How to Read Short Stories
Taught by Jennifer
Jennifer use to slay dragons in Queens. Now she slays them in Brooklyn.
They're short, sweet and to the point. Right? No. Short yes, to the point and sweet no. You might have read a short story collection you picked up at the Strand or occasionally read the ones in between cartoons in the New Yorker, but maybe you'd like to understand why you like or don't like what you've read.
In this class we'll explore why we like a story, what makes it bad and why. We'll tackle metaphor, point of view, theme and a few other literary devices that make reading so enjoyable. No need to have a background in Literature. The stories we'll be reading (Hemingway, Poe, O' Connor, Van Booy, Carver and Gaitskill) all deal with life, love and loss. If you've experienced life then you already have most the tools needed to navigate these brief tales.
There will be homework! Just reading; three stories to be read before class each week.