Narrative Literature

This course presents a comprehensive view of narrative, in terms of its concepts and mechanisms. From the conceptual side, it examines the nature of narrative in relation to other arts, its types, and its multiple levels. From the technical side, it focuses on the structural elements shared by narrative texts, with particular emphasis on the short story and very short story. The course also seeks to connect this theoretical perspective with the reader’s reception of the narrative text and how that reception shapes interaction with the text. Topics include: general concepts, key narrative terms, definitions of the novel, short story, and very short story, the relationship between reading and writing stories, conditions for effective reading and writing, different types of stories, and ten key questions about narrative. Expected outcomes include distinguishing between narrative forms, understanding writing mechanisms, and realizing that good writing is preceded by good reading.