One question built into the sub-title of this section of Classic Shorts is, of course, where is that land? Then, once we arrive there, who are the believers we find-and in what? Exactly what actions are these believers prepared to do to preserve or convey their beliefs about family, war, trust, and love and their impact on this tough, fragile planet we share? The short-story writer, too, is a kind of believer: in this genre and its art. One writer (William Trevor) calls it "the art of the glimpse . . . an explosion of truth . . . concerned with the total exclusion of meaninglessness"; another (Margaret Atwood) describes it as "a score for voice . . keeping faith . . . with the language . . . told with as much intentness as if the teller's life depended on it." Some of the lands we'll follow these storytellers into include an opal-mining town in Australia where one child's imagination exerts unusual power, the locked doors and wire bullpen of an Arizona prison where identity and possibility collide, and the base of a statue in a convent garden named Our Lady of the Wheat where memories lead to a pastrami sandwich and some unexpected revelations. Seeing and articulating what we believe about how each story is made-its characters and settings, gestures and metaphors, the instincts and technical decisions behind every page-will be part of our exploration. Please come prepared to read closely, discuss openly, and experiment in the art of the glimpse. Critical responses, midterm conference, and final paper (original short-story option encouraged) required. 

Level: Introductory/Intermediate. Class limit: 15.