29001 - Twentieth-Century Prose and Narrative Genres (LM) (A-L)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students come to a critical awareness of the genres and styles that characterize twentieth-century fiction. They get also acquainted with the major movements, schools and aesthetics of storytelling.

Course contents

Topic of the course: Suspended Load. The Narrative of Work, Precarity, and Unemployment.

The course lasts 60 hours, equivalent to 12 training credits. For Erasmus, Overseas and students interested in obtaining 6 credits, the final exam presents the alternative between two options:

a. the preparation and discussion of a paper of about 25-30000 characters, concerning a specific topic among those of the course, to be agreed with the teacher;

b. the preparation and oral presentation of two units chosen from the five ones that make up the whole course.

The aim of the course is to investigate the narrative of individual and collective labor, and the bitter conflicts associated with its exploitation by capitalist rule, then its instability and loss, from the dawn of the twentieth century to contemporary times.

The choice of this course implies a good knowledge of Italian literature of the twentieth century, acquired during the BA degree.

The course starts on Monday 29th January, 2024, and proceeds with the following schedule until 6 March, 2024:

Monday, 15-17, Room II, Via Zamboni 38;

Tuesday, 15-17, Room C, Via Centrotrecento 18;

Wednesday, 5-7 pm, Room IV, Via Zamboni 38.

The course will resume on 26th March, 2024, and will run until 3 May, 2024 with the following timetable:

Tuesday, 5-7 pm, Tibiletti Room, Via Zamboni 38;

Thursday, 5-7 pm, Room C, Via Centotrecento 18;

Friday, 5-7 pm, Room III, Via Zamboni 38.

The course materials and the sections of the texts that will be analyzed during the lessons will be available on the "Virtuale" web site.

Readings/Bibliography

Throughout the course, the following texts will be read and discussed in class in order to be studied in view of the final oral exam (all of which may also be read in editions and reprints, on paper or electronic, other than those indicated):

1. Piero Jahier, Resultanze in merito alla vita e al carattere di Gino Bianchi, con un allegato [Findings Regarding the Life and Character of Gino Bianchi, with an Annex, 1915], introduction by Marino Biondi, Florence: Vallecchi, 1987; Luigi Pirandello, Quaderni di Serafino Gubbio operatore [Notebooks by Serafino Gubbio, Cinematographer, 1925], ed. by Luca Stefanelli, Milan: Mondadori, 2022;

2. Alba de Céspedes, Nessuno torna indietro [Nobody Gets Back, 1938], Milan: Mondadori, 2022; or else, at students' choice: Paola Masino, Nascita e morte della massaia [Birth and Death of the Housewife, 1945], Milan: Feltrinelli, 2018;

3. Luciano Bianciardi-Carlo Cassola, I minatori della Maremma [The Maremma's Miners, 1954], Rome: Minimum fax, 2019; or else, at students' choice: Luciano Bianciardi, Il lavoro culturale [The Cultural Work, 1957], Milan: Feltrinelli, 2013; or else, at students' choice: Ottiero Ottieri, Tempi stretti [Tight Times, 1957], Matelica: Hacca, 2012.

4. Paolo Volponi, Memoriale [Memorial, 1962], Turin: Einaudi, 2015; Goffredo Parise, Il padrone [The Boss, 1964], Milan: Adelphi, 2011.

5. Two books among the followings, at student's choice:

- Ottiero Ottieri, Donnarumma all'assalto [Donnarumma on the Assault, 1959], Milan: Utopia editore, 2023;

- Nanni Balestrini, Vogliamo tutto [We Want It All, 1971] in La grande rivolta [The Great Uprising], edited by Aldo Nove, Milan: Bompiani, 1999;

- Napoli. I disoccupati organizzati: i protagonisti raccontano [Naples. The Organized Unemployed: The Protagonists Speak Out], edited by Fabrizia Ramondino, Milan: Feltrinelli, 1977;

- Primo Levi, La chiave a stella [The Wrench, 1978], Turin: Einaudi, 2014;

- Paolo Volponi, Le mosche del capitale [The Flies of Capital, 1989], Turin: Einaudi, 2010;

- Giorgio Falco, Pausa caffè [Coffee Break], Milan: Sironi, 2004;

- Aldo Nove, Mi chiamo Roberta, ho 40 anni, guadagno 250 euro al mese [My Name Is Roberta, I am 40 Years Old, I Earn 250 Euros A Month], Turin: Einaudi, 2006;

- Michela Murgia, Il mondo deve sapere. Romanzo tragicomico di una telefonista precaria [The World Needs to Know. The Tragicomic Novel of a Precarious Phone Operator, 2006], with a new author's preface, Turin: Einaudi, 2017;

- Andrea Bajani, Cordiali saluti [Best Regards], Turin: Einaudi, 2008;

- Alessandro Leogrande, Uomini e caporali. Viaggio tra i nuovi schiavi nelle campagne del Sud [Men and Corporals. Journey Among the New Slaves in the Southern Countryside], Milan: Feltrinelli, 2008;

- Alberto Prunetti, Amianto. Una storia operaia [Asbestus. A Working Class Story], Milan: Agenzia X, 2012.

Section 5 is not mandatory for those students who attend the ERT Lab 2024, whose attendance will be certified by a short essay or an individual oral upon a topic related to the Lab's contents, and agreed together with the teacher and the leading group.

The critical reading of the workload will be accompanied by the study of some essays and articles, gradually available on the "Virtuale" web site.

Non-attending students will read also:

Giacomo Debenedetti, Il romanzo del Novecento [The Twentieth Century Novel], Milan: La Nave di Teseo, 2019 [also in other editions or reprints; to read the part entitled La nascita del romanzo [The Birth of the Novel] and chapters I-IX, from La nostra data di partenza [Our Date of Departure] to Alcuni aspetti del romanzo [Some Aspects of the Novel].

All information for students enrolled in the course will be provided on the "Virtuale" web site.

Teaching methods

Traditional lectures with a strong interaction between students and teacher.

Assessment methods

For the 6 credits option see above, "Course contents".

For 12 credits, the final exam consists of an oral appointment, which aims to verify some methodological, personally developed skills. It focuses on the main theoretical matters approached throughout the class, and verifies the knowledge of the texts and essays that have been the subject of a common consideration throughout the class. Students could be invited to read and comment some samples using an original approach from a critically well-based point of view.

A positive or excellent score (27 to 30/30, even with distinction) corresponds to a full mastering of technical, theoretical, historical and typological sources, to the ability to make connections among single parts of the course contents, and to show awareness of textual features with an appropriate language; an average score (23 to 26/30) goes to students who reveal some lacks in one or more topics or analytical proofs, or are able to use barely mechanically their abilities; a pass or low score (18 to 22/30) to students with severe lacks in one or more topics or exercises, or with inaccuracies while using notions or approaching samples. A negative score is assigned to students who are not able to demonstrate any knowledge of the basic notions required.

Examination sessions take place monthly. No sessions in August. Please sign up at the "AlmaEsami" web site. The registration time ends two days before the oral examination.

Teaching tools

Excerpts from texts and criticism in digital scans.

Office hours

See the website of Stefano Colangelo