Meets the following requirements: HS   

This is an advanced course in which students practice the human ecology of literary analysis.  We explore the 'mind' or consciousness of fictional writing (specifically, novels) by looking at how narratives make meaning, and at how we make meaning from narratives.  The course surveys some of the best modern fiction, with a particular focus on works that highlight narrative technique, stretch the boundaries of the imagination, have a rich and deep texture, and push against the inherent limitations of textuality.  Students also hone their reading and analytic skills as they work closely with twentieth century texts that broke new literary ground.   Some of the authors we may read include:  Joseph Conrad, Virginia Woolf, William Faulkner, Monique Wittig, John Dos Passos, Toni Morrison, N. Scott Momaday, Bessie Head, Manuel Puig, and Margaret Atwood.  We also study some narrative (and possibly film) theory.  Evaluation is based on class participation, frequent short response and passage analysis papers, and an independent project.  

Level:  Advanced.  Permission of instructor required.  Offered every other year.  Class limit:15.  *HS*