Course Description
In 1947, two years before the publication of The Second Sex, Simone de Beauvoir spent four months traveling around the United States. She visited places such as New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, New Orleans, San Antonio, Las Vegas, and the Grand Canyon, chronicling her travels with a deeply personal voice, a generous sense of observation, and a clear interest in American landscapes, history, politics, race relations, labor relations, intellectual culture, artistic culture, and everyday life. Though she was traveling alone, she gave lectures and was in constant contact with friends and hosts. Notably, she visited Harlem with Richard Wright and Chicago with Nelson Algren. Her trip resulted in a 1947 essay published in the New York Times, “An Existentialist Looks at Americans,” and L’Amérique au jour le jour was published in French a year later.
While Simone de Beauvoir is most famous for her philosophical and feminist texts, I have always found that her autobiographical writings – America Day by Day and Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter – present her most compelling voice and provide a human window into the ideas that she explored in a more intellectualized mode elsewhere. In this class, we will read all of America Day by Day alongside excerpts from other writings by de Beauvoir and texts that invite clear comparisons, such as de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America. What can we learn from looking at postwar America through the eyes of de Beauvoir? We will also simply get the chance to appreciate this text for its exceptional ability to bring the America of 1947 alive through a blending of everyday observation with de Beauvoir’s keen intellect and literary skill.
Prerequisites:
No prerequisites. Taught by a Basic Program instructor, this course is open to all interested students.
Required Texts
1. Simone de Beauvoir, America Day by Day. University of California Press, 1999. ISBN 9780520210677
Frequently Asked Questions
Review common questions about our courses. You can also contact us for more information.
Do we take assessments in these courses?
Graham School non-credit courses are not graded and therefore have no tests. They focus on nourishing a love of learning, allowing you to immerse yourself in topics and discussions you find interesting.
How can I best prepare for class?
Complete any assigned reading and come prepared to participate actively in classroom discussion. While not required, we offer an optional course to prepare students to engage with challenging works: How to Read Classic Texts. While this is presented as an introductory course for the Basic Program, students in other programs or open enrollment courses are also welcome to participate and grow their skills.
Do I have to complete an application?
Applications are not required for our open enrollment courses.
Who is best suited to take a course at the Graham School?
Anyone who is interested in immersing themselves in these topics and engaging in deep discovery with others is welcome to take part in this course.
UChicago has a reputation for academic rigor. Will I be able to meaningfully participate in the classroom discussions?
Yes. Our non-credit courses are built for adults who have life experience and want to learn. Our instructors create an inclusive learning environment by encouraging all students to participate, regardless of their academic background.
What happens if I have to miss a class?
Our online classes are recorded and shared with the registered students through the Canvas site for the course. For in-person courses, you can ask a fellow student to take notes for you if you have to miss a session.
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You can find our withdrawal and cancellation policy with other registration issues here. Most drop or transfer requests can be made through your student account.
Will this course be offered online or in person?
The Graham School offers both online and in-person class experiences. The description for each course section specifies whether it will be offered online through Canvas or in person at the Gleacher Center in downtown Chicago.
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While our courses are driven by live discussions, we do record the online sessions. If you miss a class, you can watch the recording to catch up. Please note that students may only access recordings for the sections in which they are registered. In-person classes are not recorded.
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