The Short Story
English 2034.03
FallTerm
(M, 7:00- 9:30, A. & A. 217)
David McNeil (dmcneil@is.dal.ca)
http://is.dal.ca/~dmcneil/2034/syll.htm
FASS Building, 6135 University, 3193 (494-3508)
Office Hours: Mon. 2:00-4:00, Tues. & Thurs. 1:00-2:00, or by
appointment
Exam and Final Grades Now Available on WebCT.
Assignment #3 Now Available for Pick-Up in McCain 1186.
Description:
This class examines the genre of the short story from the nineteenth-century to the present. We will be reading so-called "classics" by writers such as Balzac, Poe and Joyce, as well as contemporary works by Munro, Atwood and MacLeod. Although some attention will be paid to historical and contextual issues, the class will concentrate on the detail of the stories themselves. Students will be required to read (i.e., prepare for discussion) at least two stories per class. There will also be three written assignments and a Final Exam.
Students with permanent or temporary disabilities who would like to discuss classroom or exam accommodation are asked to see the instructor as soon as possible.
Short Fiction: An Introductory Anthology. Eds. Gerald Lynch and David Rampton. (Harcourt)
Assignments:
#1 Write a 4-page analysis of any of the
stories studied on Sept. 17 or 24. Your analysis should focus on one of
the following subjects (plot, character, setting or point-of-view)-- e.g.,
"Setting in Alistair MacLeod's 'Island.'" Be sure to read the
"Introduction" ( 1-14 pp.) and the story of your choice very carefully.
You should also be familiar with the terms in the "Glossary" (1375-79
pp.).
#2 Write a 4-page report on a review of, or
critical article on, any of the stories scheduled for study in this class.
You must first find the review (often of the story collection when it was
first published), or article (may be written years later), write a precis
of it, and then your response to what the critic claims. Make sure to
attend a Library Orientation session (available from Sept. 6 - 28); sign
up at the Killam or <www.library.dal.ca/news/orient/>. You may or
may not agree with the review/article. Provide complete bibliographic
information on the review/article, and hand in a copy of it with your
response.
#3 Write an original short story about 4-6
pages in length. This assignment is designed to be a learning exercise in
creativity not a coercive and unfair requirement. If your story meets a
basic standard with regard to the formal elements of short fiction (i.e.,
plot, character, setting and point-of-view) and the appropriate use of
language (i.e., grammatical context, fiction-writing, spelling), then it
will receive a minimum grade of 14/20, or 16/20 or 18/20. If you feel
uneasy about doing this exercise (it should feel fun), then please see me
by Nov.9 to set up an alternative assignment.
- Late submissions will be penalized one
grade level (e.g., B to B-) for each day an assignment is overdue.
- Students are warned not to plagiarize (see or consult "Plagiarism Handout"). Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of someone else's work in your own essay or assignment. Self-plagiarism is taking school work for which you have already received academic credit and turning it in again. In both cases, you are cheating by trying to receive credit that you do not deserve. Routine checks, using the latest and most sophisticated WWW search-engines, are made of student submissions. All apparent cases of plagiarism are referred directly to the Senate Discipline Committee (see Dalhousie Calendar "Intellectual Honesty" and "Discipline.")
Schedule:
Oct. 8 NO CLASS (Thanksgiviing)
Nov. 12 NO CLASS (Remembrance Day)
Dec. 10 8:30 - 11:30 FINAL EXAM (Monday) - Dalplex
Objectives:
To gain a better appreciation of the short story as a literary art form, to learn more about specific pieces of short fiction and short story writers, to develop skill in written and verbal communication, literary analysis, research and creative expression, and finally and always, to enjoy literature.
Links:
Last Updated: December 16, 2001