LITR366

This course will examine how literature--memoirs, short stories, poetry, cinema, and novels from Africa, the Balkans, and Europe--responded to the Holocaust and other acts of 20th century genocide. The primary focus is how creative literature and films--in contrast to documentary writing--portray the most horrific and
recurrent development of the last century--genocide, These writings are unique and they raise uniquely literary questions. Theodor Adorno wrote in 195 1, “No poetry after Auschwitz." Students in Literature ofthe Holocaust must decide for themselves [through writing, discussion, conversation, and debate) the ethical implications ofcreating poetry and fiction that grapple with this existential wound. ls any poetry about Auschwitz an ethical lapse?