The Short Fiction of David Foster Wallace
Summer 2012
Instructor:
Eric Levitz
eklevitz@yahoo.com
(860)-918-4177
REQUIRED TEXTS (All required texts by David Foster Wallace)
Girl With the Curious Hair
Brief Interviews with Hideous Men
Oblivion
Somewhat Stuffy Course Summary:
David Foster Wallace aimed in his fiction to reflect the experienced reality of a
hyper self-conscious and ironic culture, while also attempting to chart a path away from
the nihilistic solipsism that such a culture could engender: A path back to a stable
morality, built on "single-entendre principles". We will read the bulk of DFW's short
fiction, along with critical essays on his work, and strive to articulate how and why we
feel he succeeded or failed in this aim. (Don't worry, we'll be unpacking these terms, it's
fascinating, I promise!)
Grading:
Participation:
80%
Final Paper/Project: 20%
You will be graded primarily on what you bring to the class as a member of the
seminar. Your primary job in this class is to do a lot of careful, thoughtful reading,
thinking and talking. There will be a short informal paper or final project of some kind. If
a student is interested in pursuing a longer, more serious critical work, he/she will receive
encouragement, attention, and feedback, but this is entirely unnecessary for excelling in
the course.
NOTE on Reading Schedule:
Below is the tentative reading schedule for the course. Our schedule is somewhat
challenging, as we have classes on back to back days during the week. Students are
encouraged to try and get the bulk of Wednesday's reading done before the end of the
long weekend. I say tentative, because I fear the pace set here might be over ambitious.
There's at least one "extra" day built into the schedule should we fall behind, which I
hope we won't, but do know that considerations will be made should you and your
classmates have trouble keeping up.
Week 1:
Tuesday
Handouts:
"The Planet Trillaphon as it Stands in Relation to the Bad Thing" (Wallace's first
published short story)
"A Conversation with David Foster Wallace" by Larry McCaffery
"E Unibus Pluram" by David Foster Wallace
"My Appearance" (pgs 175-201 in Girl with Curious Hair)
Wednesday (No Class, July 4th holiday)
Friday:
"Little Expressionless Animals" "Girl with Curious Hair" "Here and There", "Everything
is Green" (pgs 1-42, 53-74, 149-172, 227-230 in Girl…)
Week 2:
Tuesday:
"Westward the Course of Empire Takes its Way" (231-End of Girl)
"Understanding David Foster Wallace" Chapter 3, "Girl with Curious Hair: Inside
and Outside the Set. (Handout)
Wednesday:
1-69 in Brief Interviews with Hideous Men
Friday:
70-130 in Brief Interviews
Week 3:
Tuesday
131-210 in Brief Interviews
Wednesday
210-255 in Brief Interviews
Friday
256-End of Brief Interviews with Hideous Men
"Understanding David Foster Wallace" Chapter 5, "Interrogations and Consolidations"
Week 4:
Tuesday:
3-66 in Oblvion
Wednesday
67-116 in Oblivion
Friday
117-181 in Oblivion
Week 5:
Tuesday
182-237 in Oblivion
Wednesday
238-End of Oblivion
Friday
"This is Water" by David Foster Wallace, (Handout).
Final Critical Readings TBD