Walt Whitman once wrote that we humans contain multitudes, and in keeping with Whitman, I believe my life's work is to try to expand the known while seeking the new—in the classroom, on the page, and in the world. When I spend myself with heat and energy, I am a teacher, activist, writer, and editor. When I seek stillness and beauty, I am a reader and cook. And when I wish to connect—as E. M. Forster wrote, “Only connect”—I am a mother, spouse, friend, and collaborator. Welcome to my site.
The Great Courses
“Jennifer Cognard-Black is truly an inspiring teacher. ”
In the six lectures of Margaret Atwood: A Modern Myth-Maker, Dr. Jennifer Cognard-Black will take you on a thorough exploration of Atwood’s most celebrated novel to examine the many ways this book has transcended its dystopian roots to become something more than a tale of, “What if?”
In the 10 lectures of “Books That Cook: Food and Fiction,” Professor Cognard-Black takes you on a tour of culinary literature, from Proust’s evocative madeleine and the voracious hunger of fairy tales to the intersection of recipes with storytelling and how best to consume food films.
In 24 lectures, Professor Cognard-Black traces the American short story from its earliest examples of mythic and whimsical work to more realistic and experimental stories by modern maestros, teaching you how to interpret but also how to write such tales, transforming your life into original stories of your own.
In these 24 lectures, Professor Cognard-Black explores the versatility and expressiveness of the essay genre across numerous centuries, offers stimulating writing prompts, and provides advice on how to write compelling and insightful essays that people will read.
Margaret Atwood: A Modern Mythmaker
In 1985, Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale was published, joining the ranks of novels like 1984 and Brave New World in a growing canon of speculative tales that imagine a bleak future for the Western world. Like those stories, Atwood’s novel extrapolates an oppressive future from troubling events and trends in the real world. But unlike most other speculative novels, over the course of the last 40 years, The Handmaid’s Tale has become more than a cautionary tale—it has become a modern mythology.
In the six lectures of Margaret Atwood: A Modern Myth-Maker, Jennifer Cognard-Black provides a thorough exploration of Atwood’s most celebrated novel to examine the many ways this book has transcended its dystopian roots to become something more than a tale of “What if?” Over the course of these lectures, Cognard-Black examines the social, political, cultural, and spiritual impact of the novel—and of Atwood herself—diving deep into the text to unravel its themes and inspirations. Along the way, it becomes clear how Atwood’s work fits into our larger conceptions of archetypes, myths, and the hero’s journey.
Just as The Handmaid’s Tale has transcended its Cold-War-era origins to become something more, it has also extended its reach beyond the printed page, inspiring adaptations in film, opera, ballet, online fan fiction, and, most famously, a critically acclaimed Hulu series that has alerted millions of viewers to the dangers of autocracy in the 21st century, which has spawned international Handmaids protests in recent years. In this course, Cognard-Black demonstrates why Atwood’s most-famous novel continues to resonate with each new generation that encounters it and suggests what The Handmaid's Tale can tell us about the value of myth in our current moment.