Department of English

This course will survey the development and the present state of the short story.  We will use an anthology that contains many standards as well as stories from other traditions, in English translation. We will begin with Poe and Hawthorne, continue with classic pieces by James, Melville, Lawrence, Joyce, Faulkner, Hemingway, Welty and O'Connor and finish with a look at the form in the present with stories grouped by theme.  These will include such ideas as initiation, identity, parents and children, war, marriage, and the supernatural.  We will pay considerable attention to form and structure and to the historical development of the genre. Writing assignments will include brief papers submitted at the beginning of each class session, a longer paper and a final.  Regular class attendance and active participation is a must.  The class will be structured to encourage discussion.

This course fulfills the "Arts & Letters" section of the General Requirement.