Seminars are typically reserved for juniors and seniors; sophomores can work their way into the course while first-years are completely out of the question. I didn't plan on taking my first out of two required English seminars this semester, but I couldn't pass this one up. It's solely devoted to Ursula K. Le Guin, a pioneering fantasy and sci-fi writer who has tackled issues about the natural world, sexuality, gender and so on, and I love her short stories too much to let this opportunity slide. After answering a questionnaire application and getting signatures for the Registrar, I'm extremely grateful that I was granted admittance into the section and my experience so far has been a combination of intimidation and exhilaration. Here's what I mean.
1. The class is small.
Which I'm very much used to at this point because aside from colloquiums, most English courses are capped at 20 students. Maybe it's because this is a seminar, but I feel like there's a lot more focus on each individual student and their words. Then again, my other English class houses a whopping 100, so the difference is extremely distinct.
2. We read one novel per week, plus accompanying essays/criticisms.
Again, nothing too out of the ordinary, but it starts to get to you once you're bombarded with assignments from other courses. Though, it does help a lot that Le Guin's works are riveting and engaging. The essays and criticisms can be a hit or miss; I have to say, the ones that Le Guin wrote are probably my most favorite to date.
3. Le Guin really doesn't beat around the bush.
For one thing, she's taken inspiration from the intrinsic moral values of Taoism and placed them in her works. There are also the boundaries she's broken, especially considering the time they were published. Famously, The Wizard of Earthsea features people of color as central characters, The Left Hand of Darkness deals entirely with androgyny and gender fluidity and Tehanu closes in on a more feminist view through the female lead herself. Le Guin is no coward and creates stories that challenge our world and all of its preconceived notions. It's no wonder that she's a quintessential Smithie favorite.
4. I still don't like speaking up in class.
Yes, I still haven't fixed this problem of mine. No, I'm not sure if that will change anytime soon, though I hope that it will. It's strange, really. I have a lot to say through online Moodle postings but once I enter that specific classroom, my mouth clamps shut unless I'm called on.
Oh, the anxiety.
5. I have so much to learn.
Because my section is predominantly juniors and seniors (I think there's one other sophomore, though I'm not entirely sure), I practically have no pieces of wisdom to offer compared to them. They've taken more classes than me and have been exposed to a wider variety of literature. They know what they want to say and how to say it in a certain way. Much of the time, most of my confusion over a passage or an overall theme went away after my peers discussed the implications behind Le Guin's words. I can't do that yet and I need to work on it, but for now I'll soak everything in as best as I can.
