🗺 Literary Jukebox - In Short, the World
What you will learn
- Close Reading
- Language and Style differences among Writers
- Cultural and General References in a specific instance of World Literature
- Writing logically with Flow
Introduction
Several Short Stories from different parts of the World will be read in detail. The following aspects of the stories shall be discussed in class:
• The story/sequence, the interesting events
• Setting
• The characters, their voices, identity, emotions, impressions
• The authenticity of the speaker/narrator and author
• Said and unsaid
• Language construction that seems unique to the location of the story; Peculiar turns of phrase; caricature and cliché.
• Cultural, local, or historical references to places, people, events
• Affinities with our own culture and languages; memories
• Large themes that the story seems to address
A video or a song will be also played wherever possible to bring in a multi-sensorial appreciation of the ideas from the story. The unit will also include exposure to the use of open-source technological tools such as Calibre (e-Book Library Manager), the Hemingway App for improved writing and Browser plug-ins to foster the reading habit.
The students will be required to do:
a) A Reflective Piece of Writing about the Story that was read in class.
b) A Creative Piece of Writing on a choice of topics to be announced after reading each story in class.
References
-
Francine Prose. Close Reading: Learning to write by learning to read. FICTION 2006 ISSUE. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2006/08/close-reading/305038/
-
Neumann, Bonnie H., Ed.; McDonnell, Helen M., Ed., Teaching the Short Story: A Guide to Using Stories from around the World. National Council of Teachers of English, Urbana, IL,USA. ISBN-0-8141-1947-6
-
Ron Hansen, You’ve Got to Read This: Contemporary American Writers Introduce Stories That Held Them in Awe. Harper Perennial, 1994. ISBN:9780060982027
-
David Miller, That Glimpse of Truth: 100 of the Finest Short Stories Ever Written, Head of Zeus. Oct 2014. ISBN-9781784080037