ENG 106 - Everyone’s a Critic (W) (1)

Whether it’s the haughty pages of the New York Times, comedic TikTok stitches, or rambling IMDB forums, you’ll find opinions about art, fashion, and media everywhere. The best of these opinions, written by thoughtful and experienced critics like Roxane Gay or Zadie Smith, rise above mere review or content creation: Under the master critic’s guidance, a discussion of the latest video game, tech gadget, comedy special, or hit album becomes its own form of art exploring how these cultural artifacts affect and reflect real lives. In this class, we’ll read many exemplary critics who blend artful analysis with personal flair, and we’ll emulate them as we respond to the contemporary media and movements that are important to us. As we create these critiques, we’ll work across multiple genres – from traditional review articles to new platforms like social media and fanzines – practicing the key skills of successful writers: drafting, revising, collaborating, more revising, and publishing. Not open to students who have already taken a First Year Writing course (FYW).
(First Year Writing Seminar (FYW)) (Humanities)