Gaurav Majumdar, associate professor of English, and his class discuss a text in a recent Encounters session.
Jazmin Moledina '15, Woodside, Calif. –
Our “Truth and Doubt” unit is unique in that we are studying a multitude of texts, like “Confessions” by Augustine and “Symposium” by Plato, where the authors seem to build off of each other’s ideas. Yet, in class we take these points of comparison even further and challenge one another to apply overarching themes from the past works to each new text.
Tina Welsh '15 - Eugene, Ore.
When we finished reading “Othello” this week, I realized how much it connected to the other texts in this unit, in particular to Augustine’s “Confessions” and Plato’s “Symposium.” All three works are so different but looking at how they each present truth and doubt was fascinating. There is no way could I have made those comparisons last year in high school.
Chelan Pauly '15 - Wenatchee, Wash.
Little reminders of Encounters readings pop up around campus. The books seem to intertwine with aspects of daily life. Today as I was sitting by the creek reading Augustine's “Confessions”, the clock tower bell tolled in unison with his point about memory and the senses. It was as if the bell confirmed his point about the power of hearing.
Zac Parker '15 - Kalispell, Mont.
The discussion I enjoyed most was after we read Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from a Birmingham Jail." Kate Shuster, who presented at Whitman on her work with the Southern Poverty Law Center, joined us to discuss what the letter meant in the larger context of civil rights education in the U.S.
Tina Welsh – Eugene, Ore.
Encounters “levels the playing field” and gets every first-year student up to speed on college level learning and literary analysis. It enables us to transition smoothly to college learning style. Gone are the days of torturing meaning out of literary works and accepting prescribed beliefs about texts.
Rachael Barton – Oregon City, Ore.
Encounters has made me more self-aware, objective, curious and vulnerable; the class teaches me to apply these qualities in an academic setting to better engage in discussion. Reading different religious teachings makes me more aware of my own perspectives.
Zac Parker – Kalispell, Mont.
Through the wide variety of texts, Encounters brings me face-to-face with unexpected ways of understanding concepts. Art Spiegelman’s Maus showed me that when words simply cannot relate the magnitude of an atrocity, an alternative medium can be used to convey the message.
Works studied during this first-year course range from “The Bhagavad Gita” to Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”
Peter Carmichael – Bellingham. Wash.
Encounters class time is when my own individual understanding of the text is built upon by other students, where incongruous ideas about the same passage can be debated, where questions can be answered and a better understanding achieved.
Connor Dixon – Mercer Island, Wash.
From the first week, my Encounters professor told me that outside sources were prohibited. The concept was foreign to me. But by grounding my evidence solely in the text, I am learning to present a more persuasive argument than by using a third-party for support.
Chelan Pauly – Wenatchee, Wash.
Encounters highlights the importance of perspective and its impact on the outcome of a situation. I analyze not only the perspectives of the characters in the texts but I also alter my own personal perspective as a reader.
Sarah Debs – Monte Sereno, Calif.
I have learned from The Bhagavad-Gita the notion of collective existence, which reminds me to not be self-centered. While I have always lived driven by my identity as an individual, The Bhagavad-Gita introduced me to the idea of collective existence.
Tina Welsh – Eugene, Ore.
In Encounters, it seems like we dissect a text less than we gently pry it open, observe and examine what’s inside. It’s a liberating form of analysis. We are encouraged to find excerpts that capture our interests and want to explore further.
Rachael Barton – Oregon City, Ore.
When discussions start with ‘based on this passage’ as opposed to ‘based on what I heard when I was little,’ more people become involved. My classmates and I create complex discussions based on information that we had all read, not perspectives from sharing stories.
Zac Parker – Kalispell, Mont.
From the first six words, The Bhagavad-Gita starts a discussion of whether it’s even possible to free oneself of individuality, then moves to claim that individuality taints ones understanding, and closes with the argument that it is not possible to kill someone. Through Encounters, I am engaging these concepts at their source.
Peter Carmichael – Bellingham. Wash.
Encounters has focused my thoughts and forced me to consider my ideas and those of my peers. It provides an active learning environment, stretching my comfort zone. It has made a difference in the way I read and interpret literary works and my willingness to spend the time necessary to come to a complete understanding.
