Story & Symbol 101: Introduction to Symbol Analysis in the Arts
An introduction to symbol analysis in literature and to the concept of symbol and language being inextricably linked. This course comes before others in my "Story & Symbol" series, providing a chance to explore the material and my approach.
No'a L. bat Miri
Average rating:
4.7
Number of reviews:(29)
What's included
1 live meeting
1 hrs 30 mins in-class hoursClass Experience
US Grade 7 - 10
NOTE: This class uses a short story that learners MUST read *BEFORE* our class meeting. If you would prefer that your learner read the story during class time, please search for the "mini camp" version of this same class on Outschool, or for "Story & Symbol 101A," which is only the first half of the class and does not use the short story, whatsoever. Language is symbol and symbols are language. One cannot exist without the other, in some sense. Plumbing the depths of language can lead us to a better understanding of symbols, and plumbing the depths of symbols gives us a richer command of language. My "Story & Symbol" series takes learners from a world of image and sound to one of meaning, and then gives them the tools to create their own symbols, stories, and worlds, as eternal delivery systems for their thoughts, feelings, knowledge, and sense of meaning. Story & Symbol 101 is an introductory course in which students will begin to view language as a system of symbols, constantly rearranged to relay different ideas. We will discuss Vladimir Nabokov's famous short story, "Symbols and Signs," and look at the symbolic development of languages, and how we continue to interpret and misinterpret the symbols of English. This course is designed to be taken before any other in the "Story & Symbol" series, and aimed towards high school students with grade-level or higher command and comprehension of English, an interest in reading and writing, and at least a curiosity about interdisciplinary learning. Because this class meets only once, there is no homework, but students are provided with notes to review that can help to prepare them for my other "Story & Symbol" classes.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
Ahead of this class, learners will be asked to read Vladimir Nabokov's "Symbols and Signs." The story centers around a family whose adult son suffers from a mental illness, and it mentions a suicide attempt. It is written in the language of the 1940's, and, as such, might feel insensitive to many modern readers. In class, we will not have much discussion about the suicide attempt, but we will be talking about Nabokov's symbolic use of this particular mental illness.
Supply List
The story I ask learners to read before class ("Symbols and Signs" by Vladimir Nabokov) is available to read online on The New Yorker's website. I will provide the story in a PDF via Outschool upon enrollment. Additionally, after the class meets I will provide learners with a couple pages of notes covering what was discussed, for easy reference and review. 1 file available upon enrollment
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined December, 2018
4.7
29reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
Before committing to a graduate degree in English, I studied eight other languages in school, and far more on my own time. I've always loved and been professionally active in local fine arts communities, but my favorite class in college was Discrete Mathematics. These things might all seem oddly disconnected, but they are unified by the power of symbol: in translating between a piece of art and history, or from language to numbers, or from Hebrew to French, one is merely passing a parcel of human understanding from one audience to another. The alchemy of story and symbol have been my longest love, and I am delighted to share this magic with eager learners.Reviews
Live One-Time Class
$27
per classMeets once
90 min
Completed by 59 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 12-18
1-5 learners per class
