ENGL. 101 Topics in Literature:
Short Stories
Fall 2014
TR: 12:30 – 2:10
Instructor: Christopher Perri
Email: perri@geneseo.edu
Phone: 245-5223
Welles 216
Office: Welles 218C
Office Hours: TR 11:30 – 12:30
(& by appointment)
There aren’t many things people do that other animals don’t. Storytelling is one of them. And blushing. I’ve
never seen a dolphin blush…those are the things only we do: narrative and embarrassment.
-Salman Rushdie
An apocalypse served in a tea cup.
-Hortense Calisher, on describing the short story
Required Text(s)
Fiction 100: An Anthology of Short Fiction ed. James Pickering
Course Philosophy & Description
This class will provide an examination of the tradition and development of the short story. More than a means of
communication or entertainment, the short story has evolved into a microcosmic literary genre, covering the same depth &
breadth of marathoner novelists in a sprinter’s time. The life of the short story will be traced historically & thematically
through time from its earliest roots to contemporary renderings, and we’ll explore—via these channels—the significance,
manufacture, and maintenance of the short story form from the critical standpoints of discussion, writing, and exam.
Objectives/Outcomes:
∙ Demonstrate an ability to recognize and explain the differences among the various forms & styles of literary short fiction.
∙ Acquire increased development of critical insight and an aesthetic sensibility towards literary short fiction.
∙ Write, think, and speak about literary short fiction with clarity and precision.
∙ Heighten the ability to use critical thinking skills to analyze various works of literary short fiction.
Grading & Policies
Final grades for the course will be based upon successful completion of the following criteria:
40%
25%
35%
Three Essays (10% Essay 1, 15% each Essays 2 & 3)
Participation
Comprehensive Final Exam
Essay & Activity Assignments
1) Three Essays – over the course of the semester, three separate essays will be assigned. While these essays will differ in
scope and strategy, each one will be a thesis-driven enterprise centered on the reading and ideas from class. Handouts for
each individual paper assignment will be made available as deadlines approach. Portions of class time will likewise be
devoted to the finer points of these essays.
2) Participation – all students are required to share not only their reactions to what they read, but their thoughts about what
they learn from the reading after group discussion. In facilitation of this requirement, there will be (A) an open discussion
forum on myCourses, and (B) discussion leaders will be assigned to specific dates and reading selections. Students are
expected to post to the discussion forum regularly over the course of the semester, and will submit a mini-portfolio of their
five best posts (“Greatest Hits”) at the end of the semester. Discussion leaders will be assigned during class time within the
first two weeks of classes.
3) Comprehensive Final Exam – the course will terminate in a final exam covering all course content. All of the short
stories assigned for reading throughout the semester will be fair game for this test, and the test itself is designed to evaluate
a student’s retention, comprehension, and interpretation of the material. The exam will contain key terminology, shortanswer questions, and prompts for mid-range essays.
Submission of Work
All work is due in hard copy promptly at the beginning of the class for which it is assigned. Papers arriving late to class
will be penalized ½ a letter grade. Papers that do not arrive to class at all will be penalized one full letter grade for each
calendar day—not class day—outstanding. Emailing me your papers, leaving them in my department mailbox,
pestering the esteemed department secretary with them, sliding them under my office door, or feigning ignorance
to any of the preceding will not count as making the deadline. Exceptions and extensions may be granted provided
you secure my permission within twenty-four hours of the established due date. Additionally, without prior notice no
“make-ups” or extensions will be granted to students absent from the discussion forum, their discussion leader date, or
final exam.
Policies of Note
Academic Honesty
SUNY Geneseo’s policy regarding Academic Honesty applies. You may review this policy in the current edition of the
Undergraduate Bulletin in print or online. Suspicion of plagiarism will be treated as a serious offense, resulting in failure
for the assignment and possible removal from the course.
Accommodations
SUNY Geneseo will make reasonable accommodations for persons with documented physical, emotional, or cognitive
disabilities. Accommodations will also be made for medical conditions related to pregnancy or parenting. Students
should contact Dean Buggie-Hunt in the Office of Disability Services (tbuggieh@geneseo.edu or 585-245-5112) and their
faculty to discuss needed accommodations as early as possible in the semester.
Tentative Schedule1
8/26
8/28
9/2
9/4
9/9
9/11
9/16
9/18
1
2
Class welcome & introduction: overview of materials & schedule, discussion of short story forms and
terminology
Discussion of “Terminal” (handout); best practices for discussion forum and discussion leaders
Unit I – Family Values: Anderson’s “The Egg” & Oates’ “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”2
Assign Dates & Selections for Discussion Leaders
Porter’s “The Grave,” Kinsella’s “Shoeless Joe Jackson Comes to Iowa,” Kincaid’s “Girl,” and Wolff’s “Powder”
Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues” & O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find”
Discussion Leaders: 1_________________ 2___________________
Alexie’s “This Is What it Means to Say, Phoenix, Arizona,” & “Gordimer’s “A Beneficiary”
Discussion Leaders: 3_________________ 4____________________
Unit II – Love is Strange: Joyce’s “Araby” & Crane’s “The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky”
Maupassant’s “Rust,” Cather’s “Paul’s Case,” Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily,” & Beattie’s “Janus”
Discussion Leaders: 5________________ 6 _________________ 7 ________________ 8 ________________
All dates, selections, assignments, & activities are subject to change
Page numbers for readings can be found in the “Contents” section of Fiction 100
9/23
9/25
9/30
10/2
10/7
10/9
Chekhov’s “The Lady with the Dog,” & Oates’ “The Lady with the Pet Dog”
Discussion Leaders: 9___________________ 10 _________________
Essay #1 Due
Unit III – Games: Clemens’ “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” & Ellison’s “King of the Bingo
Game”
Munro’s “The Open Window” & Jin’s “Saboteur”
Discussion Leaders: 11________________ 12___________________
Unit IV – Experiments: Irving’s “Rip Van Winkle” & Bechdel’s “Fun Home”
Discussion Leaders: 13___________________ 14______________________
Barth’s “Lost in the Funhouse,” & Garcia Marquez’ “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings”
Discussion Leaders: 15___________________ 16_______________________
Bierce’s “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” & Borges’ “The Garden of Forking Paths”
Discussion Leaders: 17___________________ 18_______________________
10/14 Fall Break – No Class
10/16 Essay #2 Workshop (Group I only)
10/21 Essay #2 Workshop (Group II only)
10/23 Essay #2 Workshop (Group III only)
10/28 Essay #2 Due
Unit V – Wonders of the Natural World: Bass’ “Antlers” & Silko’s “Yellow Woman”
Discussion Leaders: 19____________________ 20______________________
10/30 Jewett’s “A White Heron” & Proulx’ “Them Old Cowboy Songs”
Discussion Leaders: 21____________________ 22______________________
11/4
11/6
Unit VI – Miscellanea: Williams’ “The Use of Force” & Saunders’ “Puppy”
Discussion Leaders: 23___________________ 24_______________________
Updike’s “A&P,” Atwood’s “Rape Fantasies,” & Boyle’s “Greasy Lake”
Discussion Leaders: 25___________________ 26_______________________ 27______________________
11/11 Carver’s “Cathedral,” Lahiri’s “Interpreter of Maladies,” & Cisneros’ “The House on
Mango Street”
Discussion Leaders: 28____________________ 29____________________30______________________
11/13 Essay #3 Workshop (Group I only)
11/18 Essay #3 Workshop (Group II only)
11/20 Essay #3 Workshop (Group III only)
11/25 Essay #3 Due; TBA
11/27 Thanksgiving – No Class
12/2
12/4
Review for Final; “Greatest Hits” (5 best discussion forum posts) Due
Review for Final
Final Exam Period: Thursday December 11th 12:00 – 3:00