HON 302 - Witnessing the World: The Art of Travel Writing

Prerequisite, acceptance to the University Honors Program or consent of instructor and Honors Director. Marcel Proust once said, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” Why do people desire travel? Can journeys of the imagination be as satisfying as firsthand travel experiences? Can traveling around a neighborhood stimulate us as much as trips to other continents? In this course, characterized as both a writer’s workshop and a Socratic seminar, students examine the stages of travel from anticipation to return and uncover motivations behind the desire to witness the world and then write about it. Students analyze, according to artistic style, cultural bias and rhetorical impact, celebrated and representative examples of travel literature and media as well as create their own original travel writings. Letter grade. (Offered as needed.) 3 credits