ENGL 2710: Introduction to Fiction: Narratology

Abstract

Goals of the Course:¶ The goal of this course is to familiarize students with the functions and workings of fiction. To aid us in this we are turning to the branch of knowledge known as narratology. Narratology studies all kinds of narrative, but we will be focusing only on fictional narratives. While we will sometimes pose hermeneutical questions—“what does this story mean?”—more often we will analyze the mechanics and formal qualities of our fictional texts. We will study one novel, one novella, a series of short stories, and will use a textbook on narratology.¶ ¶General Education Goals: • Practice skills in close reading and interpretation • Express ideas in writing and practice revising your work ¶Goals of the Course: • Practice the skills of close reading of literature • Explore literary interpretation • Write three thesis-driven essays using claims and evidence structure • Understand narratology as a form of literary analysis