French (FREN)
Chair: Professor Scott D. Carpenter
Professors: Scott D. Carpenter, Cherif Keïta, Éva Pósfay, Dana J. Strand, Cathy M. Yandell
Visiting Assistant Professor: Scott A. Homler, James A. Long
Senior Lecturer: Cynthia Luck Shearer
Visiting Lecturer: Annick Fritz-Smead
Lecturer: Christine Lac
Language Courses:
Language courses 101, 102, 103, 204 are a sequential series of courses designed to prepare the student in the basic language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) through the study of grammar, literature, and culture, and/or to provide the foundation for pursuing advanced work in language and literature. French 206 and 209 are designed to develop the student's spoken and written mastery of the language through compositions and intensive oral work based on cultural and literary topics. Admission to these courses is determined either by appropriate high school CEEB or Carleton placement test scores, or by completion of the previous course in the sequence with a grade of C- or better.
Literature Courses:
We examine literary works for both their aesthetic and human values. Our literature courses have a number of goals: to refine and expand students' linguistic ability, to broaden their cultural understanding, to improve their ability to engage in literary analysis, to enhance their knowledge of literary history and criticism, and to help students better understand themselves and the human condition. In our discussions, we address universal themes and concerns, but we also try to uncover what is peculiarly French or Francophone about the works.
Requirements for a French Major:
Sixty-six credits including French 309, Literary and Cultural Studies 245 (usually in the junior year), French 398-399 (usually in the senior year), and the integrative exercise, French 400. Courses 101, 102, 103, 204 do not count toward the major. The sixty-six credits must include thirty-six credits at the 300 level (French 398, 399, or 400 do not count in this category). All courses conducted in French on the Paris and Mali programs count for the major. In addition to the sixty-six credits in the major, six credits are required in literature outside the major, read in the original language or in translation.
Concentration: See separate section for French and Francophone Studies.
Programs Abroad: Participation in a Carleton or in another approved foreign study program is highly recommended for students majoring or concentrating in the above areas. Students interested in study abroad should consult the section on international off-campus programs, and discuss alternatives with faculty in French and with the Director of Off-Campus Studies.
Certificate of Advanced Study in Foreign Language and Literature: In order to receive the Certificate of Advanced Study in French, students must fulfill the general requirements (refer to Academic Regulations) in the following course distribution: six courses completed with a grade of C- or better in French beyond 103, including at least two upper-level literature courses (300-395). Although courses for the certificate may be taken on a S/Cr/NC basis, "D" or "Cr" level work will not be sufficient to satisfy course requirements. No more than 12 credits from non-Carleton off-campus studies programs may be applied toward the certificate.
Language House: Students have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the language by living in the Language House. The Associate is a native speaker, and students organize and participate in numerous cultural activities in the Language House.
French Courses
FREN 101. Elementary French This course introduces the basic structures of the French language, everyday vocabulary and cultural situations. Students practice all four skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) in French. Taught five days a week in French. Prerequisite: none (Placement score for students with previous experience in French). 6 cr., ND, Fall—Staff
FREN 102. Elementary French This course introduces complex sentences and various tenses through short literary and cultural texts. Students practice all four skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) in French. Taught five days a week in French. Prerequisite: French 101 or Placement score. 6 cr., ND, Winter—Staff
FREN 103. Intermediate French This course reviews basic and complex sentence patterns in greater depth through the discussion of authentic short stories. Students practice all four skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) in French. Taught five days a week in French. Prerequisite: French 102 or Placement score. 6 cr., ND, Fall,Spring—Staff
FREN 204. Intermediate French Through discussion of book-length literary and cultural texts (film, etc.), and including in-depth grammar review, this course aims to help students acquire greater skill and confidence in both oral and written expression. Taught three days a week in French. Prerequisite: French 103 or Placement score. 6 cr., ND, Fall,Winter—Staff
FREN 206. The Media: A Multifaceted Approach
By way of various French and Francophone media, this course aims to increase your knowledge of France and the Francophone world, as well as improve your oral and written expression. In addition to the reading of various newspaper and magazine articles from diverse sources (France, Canada, Morocco, etc.), we will also work with television shows from TV 5 and a number of French and Francophone films. 6 cr., ND, Spring—A. Fritz-Smead
FREN 208. Paris Program: Conversation and Composition Focusing on topics of current interest in French society, this course is designed to help students gain ease and proficiency in spoken and written French. The course will be conducted and supervised by local instructors assisted by recent graduates of the Program in French as a Foreign Language at the University of Paris X. In addition to regular in-class activities, the graduate assistants will meet with students for weekly tutorials. 6 credits cr., AL, Spring—Non-Carleton Faculty
FREN 210. Coffee and News Keep up your French while learning about current issues in France, as well as world issues from a French perspective. Class meets once a week for an hour. Requirements include reading specific sections of leading French newspapers, (Le Monde, Libération, etc.) on the internet, and then meeting once a week to exchange ideas over coffee with a small group of students. Prerequisite: French 204 or permission of the instructor. 2 cr., S/CR/NC, ND, Fall,Winter,Spring—S. Carpenter, C. Yandell
FREN 235. Francophone Literature of Africa and the Caribbean Reading and discussion of literary works, with analysis of social, historical and political issues. Conducted in English. 6 cr., AL,RAD, Not offered in 2005-2006.
FREN 240. Introduction to French Literature: Love and Death in French and Francophone Literatures
What do famed protagonists such as Dom Juan and Carmen have in common? After a brief foray into seminal writings by Plato and Freud, this course will explore the relationship between love (eros) and death (thanatos) in some of the finest texts of French and Francophone literatures, film and music. Works by Molière, Riccoboni, Mérimée, Eberhardt, Gide, Truffaut, Ernaux, and an assortment of popular songs. Conducted in French. Prerequistite: French 204 or the equivalent. 6 credits cr., AL, Fall—É Pósfay
FREN 241. Introduction to French and Francophone Literatures: Sexuality and Sagacity What is the relationship between sexuality and knowledge? We will attempt to answer this question through novels, poetry and plays of such authors as Ronsard, Baudelaire, Gide, Sade, Sartre, Kundera and Nimier, as well as films of Téchiné and Kassovitz. This course serves as an introduction to the study of French and Francophone literatures and aims to develop students' skills in analysis and discussion in French. Prerequisite: French 204 or the equivalent. 6 cr., AL, Winter—C.Yandell
FREN 243. Topics in Cultural Studies: Cinema and Society
According to the French director, Bertrand Tavernier, "Filmmakers are the seismographs of their age. They bear witness, even unconsciously, to everything that surrounds them." In this course we will use films to gain a window into French culture and society as they have evolved throughout the twentieth century. Discussions will be based on screenings of films by, among others Jean Renoir, François Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, Agnès Varda, and interdisciplinary readings. Prerequisites: French 204 or the equivalent. 6 cr., AL, Spring—D. Strand
FREN 245. Francophone Literature of Africa and the Caribbean Reading and discussion of literary works, with analysis of social, historical and political issues. Conducted in French. Prerequisite: French 204 or the equivalent. 6 credits cr., AL,RAD, Not offered in 2005-2006.
FREN 246. Paris Program: City of Wonders: Paris in the Arts
Home of some of the finest and best-known museums in the world, Paris has long been recognized as a center for artistic activity. Students will have the opportunity to study French art of the last two centuries onsite: in-class lectures and discussions will be complemented by guided visits to the unparalleled collections of the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay, the Centre Pompidou, local art galleries, and other appropriate destinations. 6 cr., AL, Spring—Non-Carleton Faculty
FREN 249. Paris Program: European Identities: Visions of Paris
"Ajoutez deux lettres à Paris': c'est le Paradis" (Jules Renard). Why is it that Paris has been such a source of fascination and the object of so much unqualified adulation to generations of writers? And to what extent is it still the case today? This course examines Paris as a literary and cultural phenomenon from the nineteenth century to the present. It will also explore how Paris had been construed by a variety of French and Francophone authors. Every effort will be made to connect the course readings with experiential learning in the city. 6 cr., AL, Spring—É Pósfay
FREN 250. Mali Program: Film and Society in Mali This course will concentrate on the dynamics of traditional orality within the art of cinema in Mali. Feature films and documentaries by award-winning filmmakers such as Soulemane Cissé, Cheick Oumar Sissoko, Adama Drabo, Dany Kouyaté, and Abderrahmane Sissako will be screened and analyzed. Discussions with some of these filmmakers will introduce the student to the challenges and success of filmmaking in economically-challenged countries such as Mali and Burkina Faso. 6 cr., AL, Winter—Non-Carleton Faculty
FREN 251. Mali Program: Negotiating the Past: The Challenges of Nation-building in Mali This course will look at various issues in Malian history (ancient and modern) and the process of political and economic change. A component of this course will be an introduction to conversational Bambara, the lingua franca of Mali. 4 cr., AL, Winter—Non-Carleton Faculty
FREN 252. Mali Program: Literature and Society in Mali This course will focus on the theme of social change in different genres of Malian literature, from the colonial period to the present. By studying oral and written works by traditional and modern poets, novelists, and playwrights such as Seydou Badian and Massa Makan Diabaté, Moussa Konaté, and Amadou Hampaté Bâ, the student will get an understanding of issues such as education, marriage, and traditional vs. modern political power in contemporary Malian society. Meeting will be arranged with many writers and oral performers. 6 credits cr., AL, Winter—C. Keita
FREN 309. Beyond Words: The Fine Art of Writing in French
In this class we will attempt to master the art of writing essays, and exposés while wrestling with unruly subjunctives and pesky prepositions in French. We will study, translate and emulate various types of texts in order to develop a sense of style in French. We will work on projects such as subtitling of films, and translating picture books. Overall our work will focus on developing a continued appreciation for words and language. Required for the major in French. Prerequisite: at least one course above 204. 6 cr., AL, Spring—C. Lac
FREN 349. Paris Program: Visions of Paris
"Ajoutez deux letter à Paris': c'est le Paradis" (Jules Renard). Why is it that Paris has been such a source of fascination and the object of so much unqualified adulation to generations of writers? And to what extent is it still the case today? This course examines Paris as a literary and cultural phenomenon from the nineteenth century to the present. It will also explore how Paris had been construed by a variety of French and Francophone authors. Every effort will be made to connect the course readings with experiential learning in the city. 6 cr., AL, Spring—É Pósfay
FREN 351. Topics in the Sixteenth Century: Metamorphoses: Love, War and Monsters in Early Modern France The French Renaissance continues to intrigue students and critics by its propensity for paradox, ambiguity, and contradiction. Just as literature and the arts reached new levels of aesthetic achievement, the bloodiest civil war in French history was taking shape. Simultaneously producing lyric poetry praising beautiful bodies, bawdy tales, moralizing dialogue, and chronicles of monsters, French sixteenth century culture was in a constant state of flux. Through such authors as Rabelais, Marguerite de Navarre, Ronsard, Louise Labé and Montaigne, as well as contemporaneous artistic and musical works, we will investigate the meaning of these metamorphoses. Recommended preparation: French 240-level course or the equivalent. 6 cr., AL, Not offered in 2005-2006.
FREN 352. Seventeenth Century Literature: Eccentrics in Classical France Seventeenth century France is often touted as the pinnacle of French grandeur. Under Louis XIV's absolutist rule, France supported an astounding number of normative measures-from founding academies to policing codes of behavior-designed to help the French nation to become a political, economic and cultural world power. But in the midst of all these pressures towards normativeness, could one express any dissent in the age of Versailles? We will explore the creative strategies used in a whole range irreverent writings by Molière, Racine, Perrault, Lafayette, Choisy and many more. Conducted in French. Recommended preparation: French 240-level course or equivalent. 6 credits cr., AL, Not offered in 2005-2006.
FREN 354. Literature of the Other What is the division between Us and Them? The way we define the groups we belong to and those we differ from has always been of capital importance, and these definitions change over time. By looking at texts and events of the eigthteenth and nineteenth centuries, including travel literature, tales of the supernatural, texts from the Revolution and documents of colonization, we will investigate the creation and manipulation of various "Others," as they have been defined socially, culturally, and sexually. Authors may include Mme de Graffigny, Diderot, Sade, Mme de Staël, Balzac, Flaubert, Baudelaire, among others. Conducted in French. Recommended preparation: French 240-level course or equivalent. 6 credits cr., AL, Not offered in 2005-2006.
FREN 356. Topics in Nineteenth-Century Literature
The nineteenth century in France is a tumultuous period, punctuated by the aftershocks of the Revolution and preoccupied with massive social restructuring. With social upheaval comes a series of revolutions in literature and aesthetics, as witnessed in the works of such authors as De Staël, Balzac, Baudelaire, Sand, Flaubert, and others. This course pays particular attention to the birth of modernité. Recommended preparation: French 240 or above. Conducted in French. 6 cr., AL, Winter—S. Carpenter
FREN 359. Twentieth-Century Literature: The Novel and Memory Marcel Proust's quest to retrieve the past set the stage for future writers who, in their turn, have undertaken the challenging task of probing what bell hooks has referred to as "the debris of history." In this course, we will study representative novels and films that deal with memory, paying particular attention to the high stakes of remembering (and forgetting) at the intersection of personal story and history. The course syllabus may include works by Marguerite Duras, Albert Camus, Alain Resnais, François Truffaut, Hélène Cixous, and Marcel Proust. Taught in French. Prerequisite: French 204 or the equivalent. 6 cr., AL, Not offered in 2005-2006.
FREN 360. Topics in French Studies: Algeria-France
For the historian Benjamin Stora, the close and complex bond between France and Algeria is like a marriage, plagued by inequality and betrayal, and doomed to a violent divorce the repercussions of which are still being felt on either side of the Mediterranean. In this interdisciplinary course we will explore the 175-year relationship between Algeria and France through literary and historical texts and film. The course syllabus may include works by Assia Djebar, Albert Camus, Brigitte Rouan, Benjamin Stora, Tahar Djaout, Gillo Pontecorvo, Frantz Fanon, and Jacques Derrida. Taught in French. Prerequisites: 200-level French literature course or equivalent. 6 cr., AL, Spring—D. Strand
FREN 395. Autobiographical Lenses: Self/Other/Culture While "writing the self" may first appear to be a uniquely narcissistic enterprise, autobiography also reveals much about the culture from which it emerges. Readings include such authors as Montaigne, Rousseau, Romain Gary, Hervé Guibert, Gisèle Pineau, Azouz Begag and Amélie Nothomb. Throughout the course, students will also engage in an autobiographical project of their own. Prerequisite: French 240-level course or the equivalent. 6 cr., AL, Fall—C. Yandell
FREN 398. Senior Essay The planning, preparation and writing of a significant paper in French or French and Francophone Studies under the direction of the department. Devoted to formulating a thesis and establishing a critical bibliography. 3 cr., S/CR/NC, ND, Fall—S. Carpenter
FREN 399. Senior Essay The planning, preparation and writing of a significant paper in French or French and Francophone Studies under the direction of the department. Discussion of drafts with other seminar members and the completion of the essay. 3 cr., ND, Winter—S. Carpenter
FREN 400. Integrative Exercise A colloquium in which students present and defend their senior essays and discuss the essays of others. 3 cr., S/NC, ND, Spring—S. Carpenter