Graduate Craft Seminar Narrative Strategies in Fiction

1、English 261Graduate Craft Seminar: Narrative Strategies in FictionTuesday, 4:30 to 7:30pmDante 213Instructor: Lysley TenorioOffice Hours: 315 Dante, Tu/Th, 10:00-11:15am, or by appointmentPhone: ext. 4764E-mail: Course DescriptionI was born in the city of Bombayonce upon a time

2、. No, that wont do, theres no getting away from the date: I was born in Doctor Narkilars Nursing Home on August 15th, 1947. And the time? The time matters, too. Well then: at night. No, its important to be moreOn the stroke of midnight, as a matter of fact. Clock-hands joined palms in respectful gre

3、eting as I came. Oh, spell it outNow, however, time (having no further use for me) is running outI have no hope of saving my life, nor can I count on having even a thousand nights and a night. I must work fast, if I am to end up meaningyes, meaningsomethingSo begins Salman Rushdies novel, Midnights

4、Children, in which the narrator, Saleem Sinai, declares his mission: he is here to tell the story of his life, and in effect, the story of modern, post-colonial India. But as the opening shows us, Saleem is struggling to get the story right. Does he begin at the beginning (“I was born in the city of

5、 Bombay) or at a more image-driven moment (“Clock-hands joined palms in respectful greeting as I came)? If, as he says, time is running out, how quickly should he tell his story? Within it, what others need to be told? And, perhaps most importantly, how will he “end up meaningyes, meaningsomething?I

6、n many ways, the opening pages of Midnights Children illustrate a crossroads in the writing process. Like many writers, Saleem Sinai knows (or perhaps, is beginning to know) his story: he understands its events and arc, crisis and conflict, a sense of resolution. But for the writer, particularly in

7、the stages of drafting and revision, this is just the stuff of knowledge, an articulation of missionits the execution of this mission that will make the story finally come together. The writer must have a narrative strategy in mindbegin at the end or in the middle; tell the story in the present or t

8、he past, use the first, second, or third person point of viewa “plan of attack that will lead to the most convincing, evocative, and resonant story possible, and hold the reader captive until the final word and well beyond. The goal of this graduate craft seminar is to develop our skills and hone ou

9、r instincts as writing “strategists, and to recognize and consider the options available to us, particularly in the process of drafting, experimentation, and revision. To meet this objective, we will examine the various elements of craft by reading and discussing critical essays on fiction writing b

10、y writers such as Janet Burroway, Aimee Bender, and Charles Baxter. To deepen our discussion, well then look at published fiction to see how different authors utilize these techniques, and to understand why they make the technical choices they do, and how they serve the overall goals of the narrativ

11、e.This course is not meant to demystify the writing processthe first draft is often the result of sudden inspiration, good energy and creativity, luck and serendipity. However, its those subsequent drafts that require real work, skill, grit, and strategy: this is the point at which writers step back

12、 and consider the true thing theyve created, and willingly revise, tear down and build up, and experiment. Our discussions and conversations will rely on this philosophy, which will hopefully be true for you as well.Course TextsCourse reader/ handouts (provided by instructor)Stories for group presen

13、tations Two short books (to be announced later in the term)Course Requirements1. Completion of all writing exercises Week by week, well discuss different aspects of craft, and the various ways they can be used in fiction. You will then be assigned a short writing exercise in conjunction with our dis

14、cussion and the assigned reading, to be submitted the following week (typed, double-spaced, single-sided). 2. One short story developed from one class exerciseNear the end of the term (exact date to be determined later) you will submit a full story based on and expanded from one writing exercise. OR

15、One complete revision of an older short story or novel chapterAs some of you will be working on your thesis, I want you to devote as much time to that as necessary. In lieu of this, you will have the option of revising an older piece in conjunction with some of the exercises weve done in class. If,

16、for example, you decide to do use part of an older story for a POV exercise, you may revise that piece using a new POV, and making all other necessary revisions.3. Group PresentationWorking as a group, you will find a published short story from a current literary journal and lead a craft discussion

17、on the piece. The author should be a new writer, one who hasnt necessarily garnered the same kind of attention as the writers were reading in our course readerthis is a chance to discover a new writer, and share your discovery with the class. The story should be one that evokes a strong reaction fro

18、m the group. For example, you may find an experimental piece that seems to defy every “rule of craft weve discussed, yet succeeds as a story brilliantly. Or, you may find one that follows the conventions of craft with clear expertise, yet fails miserably. Well discuss the requirements for the presen

19、tation later in the semester. Each presentation should be approximately 45 minutes, and should include an in-class writing exercise of your own creation.4. Individual conferenceEach student is required to meet with me at least once during the semester, to discuss your story submission. Count on meet

20、ing some time in late March/ early April.5. Weekly readingsEach week we will read short stories or novels, along with craft-related essays. Please be sure youve read these prior to our class discussion, and that you arrive with questions, opinions, and observations about these readings. 6. Participa

21、tionThis is a graduate level seminar. In order to pass the course, you must contribute to our discussions every class session, by offering comments and questions and responding to them as well. You will be expected to participate in and engage the discussion every class session, throughout the entir

22、e term.AttendanceUnless its an absolute emergency, please do not be absent. Talk to me if you need to miss class, and please let me know the reason. If you must be absent, this is the attendance policy: 1 absence is a freebie. A second absence should be an absolute emergency (illness, family situati

23、on, flood, etc.). A third absence means (in most cases) that you will not pass the class. Excessive tardiness (more than two) will count as one absence. Arriving to class more than thirty minutes late will be considered an absence. If you must arrive late to class due to emergencies (illness, family

24、 situation, that flood, etc.), let me know in advance by calling my office extension. If ours is your first class of the day, allot plenty of time for traffic. The Caldecott Tunnel and St. Marys Road can be terrible around 4pm, so plan accordingly. READING SCHEDULE(subject to change)2/14Introduction

25、Review syllabusEssays“Some Basic Definitions Alice Laplante“Two General Truths About Craft George GarrettStories“The Man in Bogota, Amy Hempel“The Raft, Peter Orner“The Rapture, Skip Horack2/21ConflictInternal and External Essays“Conflict, Crisis, and Resolution Janet Burroway“Conflict, the Key to A

26、ccess, Stephen KochStories“Orientation, Daniel Orozco“The Hull Case, Peter Ho Davies2/28CharacterizationShowing and TellingThe SceneEssays “Character Motivation, Aimee Bender“Making a Scene: Fictions Fundamental Unit, Anna KeeseyStories“Youre Ugly, Too, Lorrie Moore“Awaiting Orders, Tobias Wolff3/6

27、Plot and StructureSurprise and SuspenseBeginnings and EndingsEssays“Incremental Perturbation: How to Know Whether Youve Got a Plot or Not John Barth“The Lingerie Theory of Literature, Julie ChekowayStories“Marie, Edward P. Jones“Sea Oak, George Saunders3/13Point of View: First PersonEssays“Casting Shadows, Hearing Voices: The Basics of Point of View Valerie Miner“A Container of Multitudes, or When I Isnt Me: The Art of First Person Alyce MillerStories“Why Antichrist? Chris Adrian“The Idiot President, Daniel Alarcon3/