The Art of Reading Difficult Texts: Moby Dick

Some books have the reputation of being difficult and scare potential readers away. This course aims to make some notoriously ‘difficult’ texts both accessible and enjoyable.

The course concentrates on a selected ‘big bad book’, exploring in-depth its content, the context in which it was written, its sources and its legacy.

Each week, we take a deep dive into one part of the book. We will analyse the themes and techniques of the book and try to identify the literary devices used by the author. We will also examine the literary tradition in which the book can be placed and its influence on later writers. How does the social, political and cultural context in which the book was created influence the material?

The book we will look at in this iteration of the course will be:

Moby Dick by Herman Melville.

Please note, you are advised not to purchase any books until the course is confirmed to run.

You will require access to a device with an internet connection. 

If you have fully engaged with all the learning activities and attended regularly, by the end of the course, you should be able to:

• Engage critically with fictional texts, describe and analyse themes and techniques and deliver the results in a lucid and articulate style;
• Demonstrate a good general understanding of different narrative strategies and storytelling traditions and the ways they inform each other;
• Explain the social, political and cultural context in which the texts were created;
• Discuss the degree to which literature, and popular culture in general, are influenced by politics and ideology. 

No previous experience is required.

We welcome all and are committed to fostering a positive culture and sense of community among learners and staff. We expect learners to treat others with dignity and respect. Learners must be aged 16+.

If you have a disability, learning difficulty, health condition, or personal circumstances which may affect your learning, please let us know so that we can make appropriate adjustments in accordance with the Equality Act 2010. 

Wherever possible, we mainstream adjustments in line with the University’s accessible and inclusive learning policy. 

Learners will have limited access to the University’s student support services who will signpost appropriate local sources of support. 

This course is suitable for those with no prior experience of university study.

You will need to have reading, listening and communication skills, including the ability to understand detailed ideas and information presented verbally and in writing. You must be comfortable learning in English if it is not your first language. You will need basic digital skills, such as using a computer and navigating a website, to access the learning materials.

Please note that the course booking deadline is 8 days before the course start date.