Why Does Fiction Matter?

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, students will have a deeper understanding of the value of literature and will see its relevance to their lives. 

This course will prepare students to take one or more of the three ongoing courses I will be offering: 
1) Who Has Time for Books? An Introduction to Literature Through the Short Story 
2) Introduction to Creative Writing
3) 1-on-1 Creative Writing Tutorial

Course structure:
	
The course meets once for a period of ninety minutes. We’ll begin with a 20-25 minute introductory lesson, followed by a 5-10 minute question and answer session. Students will then engage in a 20–25 minute guided discussion in small groups. The class will conclude with a 20-25 minute whole-class conversation about the nature of fiction and the acts of reading and writing. In the final five minutes of class, I will make suggestions about how your students can continue their inquiry into the particular questions that seized their interest during our time together, and I will provide them with a suggested reading list.