David Foster Wallace: Literature and Philosophy

Discover the life and literature of David Foster Wallace

David Foster Wallace is widely regarded as one of the greatest American writers of his generation. By turns funny and moving, his formally innovative novels, short stories, and essays explore themes like boredom, addiction, irony, and the self.

On this six-week course from Manchester Grammar School, you’ll delve into the life and literature of David Foster Wallace. As you explore Foster Wallace’s philosophical and cultural impact, you’ll hone your literary analysis skills and philosophical thinking.

Explore key themes like addiction, irony, and the self

After an introduction to Foster Wallace’s life and literary influences, you’ll get stuck into analysing his writing. You’ll unpack his presentation of a range of key themes, including boredom, entertainment, addiction, and religion.

You’ll also take a closer look at the role of irony in Foster Wallace’s writing, together with his philosophical views on the nature of the self.

Understand Foster Wallace’s contribution to postmodernism

Foster Wallace’s status as a postmodernist writer is often disputed.

In Week 5 of the course, you’ll learn about postmodernism, post-postmodernism, and where Foster Wallace sits in relation to the two.

Read extracts from iconic works, including Foster Wallace’s masterpiece, Infinite Jest

Throughout the course, you’ll read extracts from some of Foster Wallace’s best-known works. From speeches and short stories to his philosophical reflections and groundbreaking novel, Infinite Jest, you’ll discover the diversity of Foster Wallace’s writing.

This course is designed for anyone interested in philosophy, culture, and literature, and specifically in the work of David Foster Wallace.

It is particularly suited to pre-undergraduate level students hoping to deepen their learning about literature and philosophy.

• Introduction: Life and Themes
• Wallace's life and context
• This is Water
• Reflections on literature’s purpose in the TV age
• Introduction to literature's purpose in the age of television
• Wallace's views on Television
• My Appearance
• Entertainment and/as addiction
• Introduction entertainment and/as addiction
• Freedom extract
• Recovery extract
• Irony and the self
• Introduction to week 4
• Irony
• The Self
• Infinite Jest extract
• Post-postmodernism
• Introduction to the post-postmodern
• 'Consider the Lobster'
• The relationship between author and reader
• Intro
• Octet