Q & A: English versus Literature Students

What do you think of the L&S English Department versus the CCS Literature Department? There were a few reasons why I chose to pose this question to English and Literature majors. Here are a few examples:

Example One: While studying in the L&S Honors Center, performing arts students were outside, waging a fake protest against the alphabet. An English major, also in the honors center, became quite aggravated… “Damn CCS Literature students, protesting grades!”

Example Two: During dinner with a Literature major, he stated, “I’m not saying that CCS Literature is better. All I’m saying is that if CCS sold shirts that said ‘I chose Literature because English wasn’t good enough,’ I’d buy it.”

Example Three: As I was tutoring a girl, she was shocked to learn I was a CCS Literature major as well as an L&S Film and Media Studies major – “Besides you, I’ve never talked to a CCS student, and I’ve hardly see them. Whenever I pass by the CCS building, there are students on the grass. Or at lunch, I’ll see someone eating alone, and I think he must be in CCS. Maybe it’s because you’re in both colleges…maybe that’s why you’re different.”

All in all, what some may think of CCS Literature students from these three examples are as follows: We are strange, pompous unicorns who like to lie in the grass.

There seems to be a feud between English and Literature students…one can only hope that someday, the twain shall meet…

What do you think of the L&S English Department versus the CCS Literature Department?

Irene Ward, L&S Art History Major and English Major (3^rd year)

I kind of thought that English students were more analytical and boring and CCS students were more creative and open-minded. English doesn’t have that same passion. It’s not that English students don’t care, but it’s not the same. I think CCS has a lot of perks as a smaller college.

Pamela Capalad, CCS Literature Major (4^th year)

I have to think about [it]…I’ve wondered about that myself. CCS Lit. kids are definitely weirder.

Annie Sterling, L&S Global Studies Major and English Major (4^th year)

CCS students seem more creative. They have a lot more freedom in how they formulate their essays. I think there’s a lot of stereotypes, and it’s true about CCS students being more like “hippies.” But they also have the courage to pursue what they want. English is more about how to analyze and respond. CCS attracts different people.

Mana Mostatabi, CCS Literature Major (3^rd Year)

There are a lot more historical courses in the English Department, as opposed to CCS Lit., where we read books and transcribe them. In English classes, they pick novels that have a shared theme. In Lit. classes, we pick one author and read six of their books. In CCS, there’s little incentive to work harder than you’ll need to.

Ronnie Choi, L&S Film and Media Studies Major and English Major (3^rd year)

Hmm, I’m not really sure because I don’t know many CCS Literature students, but I do know for the L&S English Department, there seems to be a focus on the history of the works we read. Although our understanding of the plot is important also, we need to learn about the historical context, the cultural context, and the development of the author in regards to how he or she got to the point of writing the work we’re reading. Also, we focus on the purpose of the work. Like, why is it written? What purpose does it serve? And, usually, it’s not a simple answer of entertaining the masses. Perhaps, with CCS Literature students, they focus more on the student’s own life to develop creativity? I’m not really sure!

Tyler Vickers, CCS Literature Major (3^rd Year)

I wouldn’t say that there are necessarily any intellectual distinctions between both types of English student, and any sort of comparison I might draw between the two would be in danger of becoming a biased generality. That being said, I think that those students who are exposed to CCS curriculum experience a greater degree of freedom in the work that they choose to do as well as come in direct contact with their professors which, depending on the strengths of the professor, allow them to take more responsibility in their education and better prepare themselves for theoretical understanding as well as creative expression. This experience, in turn, occasionally gives them a practical and useful foundation for success and innovation when they attend a class in L&S English or in any other discipline.

Michael Pecchio, CCS Literature (5^th year)

Since I haven’t actually taken classes in the English Department, I can’t say. I don’t think I could’ve learned as much about creative writing, or editing one’s own writing, in the English Dept.

Elana Wenocur, CCS Literature (4^th year)

I found [CCS Literature] to be a very mixed bag.

Jonathan Forbes, L&S Spanish Major and English Major (4^th year)

My understanding of the differences between CCS Literature and English Majors is that while English Majors just study American or British literature, CCS students can take literature courses from various foreign-language departments on campus. Also, the courses in literature that the College of Creative Studies offers seems to include a wide variety: from American and British literature, to literature in translation, to creative writing courses. Lastly, while in the English Department students usually write analytical papers, some CCS classes and students allow for the option to do less conventional forms of writing: journals, projects, stories, etc. And I suppose the most obvious thing is that English majors’ diplomas say “English” and CCS majors’ say “Creative Studies.”