ࡱ> VXUy &bjbj 2<{{bExx8:<b5vv(yyy4444444$P7:5yyyyy55EEEyp4Ey4EERR174t3.2,4250b52b:.:<44n:4HyyEyyyyy55Eyyyb5yyyy:yyyyyyyyyx : English 203: Narrative Craft and Theory Extremely Contemporary Fiction Prof. Nick Taylor San Jose State University, Spring 2012 Wednesdays 4:00-6:45 PM Location: FO 104Office: FOB 219 (Phone 408-924-4458) Office Hours: MW 11:00AM 1:00PM and by appointment. Email: nicholas.taylor@sjsu.eduNote: Email is the fastest way to get in touch with me.Course Description In this graduate literature seminar, we will read a selection of American fiction published between 2009 and 2011. I ask that participants in the seminar come prepared to read these books as critics and as writers. As critics, we will explore whether there is a school of contemporary American fiction. As writers, we will dissect each work in terms of form, aesthetics, and material, to determine how these authorswho are our contemporaries, if not our peerscaptured the attention of early twenty-first-century readers. The reading load is extremely heavy in this course (nearly four thousand pages of fiction). Writing requirements include short weekly response papers and a seminar paper or creative project. Student Learning Goals Ability to read literature from a writer's perspective. Ability to read texts closely and to articulate the value of close reading in the study of literature and rhetoric. Understanding of the twofold nature of textual analysis: 1) objective study from varied analytical perspectives; 2) subjective experience of the aesthetic reality of the text. Participation in face-to face exchanges of ideas with faculty and peers, including discussion groups and collaborative writing activities, making use of the cultural resources of the department and the broader university as appropriate. Ability to respond imaginatively to the content and style of texts. Ability to write clearly, effectively, and imaginatively, and to adjust writing style appropriately to the content and nature of the subject. Course Requirements and Grading Attendance at all class meetings is essential. Because most of the value of this course is in the class discussions, you are only cheating yourself if you miss class. You are graduate students, and serious writers, and I will treat you as colleagues. You must come to class prepared, which means that you have (a) read the assigned material, and (b) written a short reflection on what youve read. Some of you may resent having to write something every week in addition to the heavy reading load, but Ive found that class discussions are more productive when everyone has had a chance to gather their thoughts. Weekly reflection papers should run between 500 and 1000 words. You will turn in your papers at the end of each class, so that you can refer to them during class discussion. I will return the papers to you the following week, graded check-plus/check/check-minus. In lieu of a final exam, you will submit a final project, which can be either a seminar paper on some aspect of contemporary fiction (for example a plotting technique that you have observed in several of the novels we've read, or an examination of different authors use of the same material). Alternatively, you may choose to write a short story demonstrating techniques or subjects we have determined to be extremely contemporary. In either case, your draft should be at least 4,000 words. Finally, you will be required to attend at least two literary readings over the course of the semester, and to turn in 1-2pp responses. Your response papers can cover the substance of the reading, the author's presentation style, the author's wardrobeanything that strikes you. Here are some of the readings being offered on campus this semester: Rae Armantrout (Poet) February 15, 7pm:Reading and book signing. MLK Library 225/229 February 16, 1pm:In Conversation with Juliana Spahr. MLK Library 225/229 Yiyun Li (Fiction Writer) March 7, 7pm:Reading and book signing. ENGR 189 Julie Scheeres (Memoirist, Nonfiction Writer) March 21, 7pm:Reading and book signing. MLK Library 225/229 Juan Felipe Herrera (Poet, Playwright, Fiction Writer) April 4, 7pm:Reading and book signing. MLK Library 225/229 Geoffrey Wolff (Novelist, Biographer, Memoirist) April 17, 7pm:Reading and book signing. MLK Library 225/229 April 18, 1pm:In Conversation with Tobias Wolff. MLK Library 225/229 Final grades will be the product of the following factors: Weekly response papers 30% Final paper or short story 30% Class participation 30% Responses to two literary readings 10% Late Assignment Policy Some weeks are busier than others. Some novels keep you glued and other dont. I know this. Therefore, I will allow you to turn in up to two of your weekly response papers a week late. If you do this more than twice, or if your late papers are more than a week late, you will be penalized. You may not turn in your final paper late unless you have discussed it with me beforehand. Required Texts Franzen, Jonathan. Freedom. 2010. Wood, James. How Fiction Works. 2008. Egan, Jennifer. A Visit from the Goon Squad. 2010. (Pulitzer Prize 2011) Ward, Jesmyn. Salvage the Bones. 2011. (National Book Award 2011) Best American Short Stories 2011. Cole, Teju. Open City. 2011. Malae, Peter Nathaniel. What We Are. 2010. Otsuka, Julie. The Buddha in the Attic. 2011. Torres, Justin. We the Animals. 2011. Stockett, Kathryn. The Help. 2009. Donoghue, Emma. Room. 2010. Winner of 2012 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction (TBA mid-April) Schedule Jan 25 Introduction Feb 1 Franzen, Freedom Feb 8 Egan, A Visit from the Goon Squad Feb 15 Ward, Salvage the Bones Feb 22 Best American Short Stories, pp. ix - 162 Feb 29 NO CLASS AWP Conference, Chicago Mar 7 Best American Short Stories, pp. 163-330 Mar 14 Cole, Open City Mar 21 Malae, What We Are Mar 28 NO CLASS 91 Spring Recess Apr 4 Otsuka, The Buddha in the Attic Apr 11 Torres, We the Animals Apr 18 Stockett, The Help Apr 25 Donoghue, Room May 2 Winner of the 2012 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction (TBA) May 9 Wrapup Final Papers Due Academic Honesty Your own commitment to learning, as evidenced by your enrollment at San Jos State University, and the Universitys Academic Integrity Policy requires you to be honest in all your academic course work. Faculty members are required to report all infractions to the Office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development. The Policy on academic integrity can be found at: http://www.sjsu.edu/studentconduct. Avoiding Plagiarism Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of somebody elses words or ideas and is considered an instance of academic dishonesty that instructors must report. You commit plagiarism by: buying, stealing, or borrowing a paper (or story); hiring someone to write a paper (or story); building on someones ideas without providing a citation; or copying from another source or using a source too closely when paraphrasing. In other words, submit only your own work. LARC (Learning Assistance Resource Center) The Learning Assistance Resource Center is an on-campus facility that provides peer tutoring for San Jos State University students. LARC offers assistance with writing, and if you feel as if you need intensive help beyond what I can offer during office hours, please request a writing tutor. The Center is located in The Student Services Center in the 10th Street Parking Garage, Room 600. The phone number is (408) 924-2587. Disabilities Policy If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible, or see me during office hours. Presidential Directive 97-03 requires that students with disabilities register with the DRC to establish a record of their disability.     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