Popular Literature: Besties: Literary Duos

English 2150
Section 01
Semester
Spring
Year
2025
Donald Quist
Tuesday
Thursday
9:30-10:45am
Course Description

Oftentimes, it takes two to make a thing go right… Well, at least in literature. Entire narrative worlds have been constructed around compelling pairs—their similarities and differences creating tensions that keeps us riveted. What has attracted us to dynamic duos over centuries? In this course we’ll trace unlikely friendships through literature, from Don Quixote and Sancho Panza to Doc Brown and Marty McFly, Rick and Morty; from Sherlock Holmes and Watson to Batman and Robin, Frodo and Samwise. We’ll look at novel-length work and short stories, manga, comic books, and film. We'll ask ourselves what two people tied together by adventure might teach us about our shared human experience.