RHET 206: NARRATIVE NONFICTION
Spring 2012
Lynn Powell
Tuesdays/Thursdays 3:00-4:15 King 335
Email: lynn.powell@oberlin.edu
Office: The Creative Writing House (The Yellow House), upstairs
Office hours: Mondays 2-4 & by appointment
TEXTS
The Best American Essays 2011, edited by Edwidge Danticat
Telling True Stories, edited by Mark Kramer and Wendy Call
Hiroshima by John Hersey
Brother, I’m Dying by Edwidge Danticat
Various supplemental readings
COURSE DESCRIPTION
In this course we will read and write narratives that employ the techniques of both the traditional
essay and of storytelling (scene, character, dialogue) in the service of telling the truth. We will explore
a range of perspectives and modes possible in narrative nonfiction, and we will probe what the
nonfiction writer’s special responsibilities and opportunities are. We’ll explore questions such as:
How can one discern the story inside a flood of information? How can one cultivate a credible voice as
a nonfiction writer, and how do you know how present to be in the story? What are the ethics of
nonfiction writing? How can one write page-turning prose without resorting to hyperbole or
fictionalizing? How can one write the truth when the truth is so complex?
REQUIREMENTS
Readings
Immersing yourself in reading is essential to learning the craft of writing. Thus, taking the time to
read the assigned texts slowly, thoughtfully, and inquisitively is essential to your experience in this
course (and to your life as a writer). You should set aside enough hours to read each assigned essay
twice—reading first for meaning and “plot,” and then a second time as a writer reads: looking closely
at the structure of sentences and paragraphs, noticing what’s gained or lost though the choice of point
of view and voice, evaluating how the writer achieves (or does not achieve) credibility, considering how
the narrative structure works to deepen—or not deepen—the complexity of the piece.
Be prepared each class to contribute your observations, insights, questions, and quarrels with the
assigned readings. Our conversations—rooted in thoughtful engagement with texts—are central to the
learning in this course.
Writings: You will write 4-5 essays this semester, with the last few weeks of the semester devoted to
revision of these essays into a portfolio of 40-50 pages of finished work. You will be given writing
assignments modeled on the readings we discuss in class. These writing assignments should be doublespaced and handed in to me on time, in hard copy. I do not accept emailed writing assignments.
Handing in late work will negatively affect your grade.
Workshops: You will have your work discussed at least twice by the whole class. You will be able to
choose which essays you want workshopped.
Successful workshops depend on thoughtful engagement by everyone in the class—a sense of
community and trust. It is important to spend focused time with the work of your peers before
workshop in order to give feedback that is pertinent, considered, and helpful. One of the trickiest
things about workshopping is avoiding the tendency to encourage others to write a piece the way you
would write it. Our job as readers of work-in-progress is to help the writer clarify what he or she is
trying to do and to help imagine ways of doing that more successfully. A danger in workshop is that
there can be a tendency to aim for some common denominator of voice and approach. We want to
avoid that tendency while still challenging each essay to be the best it can be on its own terms. As this
is a nonfiction course, we will also help each other adhere to the highest standards for what it means
to write the truth.
Responses: You should write a signed response to each piece we workshop in class and give your
comments to the writer after class discussion, along with the essay marked up in ways you believe will
be helpful. I will occasionally ask to review all comments a writer has received from the class. Your
course grade will include an assessment of how thorough, thoughtful, and constructive you have been
in your responses to your peers’ work.
Class participation: A good workshop depends on the active and thoughtful engagement of its
members. Be prepared—for your own sake, and for the sake of the community of writers you are
joining—to contribute to every class discussion. Class participation will be a part of your course grade.
I understand that some people are quieter than others, that some minds are good at mulling while
others are good at spontaneity. I am not looking for quantity of response or even an equal number of
responses from around the room. But I am looking for sustained engagement, focus, and generosity
in class discussions and a willingness to take thoughtful risks in putting one’s ideas out into the arena.
I am also looking for an ability not only to talk but to listen—and a desire to engage in constructive,
probing conversation with others whose aesthetic and sensibility may be different from your own.
Your course grade will include an assessment of how well prepared you are for class discussions. If you
believe your contributions to class do not reflect your preparation for class discussions, then I strongly
encourage you to turn in reading notes to me each week. If you do not contribute thoughtfully and
consistently to class discussion and you do not turn in regular reading notes, I will assume that you
have not read the texts or prepared for class discussions.
All electronics should be turned off on entering the classroom: no cell phones, no computers.
Attendance: Much of the learning in this course takes place in class, so you are required to be in
class every Tuesday and every Thursday, on time. More than one unexcused absence will lower your
grade, as will repeated tardiness. Excused absences are for illness or family emergencies only. If you
are ill or have a family emergency, please let me know as soon as possible.
Revision: Revision is the heart of writing. I am happy to look at revisions of your work all through
the semester. You may be the sort of writer (like me!) who only finds out what you have to say by a
long process of mucking about and revising slowly toward clarity. Whatever your strengths are as a
writer or whatever your writing process is, revision will be a hefty part of the work of this course.
The last three weeks of the class will be devoted to revising, enlarging, and deepening the essays you
have produced so far. But I hope you will be engaged in the act of revision all along. You should feel
free to show me revisions of essays whenever it is helpful to you to get feedback.
A note about grades: If you work hard in this course—including attending every class, coming to
class always prepared, participating thoughtfully in class discussions, turning in all work on time,
working conscientiously on all writing assignments, and revising your work towards a strong portfolio—
you can count on a B in this course. Any failure to meet any of these standards will result in your
grade eroding downwards from a B. Grades in the A range are reserved for students who do
exceptional work, in absolutely all areas of this course. I prefer to not give letter grades on specific
assignments, but to focus on responding to the writing itself. If, however, you would like a grade
assessment from me at midterm, please ask.
I will treat you like adults in this course. I will assume that you understand the requirements of this
course and that you understand your responsibilities. If you are having any struggles with this class or
with your writing, I encourage you to speak with me directly. Otherwise, I will assume that you are
making your own decisions about your work and know the consequences of failing to keep up with
what is required in this course.
Your final grade in this course will not be a grade of your talent, your potential, or your character. It
will not be an indication of my personal rapport with you. It will simply be an evaluation of whether
you have fulfilled the requirements for this course (B range), and, if so, whether you have also
exceeded those requirements (A range). Failure to meet all requirements for this course will result in
grades of C or below. Note: I have taught extremely talented students with whom I have had
wonderful rapport who have made Cs in my classes. Upshot: the grade will not be personal. It will
be what you earn.
Conferences: I will hold two designated office hours each week, but I am also very available to meet
with you at other times. A good way to get in touch with me is by email, which I check usually several
times a day. I will always try to get back to you within 24 hours, if not sooner. I do NOT however
carry a smart phone, so I do not have email access at all times. Therefore, if we have a meeting
scheduled at 2:00, you cannot expect me to get an email that you send at 1:55 telling me that you
cannot be there.
Convocation: Please mark your calendars now to attend the convocation by Edwidge Danticat on
Thursday, April 19, 7:30 p.m., Finney Chapel. Attendance is required, as is a one-page written
response to her presentation.
THE HONOR CODE
The Oberlin Honor Code governs all of your participation in this class. When you submit your
portfolio containing your full semester’s work, you must write out and sign the Honor Pledge: “I
affirm that I have adhered to the Honor Code in this assignment.”
OVERVIEW OF COURSE
(Detailed assignments will be handed out each week and sent by email or posted on Blackboard.)
PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION, Weeks 1-2:
Readings will include:
“Unprepared,” by Jerald Walker (BAE, 2011)
“The Washing,” by Reshma Memon Yaqub (BAE, 2011)
“Snakebit,” by Connie Wieneke (Blackboard)
“Water,” by Maureen Stanton (Blackboard)
“The Writer as Professional Eavesdropper,” by Kim Stafford (Blackboard)
Craft essays from Telling True Stories
Writing assignment #1 due: Thursday, February 16
5-10 pages
LOOKING FURTHER OUT: PROFILES & PLACES, Weeks 3-5
Readings will include:
“The Miss Dennis School of Writing,” by Alice Steinbach (Blackboard)
“Under the Influence,” by Scott Russell Sanders (Blackboard)
from The Winged Seed, by Li-Young Lee (Blackboard)
“Dinner at Uncle Boris’,” by Charles Simic (Blackboard)
“Meet the Shaggs,” by Susan Orlean (Blackboard)
“Roommates,” by Max Apple (Blackboard)
“He and I,” by Natalia Ginzburg (Blackboard)
“Covering the Cops,” by Calvin Trillin (Blackboard)
“Show Dog,” by Susan Orlean (Blackboard)
“Chapels,” by Pico Iyer (BAE, 2011)
“Magical Dinners,” by Chang-Rae Lee (BAE, 2011)
“Living at Chuco,” by Dagoberto Gilb (Blackboard)
“Moments of Being: An Antarctic Quintet,” by Gretchen Legler (Blackboard)
from Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight, by Alexander Fuller (Blackboard)
“The Sanctuary,” by Elif Batuman (Blackboard)
“Goodbye to All That,” by Joan Didion (Blackboard)
Craft essays from Telling True Stories
Writing assignment #2 due: Thursday, March 8
8-12 pages
COMMUNITY & CRISIS:
Cultural Observations from the Outside, Communal Events from the Inside, Weeks 6-8
Readings will include:
“Port-au-Prince: The Moment,” by Misha Berlinski (BAE, 2011)
“Topic of Cancer,” by Christopher Hitchens (BAE, 2011)
“Travels with My Ex,” by Susan Straight (BAE, 2011)
“Independence Day, Manley Hot Springs, Alaska,” by Lisa Chavez (Blackboard)
“Somehow Form a Family,” by Tony Earley (Blackboard)
“Warring Families,” by Kandi Tayebi (Blackboard)
“Ticket to the Fair,” by David Foster Wallace (Blackboard)
“Notes of a Native Son, “ by James Baldwin (Blackboard)
“Brief History of My Thumb,” by Lucia Perillo (Blackboard)
Hiroshima, by John Hersey
Brother, I’m Dying, by Edwidge Danticat
Craft essays from Telling True Stories
Writing assignment #3 due: Thursday, April 5
8-12 pages
THE WORLDS WITHIN AND BEYOND
Writing about Science, Medicine, & the Natural World, Weeks 9-10
Readings will include:
“What Broke My Father’s Heart,” by Katy Butler (BAE, 2011)
“In Bed,” by Joan Didion (Blackboard)
“Feet in Smoke,” by John Jeremiah Sullivan (Blackboard)
“The Courage of Turtles,” by Edward Hoagland (Blackboard)
“The Mountains of Pi,” by Richard Preston (Blackboard)
Craft essays from Telling True Stories
Writing assignment #4 due: Tuesday, April 24
8-12 pages
FINAL PROJECT, Weeks 11-13
Your final project will be the revision of 3 essays and development/enlargement of 1 essay into a 25
page piece OR the revision of 4 essays and creation of a new (5th) 8-12 page essay, your choice of topic.
We will spend much of the last three weeks of class workshopping your revisions. DUE AT FINAL
EXAM HOUR: a portfolio of your finished work, which should include 4-5 essays totaling 40-50
pages of polished work.