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Course Info for FYSM - 176 - 01, Fall 2026
Class number: 3399 Title: Chasing Giants with Quixote Department: First Year Sem & Colloq
Career: Undergraduate Component: Seminar Session: Regular
Instructor's Permission Required: Yes Grading Basis: Graded Units: 1.00
Enrollment limited to 16 Current enrollment: 16 Available seats: 0
Start date: Tuesday, September 8, 2026 End date: Wednesday, December 23, 2026 Mode of Instruction: In Person
Schedule: TR: 1:30PM-2:45PM, HL - 123 Instructor(s): Gelardo-Rodriguez, Teresa
Prerequisite(s): Only first-year students are eligible to enroll in this class.
Distribution Requirement: Meets FirstYr Seminar Requirement
Course Description:
What does it mean to be a Don Quixote today? What can this errant knight (at once absurd and profoundly human) reveal about the world we live in now? Written centuries ago by the Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote stands as one of the greatest literary masterpieces of all time, introducing a character who has had an extraordinary influence across cultures, languages, and artistic traditions. This seminar explores Don Quixote as an original wild wanderer and traces his legacy in contemporary quixotic figures in literature and film. Students will examine how these dreamers and outsiders continue to shape contemporary culture, influencing films, graphic novels, short stories, and other creative forms. Through close readings, dynamic discussions, acting exercises, creative writing, and inventive in-class activities, students will be immersed in worlds where giants loom large (sometimes real, sometimes imagined). Together, we will reflect on the power of idealism, creativity, and storytelling, and consider why quixotic characters still matter in a wide, uncertain world that demands idealism and heroism.