in creating their novels and explores how novelists' uses of techniques like point of view and plotting can make fiction a better medium than nonfiction for conveying historical facts and truths.
PowerPoint preferred.
Denise Williamson, Author, Shippensburg
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