RLFR 106(S) Advanced French II: Linguistic and Cultural Intrigue in the Francophone World
The plot thickens as Claire Plouffe's quest takes her and Jean-Louis Royer to the
lush tropical climes of Fort-de-France in Martinique, to the relaxed
multi-cultural setting of Sénégal and French West Africa, on to the homey
comforts of Geneva and Switzerland, the rustic, lavender-laden ambience of
Provence and the South of France, and finally, the vertiginous return to Quebec
and the unraveling and resolution of the enigma. Now, the range of cultural signs
is even more disparate, from the disquieting confrontations with colonialism and
racial injustice, the aspirations of négritude, the animist spirituality of African
culture, the linguistic and political independence of the Suisse Romande, and the
ancient sense of linguistic and cultural autonomy that has helped shape
Provence's distinctiveness within the unity that is France. As the mystery
reaches its dénouement, the unraveling leads to a series of revelations that shed
light on the tales of murder, treachery, betrayal, and purported forgery that have
served as the backdrop to Claire's long quest for the mysterious manuscript. This
course continues the basic structure, goals and methodology developed in
French 105. It assumes active familiarity with the French present, compound
past, imperfect, and subjunctive tenses, as well as with most of the basic
irregular verbs. Its focus continues to highlight writing, reading, and aural
comprehension skills in the context of multi-cultural interpretation and grammar
review. Conducted in French.
Format: Lecture/discussion. Requirements: class participation, attendance, short
papers, and five hour-long exams.
Prerequisites: French 101-102, 103, 105 or examination placement. Enrollment
limit: 20 (expected: 20). Preference given to students continuing from RLFR 105
and those admitted by placement.
Note: See RLFR 105 for more information on the sequencing of French
105/106.