LALW414 Why Novels Now? 3cr

Why Novels Now?, a LALW 400+ course, is a
Summative Elective designed for upper-level
students with an active interest in long-form
literature, especially those who are completing
the Creative Writing Minor. Why Novels Now?, as
the course title implies, is (1) a defense of
long-form fiction genre in our
electronically-rushed world; (2) an inspection of
the history of the genre with an emphasis on
current works and trends; (3) a look to present
trends and future bends of the form (metafiction,
graphic novels, hybrids? Interactive fiction?);
and (4) a craft class in which each student plans
and starts their own novel.
We will read and discuss a representative
sampling of texts, starting with a well- made
classic novel, E. M. Forster’s 1910 Howards End ,
paired with Zadie Smith’s 2005 On Beauty, her
homage to Howard’s End. We will continue with
readings of current novels with wide variances in
mode, style, tone, and setting. Throughout the
semester we will apply knowledge from Jane
Smiley’s 13 Ways of Looking at the Novel for
historical background on the novel’s development
AND for practical advice on methods of writing
one’s own novel.

Prerequisites: Take 15 cr from Lib. Arts

Seminar

Spring