Interdisciplinary Arts 0162 - Reading Like a Writer: The Short Novel

The short novel is a unique form. It has all of the elements of pace found in a short story without the constraints of time and scope, and remains sufficiently expansive to allow for the presence of a broader-length narrative. In this course we will explore the parameters of various short novels--their structure, focus, intent, and scope--by trying to read them as writers would. We will discuss the choices of writers such as Morrison, Rhys, Baldwin, Moore, and Ferrante with respect to the above criteria--and attempt to determine the efficacy of the short novel as form. Students will write short responses to each reading, as well as three larger (3-5 page) papers. The overall aim of the course is to be a better writer by being a better reader.

Culture, Humanities, and Languages Multiple Cultural Perspectives In this course, students can expect to spend 6 to 8 hours weekly on work and preparation outside of class time.