Interdisciplinary Arts 0249 - Unreliable Narrators: Perspective as Structure in the Short Story

In this course we will examine how narrators and narration drive and impose structure onto short stories. By doing so, we will begin to consider the role of the narrator in our own creative work. We will study the role narrators play into the function of the stories they tell, whether they feature in those stories or not. Thinking about the veracity of our narrators, we will approach storytelling by thinking about what these narrators add to our stories, and of course what they know and what they think they know, with respect to the story they are telling, and how all of that affects the reader's understanding of the piece. You will submit two stories for workshop, and write a short analytical essay (3-5 pgs) on one of the published works we read. (keywords: writing, creative writing, fiction, workshop)

Time and Narrative This course includes both in-person and remote elements, but can accommodate fully remote students. In this course, students can expect to spend approximately 8 hours weekly on work and preparation outside of class time.