English 156-1 - Summer Sessions I, 2014

The Short Story

Class Information

Instructor: Hicks, W. Jack
CRN: 51442
Time: TR 2:10-4:40
Location: 115 Wellman

Description

A course in intensive reading of the short story, designed for both major and nonmajor students who relish a good tale. We start with early European and American classics (Chekhov, Hawthorne, others) and move quickly to emphasize contemporary authors who specialize in spoken performances (David Sedaris), magic realism (Gabriel Garcia Marquez), minimalism (Raymond Carver), and a wide variety who will intrigue, puzzle, provoke and delight both the casual reader and serious literary student--Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck, Amy Tan, Sherman Alexie, Jhumpa Lahiri, Sandra Cisneros, others. Includes film versions and audio readings: an ideal way to spend a summer afternoon or two in California.

Grading

Three short papers & final exam

Texts

The Story and Its Writer (8th edition), Ann Charters