UW-Milwaukee: L&S Freshman Scholars Seminars

Fall 2008 Seminars

Comparative Literature

Discovering Food: Myth, Ritual, and Symbol

Michael Fountain, Lecturer

Throughout history the banquet has provided special inspiration for artists as demonstrated in literary texts, in paintings of the Masters, in music of great composers and in films of major directors. An artist may include a banquet to reflect diversity: of those eating, what is eaten, how it is eaten and what happens while it is being eaten leaving an archive of anthropological development and cultural history. The banquet in art is a revelation of individual character and social complexity.

The participants in this seminar will search the shelves of the aesthetic market for representations of banquets in literature, art, film and music and will share them "at the table" as they converse with their "companions." Our goal will be to develop a methodology for discovering the powerful symbolic meaning that food and its sharing has for both the artist in making a work of art and for those interpreting it.

Michael Fountain, from the Department of French, Italian and Comparative Literature, teaches courses in Literature and the Nazi Era. He presents the historical novel as a comprehensive reading of the period. A former history professor here at UWM taught him that to understand the history of a period one must do more than memorize dates, etc. That professor taught the historical data but had guest lectures on the literature, music, philosophy and religious practices of the time complemented his lectures. This has left a lasting impression on M. Fountain who strives to pass the lesson on. It is an exciting, demanding but richly rewarding engagement.

Number: COMPLIT 192, SEM 001
Credits: 3HU
Time: TR 9:30am-10:45am
Place: CRT 209
Class Number: 60073

The Bible, The Blues, and The Black Experience

Demetrius Williams, Associate Professor

African Americans have long found the Bible a source of comfort and inspiration, with its themes of love and liberation from slavery, triumph in the face of daunting challenge, "wandering in the wilderness," freedom, family, and foundational faith. This course will explore the Bible from the African-American perspective and will include a range of topics from spirituals and the Blues, to autobiographies, literature, and Gospel music. We will also explore the potential and actual limitations of the Bible's influence in African American culture and how some later political/religious movements sought to abandon it (and Christianity) all together. No prior knowledge of the Bible or African-American literature and culture are required.

Professor Williams is a native of Milwaukee and a UW-Milwaukee alumnus (B.A. 1986, Comparative Study of Religion). After leaving Milwaukee to pursue graduate studies, he earned a M.T.S., M.Div. and a Th.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins from Harvard Divinity School. Before joining the faculty at UWM, he held the positions of Associate Professor and Director of the Religious Studies Program at Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana (1996-2006). Professor Williams' primary area of research and interest is exploring the social/political/religious/cultural uses of the Bible in the ancient and modern contexts. Besides religious studies, he love playing basketball and reading novels.

Number: COMPLIT 192, SEM 003
Credits: 3HU
Time: TR 11:00am-12:15pm
Place: CRT 221
Class Number: 60657

© College of Letters and Science, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Freshman Scholars Program, PO Box 413, Holton Hall G18, Milwaukee, WI 53201
Send your questions and comments to L&S Web Team
Last Updated: May 8, 2008


Humanities Africology Celtic Studies Communication Comparative Literature English Ethnic Studies German History Italian Philosophy Women's Studies Natural Science Atmospheric Sciences Biological Sciences Geociences Physics Social Science Africology Anthropology Economics Political Science Psychology Sociology Cultural Diversity English		Fall 2008 Seminars Comparative Literature Discovering Food: Myth, Ritual, and Symbol The Bible, The Blues, and The Black Experience Discovering Food: Myth, Ritual, and Symbol Michael Fountain, Lecturer Throughout history the banquet has provided special inspiration for artists as demonstrated in literary texts, in paintings of the Masters, in music of great composers and in films of major directors. An artist may include a banquet to reflect diversity: of those eating, what is eaten, how it is eaten and what happens while it is being eaten leaving an archive of anthropological development and cultural history. The banquet in art is a revelation of individual character and social complexity. The participants in this seminar will search the shelves of the aesthetic market for representations of banquets in literature, art, film and music and will share them "at the table" as they converse with their "companions." Our goal will be to develop a methodology for discovering the powerful symbolic meaning that food and its sharing has for both the artist in making a work of art and for those interpreting it. Michael Fountain, from the Department of French, Italian and Comparative Literature, teaches courses in Literature and the Nazi Era. He presents the historical novel as a comprehensive reading of the period. A former history professor here at UWM taught him that to understand the history of a period one must do more than memorize dates, etc. That professor taught the historical data but had guest lectures on the literature, music, philosophy and religious practices of the time complemented his lectures. This has left a lasting impression on M. Fountain who strives to pass the lesson on. It is an exciting, demanding but richly rewarding engagement. Number: COMPLIT 192, SEM 001 Credits: 3HU Time: TR 9:30am-10:45am Place: CRT 209 Class Number: 60073 Check current enrollment information. Return to Top of Page The Bible, The Blues, and The Black Experience Demetrius Williams, Associate Professor African Americans have long found the Bible a source of comfort and inspiration, with its themes of love and liberation from slavery, triumph in the face of daunting challenge, "wandering in the wilderness," freedom, family, and foundational faith. This course will explore the Bible from the African-American perspective and will include a range of topics from spirituals and the Blues, to autobiographies, literature, and Gospel music. We will also explore the potential and actual limitations of the Bible's influence in African American culture and how some later political/religious movements sought to abandon it (and Christianity) all together. No prior knowledge of the Bible or African-American literature and culture are required. Professor Williams is a native of Milwaukee and a UW-Milwaukee alumnus (B.A. 1986, Comparative Study of Religion). After leaving Milwaukee to pursue graduate studies, he earned a M.T.S., M.Div. and a Th.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins from Harvard Divinity School. Before joining the faculty at UWM, he held the positions of Associate Professor and Director of the Religious Studies Program at Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana (1996-2006). Professor Williams' primary area of research and interest is exploring the social/political/religious/cultural uses of the Bible in the ancient and modern contexts. Besides religious studies, he love playing basketball and reading novels. Number: COMPLIT 192, SEM 003 Credits: 3HU Time: TR 11:00am-12:15pm Place: CRT 221 Class Number: 60657 Check current enrollment information. Return to Top of Page
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© College of Letters and Science, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Freshman Scholars Program, PO Box 413, Holton Hall G18, Milwaukee, WI 53201 Send your questions and comments to L&S Web Team Last Updated: May 8, 2008