Faculty First Year Seminars 191HON1 - The Meaning of Life: Masterpi

In The Meaning of Life: Masterpieces of Russian Literature and Spiritual Inquiry, we will focus on some of the most famous short works of Russian fiction ever written, by classic authors such as Pushkin, Gogol, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, and Chekhov - and discuss the ways in which each writer grapples with the Russian ?cursed questions?: Why are we here? What is a ?successful? life? What is the nature of true love? What is our moral responsibility to self and society? By means of class discussion and short writing assignments, students will examine their own lives through the prism of these timeless works of Russian literature with the goal of better understanding one's own identity, beliefs, and aspirations. Our inclusive classroom environment will encourage students to respect the diverse ideas and perspectives of others. In addition, several class meetings throughout the semester will be devoted to helping students navigate their first-year experience at UMass, including topics on transitioning from high school to college, time management and academic planning, and available resources and opportunities.

Freshmen Only