Registration for this course is closed. An avid mythology and folklore scholar, 2018 Nobel Prize winner in literature Olga Tokarczuk acknowledges these influences on her work. She wrote in her biography for the Nobel Prize: “Our task is to synthesize and consolidate the world, looking for connections, both overt and hidden, and building an image of the world as a complex whole full of mutual relations.” In “Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead,” Tokarczuk’s protagonist, Janina, studies astrology and translates Blake’s poetry while housesitting for the winter in a remote Polish village. A reclusive older woman, she prefers animals to people. When her neighbor turns up dead, Janina entangles herself in the investigation, and the mystery unfolds through her eyes as the body count rises. In a lecture/discussion format, the class will examine the novel, related literary criticism, and Blake’s poetry. During the final session, students will discuss the movie adaptation, “Spoor.” NOTE: Students are encouraged to read the novel before the course begins and see the film “Spoor” before the last session. Each session of the course will concentrate on about one quarter of the book, approximately 75 pages. The film is available through several paid platforms and is free through the Jackson County Library Services Kanopy app.