Introduction to the Short Story - IIEI-184

Course Description: In this six-week course, short stories from internationally acclaimed authors are used to examine the basic elements of prose and gain an appreciation for short prose. This examination will include an understanding of character, conflict, point of view, structure, tone, themes, setting, symbols and metaphors, and irony.  The historical context and biographical information for each author will also be used to enrich the reading of each piece.

Prerequisite: None

Course Credit: 3 Credit Hours

Major Course Topics & Course Outcomes

As a result of the group and individual activities included in this course, the student will acquire the following knowledge and skills that can be applied to the workplace:  

Course Topics

Basic elements of Prose

• To recognize the basic elements of literature, including:

  Character
  Conflict
  Point of view
  Structure
  Tone
  Themes
  Setting
  Symbols
  Metaphors
  Irony

Context

• To identify and understand the significance of the historical context in which an author wrote

Definition of Literary Terms

• To be able to use and apply literary terms in a discussion of a piece of literature, specifically:
• Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown”
• Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado”
• Crane’s “The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky”
• Chopin’s “The Storm”
• Kafka’s “Metamorphosis”
• Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants”
• Faulkner “A Rose for Emily”
• O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find”
• Updike’s “A&P”
• "Walker’s Everyday Use"
• "Carver’s Cathedral"

Analysis

• To be able to assess a piece of literature using the tools gained throughout the course.

Course Materials:

There is one textbook for this course.

The Hudson Book of Fiction: 30 Stories Worth Reading. McGraw Hill 2002
ISBN: 0-07-248439-X

Please note that textbooks are subject to change. Please contact your advisor before purchasing the textbook for your class to confirm.