Department of English

Business and Literature is an introductory English course designed to explore the representation of modern commerce, corporate and entrepreneurial life, focusing on the emotional, moral, and social life of people working in business from 1840 to the present. The course is open to a mix of undergraduates from the College and Wharton and indeed from any school or major. The core materials in Business and Literature are classic and contemporary novels (and films) that provide a rich and rounded picture of the development of the modern corporation and of the life of business people. The works range across tones and genres, from sentimental to satirical, family saga to spiritual autobiography. Secondary readings will extend backward to 19th-century intellectual and historical contexts for the primary readings. The syllabus centers on British and American literature but expands into a global framework that includes nonwestern economies and diasporic commerce. Key course themes will include: idealism as/vs pragmatism; virtue as/vs wealth creation; spiritualized and moralized capitalism; the values associated with growth, progress, and the work ethic; the family and the firm as sites of social reproduction; business and the professions; gender, sex, and business culture; globalization and financialization in the post-industrial world. Requirements will include a) frequent quizzes; b) two papers and a variety of exercises to prepare students for textual analysis; and c) a take-home final exam.