"Literature in our Lives" is a multi-genre course that will introduce students to the basic theory and practice of literary studies. Beginning with a theoretical introduction to a range of literary genres, students will explore the ways in which literature works both in technical terms and in relation to human experience. Combining a thematic focus (on questions, for example, of identity, class, history, language, and gender) with discussions of forms and techniques, the course will engage with multiple texts while leading students to think and write critically about various forms of literary expression.