Interdisciplinary Arts 0218 - The Magic & The Real: Crafting Magical Realism

Hybrid creative writing and literature course examining the etymology and creative practice of Magical Realism in fiction. Our topics of discussion may include cultural perspectives on the preternatural, artistic dissemination, pathways to cultural production, ethnic commodification, as well as questions on race and power related the literary arts. We will read short stories, one or more novellas, and a single novel written by a recent practitioner of the form. Through focused examination of these works, we will grow our understanding of techniques writers of such works use to infuse realism with "magical" elements. We will use these lessons to cultivate our own skills for crafting magically real stories. Writers we may consider include: Franz Roh, Juan Rulfo, Jorge Luis Borges, Alejo Carpentier, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Laura Esquivel, Salman Rushdie, Toni Morrison, Jonathan Safran Foer, and John Manuel Arias. Keywords:Short Story, Novel, Novella, Fiction, Magical Realism The content of this course deals with issues of race and power.

Students should expect to spend 8 hours weekly on work and preparation outside of class time