My initial thoughts going into this final Capstone seminar were conflicted. I was excited to participate in a more interactive and discussion oriented style of learning but was anxious about the content of the course. Victorian era literature is a genre that has come up often during my four and a bit years at Ryerson, to mixed reception. Oftentimes I found the genre to be interesting as the time period offers a unique perspective and voice in literature. Other times however, I find it can be a little indulgent and bland. Thankfully following this initial lecture I am hopeful that this course will explore some of the best victorian era literature has to offer. The focus on imagery is something that I find very interesting as the Victorian period is one of the most visually unique and striking historical periods. I’m curious to see how that translates into illustration. Using images and text to understand the value of something both as a piece of art and as a piece of history is an incredibly interesting concept and I look forward to exploring it further throughout the course. After browsing some of the course content on COVE I’m excited to dive deeper into classics like A Christmas Carol and other stories I may have only glanced at previously.

Simon Mancuso