English 180H

Description

The well-told [short] story seems to answer something very deep in our nature as if, for the duration of its telling, something special has been created, some essence of our experience extrapolated, some temporary sense has been made of our common, turbulent journey towards the grave and oblivion.

William Boyd

The lyf so short, the crafte so longe to lerne…

Chaucer

We have always told stories, but the short story as a high literary form is a modern phenomenon.  In this class, we will investigate the history and craft of the short story.

How do writers reach into the depths of our nature? Why do some stories haunt us for decades?  We will explore the making, purposes, and pleasures of the short story form.  We will read—widely, actively and carefully—many published stories in order to understand the conventions of the form and how writers have used these elements of fiction to engage the readers and transform them.  

Students will write a short story and revise it; engaging with a short story as a writer will aid them in their investigations as readers and critics.