Title
Open Secrets: Literature, Education, And Authority From Jj. Rousseau To J. M. Coetzee
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Open Secrets reflects on contemporary humanistic pedagogy by examining the limits of the teachable in this domain. The Goethean motif of the open secret refers not to a revealed mystery but to an utterance that is not understood, the likely fate of any instruction based purely on authority. Revisiting the European Bildungsroman, it studies the pedagogical relationship from the point of view of the tutor or mentor figure rather than with the usual focus on the young hero. The argument is not confined to works of fiction, however, but examines texts in which the category of fiction has a crucial and constitutive function, for a growing awareness of limited authority on the part of the mentor figures is closely related to fictive selfconsciousness in the texts. Rousseau's Emile, as a seminovelised treatise, whose fictiveness is at once overt and yet unmarked, is relatively unaware of the imaginary nature of its envisaged authority. Passing through Laurence Sterne, C. M. Wieland, Goethe and Nietzsche, the situation is gradually reversed, culminating with the conscious impasse of authority in Thus Spoke Zarathustra. All these writers have achieved their pedagogical impact despite, indeed by means of, their internal scepticism. By contrast, in the three subsequent writers, D. H. Lawrence, F. R. Leavis and J. M. Coetzee, the impasse of pedagogical authority becomes more literal as the authority of Bildung is eroded in the wider culture. The awareness of pedagogical authority as a species of fiction, to be conducted in an aesthetic spirit, remains a significant prophylactic against the perennial pressure of reductive conceptions of the education as form of instructional 'production'.
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- Q: What is the main theme of 'Open Secrets'? A: 'Open Secrets' explores the limits of teachable moments in humanistic pedagogy, focusing on the nuances of authority in education and literature.
- Q: Who is the author of 'Open Secrets'? A: The author of 'Open Secrets: Literature, Education, and Authority from J-J. Rousseau to J. M. Coetzee' is Michael Bell.
- Q: What type of binding does this book have? A: 'Open Secrets' is available in a hardcover binding, providing durability and a premium feel.
- Q: How many pages does 'Open Secrets' contain? A: 'Open Secrets' contains a total of 272 pages.
- Q: When was 'Open Secrets' published? A: 'Open Secrets' was published on July 5, 2007.
- Q: What is the focus of the pedagogy discussed in this book? A: The book focuses on the relationship between tutors and students and critiques the notion of authority in educational contexts.
- Q: Is 'Open Secrets' suitable for educational professionals? A: Yes, 'Open Secrets' is particularly relevant for educators, scholars, and anyone interested in the intersection of literature and pedagogy.
- Q: Does the book include discussions on famous authors? A: Yes, it discusses influential authors such as J-J. Rousseau, Goethe, Nietzsche, and J. M. Coetzee among others.
- Q: What is the edition of 'Open Secrets'? A: 'Open Secrets' is published in its first edition.
- Q: Are there any specific literary works analyzed in 'Open Secrets'? A: Yes, the book analyzes works like Rousseau's 'Emile', Goethe's writings, and Nietzsche's 'Thus Spoke Zarathustra', among others.