Source: School of Foreign Languages
Written by: Chen Yanting
Translated by: Peng Ting, Zheng Lei
Edited by: Wang Dongmei

On the evening of September 28, the Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU) Center for English-language Creative Writing held the first Book Club. Professor Dai Fan, director of the Center and head of the English Department attended the Book Club and had an in-depth discussion on the English novel Wide Sargasso Sea with 15 SYSU students of different majors.

The discussion was led by Dr. Chiu Kang-yen, a teacher from English Department, School of Foreign Languages. He gave an introduction to Wide Sargasso Sea and its author Jean Rhys, and noted the significance of the novel as the prelude of Jane Eyre. He then played two videos, and initiated the discussion among students. During the discussion, Dr. Chiu applied the insights of his own research and provided practical advice on literary reading and academic research, while Prof. Dai Fan related it to creative writing and encouraged students to do more reading and instill the sense of social responsibility into writing.
 

The First Book Club of SYSU Center for English-language Creative Writing
 

The Book Club is part of the Reading and Writing Forum run by SYSU Center for English-language Creative Writing. In the Book Club, motivated students are led by a teacher and participate in the discussion on recommended literary work and its writing techniques, theme, the time and people reflected in the given reading. One teacher, one piece of literary work, and fifteen students make the Book Club. The Book Club aims to encourage SYSU students to read more literary works and cultivate their literary talents and critical thinking.

It is scheduled to operate 8 reading sessions in the academic year of 2014. Teachers from the Center will host the discussion in turn. Each reading session enrolls 15 students and each student can sign up for no more than three times in one academic year. All reading sessions will be announced one month before the group discussion. Students sign up in room 211 at FLS building where they will take a copy of the reading materials.