De Beauvoir is a world-famous author – one of the Big eclectic thinker-writers of the mid-late 20th century – with an enormous output. Slowly her novels are being recognised as philosophical works – as examples of the lived-experience – people could see themselves in her characters,’ their thinking and motivations, challenges and difficult situations. Her memoirs are a chronicle of the times and her effort to make, take, tailor and tell her own existential life story. Simone is a challenging writer for the reader, yet a great author, who loved and knew the practical and transcendent effect of words that can change individual lives and societies.

DELIVERY MODE

• Face-to-Face

SUGGESTED READING

Some works of Simone de Beauvoir:

• Memoir of a Dutiful Daughter (2005), Harper Perrenial NY, ISBN 978006082519
• A Very Easy Death "Une morte tres douce" (1964), Pantheon NY, ISBN 0394728998
• The Prime of Life (1962) – Penguin London
• Letters to Sartre (1991) – Vintage London, ISBN 9780099914907

COURSE OUTLINE

• Her life as a voluminous writer for almost 50 years
• We will look at her role and impact as writer-intellectual and novelist
• Her use of novels and memoir to tailor and curate her own existential life story – in light of her portrayal by mainstream media as merely Sartre's follower
• 30 minutes facilitated discussion and discourse

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

1. Recognise Simone is one of the creative original thinkers and writers of the second half of the 20th century, with a substantial legacy for women and men
2. Recognise that Simone’s body-of-writings goes beyond the trail-blazing best-seller The Second Sex, as Simone herself clearly stated and lamented