Spring 2012

Description

In this seminar, we will be reading short novels (Chekhov's definition of a novella, is a work that has the emotional and narrative insistences of a novel but is simply briefer) and discussing their narrative strategies, tone and structure.  In addition, we will be reading passages from various writer's letters, journals, essays which attend to the exacting demands of writing novellas. So this seminar is part literary history, part critical scrutiny of  the following  books  (many in translation):

FAIR PLAY by Tove Jansson

WIDE SARGASSO SEA  by Jean Rhys

DANCING LESSONS FOR THE ADVANCED IN AGE  by Bohumil Hrabal

CHRONICLE OF A DEATH FORETOLD  by Garcia Marquez

THE END OF THE AFFIAR  by Graham Greene

MONTAUK  by Max Frisch

S.S. PROLETERKA and SWEET DAYS OF DISCIPLINE by Fleur Jaeggy

VERSAILLES  by Kathryn Davis

THE LAST SUMMER OF REASON by by Tahar Djaout

....and lots of discussion.

Weekly brief but concise papers response papers, and one final paper are required.