FORM2840 · Education
Lynch School of Education & Human Development
What is the self? How is our self related to the stories we tell about ourselves? Can one tell a true life story? Or are the stories of our lives better regarded as "fictions," spun out to the narrative imagination? Drawing on readings from psychology, literature, and philosophy as well as selected autobiographies and memoirs, this course will examine the process by which people create and tell the stories of their lives. Topics include the nature of memory, the palce of language and culture in shaping the self, the difference between life as lived and life as told, and the role of life stories in the creation of personal identity. Alongside our exploration of these topics, we will also explore, and create, our own life stories and will therefore need to ask: Who am I? How did I become who I am? How should I live my life?
Course experience
Averages use the original five-point historical evaluation scale.
Organization
4.5 / 5
How well the course was organized
Challenge
4.7 / 5
How intellectually challenging students found it
Attendance
4.5 / 5
How necessary attendance was
Assignments
4.6 / 5
How helpful assignments were
Weekly effort
~5
hours per week
Estimated from the original workload response buckets. Individual sections may differ.
Instructor options
Ratings below reflect the evaluations connected to this course.
Across time
Available section-level results across semesters.
Spring 2025
1 section