Why Does Fiction Matter?
Class experience
US Grade 9 - 12
Before we engage in the act of reading or writing, and especially before dissecting a work of literature in search of simile, metaphor, or iambic pentameter, we need to understand why literature matters. In this class, we’ll look at what literature is and, more importantly, what it can do. Technology—and literature is absolutely a form of technology—creates new possibilities, and together, we will attempt to discover what possibilities literature opens up for us. By the end of the course,...
This class is taught in English.
Students will understand the value of fiction. Students will make connections between literature and their lives. Students will compare and contrast intuition and critical analysis, and will be able to articulate the ways in which literature helps us develop both.
As an award-winning novelist with a PhD in comparative literature, I have professional experience with both reading and writing fiction. I've taught literature, culture, and writing courses in a university setting, which has helped me develop my skills in taking my expertise and putting it in terms that are accessible to students. I also have an M.Div. and have worked as a counselor in both the military and in hospitals, so I am trained to guide people through discussions on potentially sensitive topics.
No supplies are needed.
This class intends to demonstrate that fiction is an essential tool for living life, and sometimes life includes trauma. We won't dwell on the trauma, but we will acknowledge its weight and talk about the ways in which fiction can help us process experiences of all kinds.
1. I teach classes on Africa, literature, and creative writing that focus heavily on issues pertaining to social justice. 2. I hold a PhD in comparative literature, and Masters degrees in divinity and philosophy. I taught at various colleges for...
Group Class
$15
per classMeets once
90 min
Completed by 2 learners
Live video meetings
Ages 14-18
3-15 learners per class