Literary Narratives
Beginning with a sequence of related tales from the Arabian Nights, we will focus sharply on a series of works composed of multiple and sometimes radically divergent narratives. We will explore ways in which authors working in a variety of traditions succeed in creating unified literary experiences that exceed their individual parts, paying particular attention to matters of sequencing, pacing, juxtaposition, and repetition, as well as shifts in narrative pattern, perspective, and tone. Among the authors we will consider are Poe, Flaubert, Dostoevsky, Sherwood Anderson, Hemingway, and Nathanael West. Especially recommended for students contemplating a major in Literary Studies. 3 hrs. sem.