The Global Appeal of a Local Saga: Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan Novels and the Power of Storytelling

This seminar explores the profound impact of storytelling, focusing on Elena Ferrante's "Neapolitan Novels," a global literary sensation translated into fifty languages that sparked a "Ferrante Fever." We will explore the novels' central themes of female friendship, identity formation, socioeconomic inequalities, and violence through the lenses of psychoanalysis, deconstruction, and feminist philosophy. Assignments include short response papers, a midterm, and a final paper.