ITAL 306 - Reading Rodari: Revolutionary Rhymes, Telephone Tales, Fantastical Grammar

Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)

Beloved author of children’s tales and nursery rhymes, Gianni Rodari (1920-1980) was also an educator and a prolific journalist who commented on social inequalities in a variety of media. Nonsense and linguistic play cleverly introduced pacifism, class conflict, and environmental issues in his works, promoting nonconformist responses to injustice. Reading a wide selection of fiction and non-fiction writings, students deepen their knowledge of Italian society in post-WWII decades, reflect on the country’s new democratic institutions, and consider the role of imagination and creativity in shaping political change. We discuss Rodari’s canonical status in Italian children’s literature and his popularity in continental Europe, and interrogate the scarcity of English translations through intercultural investigations. Translations, storytelling, and other creative projects allow students to engage with “the grammar of fantasy” and explore “the liberating power of words” that inspired Rodari’s democratic motto: “Tutti gli usi della parola a tutti.” In Italian. Simona Bondavalli.

Prerequisite(s): ITAL 220 or ITAL 222. (ITAL 217 with instructor’s permission)

Two 75-minute periods.

Course Format: CLS