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Today, at 6.30 p.m. there will be a meeting pertaining to one of the most important authors of Polish 20th century literature – Witold Gombrowicz. This time, the work of Polish prosaist, playwright and essayist will be confronted with a lesson of Polish in a contemporary school. The event which is a part of the Night of the Book project, will be held at the seat of the Jagiellonian Club in Katowice, 36/16 Sienkiewicza Street.
Undoubtedly, Gombrowicz had to face sharp criticism from the very beginning of his literary activity. After having published Ferdydurke, the readers were divided into two groups: his followers and his enemies. During the meeting, we will discuss the way the prosaist is currently perceived. Are high school students able to express their opinion on his work or is his output rather treated with indifference and distance. We will ask questions, whether Gombrowicz is a difficult and uncomfortable writer, or perhaps for a contemporary young reader.
The results of questionnaire-based studies on Witold Gombrowicz’s work that had been conducted among this year’s high school graduates will be presented during the talk. The host, Magdalena Podleszańska and the guest, Filip Mazurkiewicz Ph.D. from the Faculty of Philology of the University of Silesia will try to comment and inquire about the reasons of the answers that the students had given. They will also raise the issue of the youth and immaturity that Gombrowicz writes about. In an interview with the expert, we will try to answer the question on how to present Gombrowicz and his output to the students so as not discourage them from reading, yet the opposite – fire a spark of involvement.
The Night of the Book. Katowice is a part of the Night of the Book project run by the Jagiellonian Club since 2015 and granted a patronage of Krakow UNESCO City of Literature. The events that are organized during the project cycle are aimed at promoting reading and encouraging Polish people to reach for a book more often. They are based on meetings and discussions on different forms and the ways the literature functions in the contemporary world. The upcoming Night of the Book will be a third event prepared by the organizers in Katowice.
We are inviting you to the seat of the Jagiellonian Club (36/16 Sienkiewicza Street). Today, as early as 6.30 p.m. we shall be reading and discussing all night long!
More info here:
Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/825034884343769/
The Night of the Book’s Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/NocKsiazkiKrakow
Instagram: www.instagram.com/po_okladce
