LITERARY NONFICTION*

概要

This course is intended to introduce students to the emerging genre of “literary journalism,” its theory, history, and practice. As many students will readily understand, “literature” and “journalism” are two forms of writing normally separated as, by definition, “fictional” and “factual,” respectively. As a genre, however, literary journalism probes and undermines concepts like “factuality” and “objectivity,” calling into doubt our ability to be faithful to either one; at the same time, it challenges literature’s sole claim to artistic writing, offering a middle ground in which “news” (factual, current, public events) can be told through a subjective voice and style by writers who seek both to inform and to entertain. As we explore the surprisingly robust body of writing in this genre, from its earliest forms to the contemporary, we will discover the simple power, elegance, and effectiveness of this hybrid genre of writing.

目標

The first and last objective of this course will be to acquaint students with the idea that genres are constructs, made to be transgressed, and that some of the most interesting writing in our world comes from hybrid genres. By the end of the course students should be familiar with a wide variety of writers and texts that fall under this genre of writing, as well as the major topics upon which they write, from true crime to natural disaster, current events to war. Those who complete the course should be able to discourse intelligently and knowledgeably about these writers and texts, and have a firm background on which to base further reading and study.

授業外の学習

Every student is expected to: 1) read each assigned text before coming to class (120 min); 2) keep a reading diary with notes and impressions (20 min); 3) prepare at least one question for discussion in class (20); 4) respond to any forum discussion questions on Moodle (40 min).

所要時間: 200 minutes