72811 - Literature and Media (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

Course contents

The course investigates the relationship among literature, cinema, television and new media as transnational narratives. More specifically, we will explore material which would have been analysed under the shed of theory of adapttion (e.g. from novels to movies) as well as intermedia storytelling.
A transmedia story represents the integration of entertainment experiences across a range of different media platforms. A story like Gomorra might spread from literature into cinema, television, the web, and so forth, picking up new consumers as it goes and allowing the most dedicated fans to drill deeper. The fans, in turn, may translate their interests in the franchise into concordances and wikipedia entries, fan fiction, fan films, cosplay, game mods, and a range of other participatory practices that further extend the story world in new directions. Both the commercial and grassroots expansion of narrative universes contribute to a new mode of storytelling, one which is based on an encyclopedic expanse of information which gets put together differently by each individual consumer as well as processed collectively by social networks and online knowledge communities.

Readings/Bibliography

R. Saviano, Gomorra. Viaggio nell'impero economico e nel sogno di dominio della camorra, Mondadori, 2014

L. Hutcheon, Teoria degli adattamenti. I percorsi delle storie fra letteratura, cinema e nuovi media, Armando 2011

A. Dal Lago, Eroi di carta. Il caso Gomorra e altre epopee, Manifestolibri, 2010

Teaching methods

The lessons are, most of all, lectures held by the teacher. During the lessons, students will be encouraged to participate. Finally, scholars will be invited for some specific issues and for the presentation of some texts and authors.

Assessment methods

The oral test consists in an oral interview which has the aim of evaluating the critical and methodological ability of the students. The students will be invited to discuss the tests on the course programme. The student must demonstrate an appropriate knowledge of the bibliography in the course programme.

Those students who are able to demonstrate a wide and systematic understanding of the issues covered during the lessons, are able to use these critically and who master the field-specific language of the discipline will be given a mark of excellence.

Those students who demonstrate a mnemonic knowledge of the subject with a more superficial analytical ability and ability to synthesize, a correct command of the language but not always appropriate, will be given a ‘fair' mark.

A superficial knowledge and understanding of the material, a scarce analytical and expressive ability that is not always appropriate will be rewarded with a pass mark or just above a pass mark.

Students who demonstrate gaps in their knowledge of the subject matter, inappropriate language use, lack of familiarity with the literature in the programme bibliography will not be given a pass mark.

Teaching tools

Il Padrino, Francis Ford Coppola, 1972
Il Padrino - Parte II, Francis Ford Coppola, 1974
Il Padrino - Parte III, Francis Ford Coppola, 1990

Scarface, Brian De Palma, 1983

Gomorra, Matteo Garrone, 2008

Gomorra- La serie, 2014

In addition to lectures, held by the teacher, scholars will be invited to bring a significant contribution to increasing the issues upon which focuses the course.

Office hours

See the website of Giuliana Benvenuti