Narrative & Narrative Theory Winter 2018
English 161 Prof. John Bender
Books (with ISBN):
Monika Fludernik, An Introduction to Narratology (Routledge 0415450306)
Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe, ed. Shinagel (Norton 0-393964523)
Jane Austen, Emma, ed. Justice (Norton 9780393927641)
Henry James, The Turn of the Screw ed. Esch/Warren (Norton 0-393-95904-X)
Virginia Woolf, Mrs Dalloway, ed. Scott & Hussey (Harcourt 978-015603035-9)
Raymond Chandler, The Big Sleep(Vintage 0394758285)
Truman Capote, In Cold Blood (Vintage9780679745587)
J. M. Coetzee, Boyhood (Penguin 014026566X)
Alison Bechdel, Fun Home (Houghton Mifflin 978061887171-1)
Course topic: This course is an introduction to stories and storytelling--that is, to narrative. What is narrative? When is narrative fictional and when non-fictional? How is it done, word by word, sentence by sentence? Must it be in prose? Can it be in pictures? How has storytelling changed over time? This course will focus on various forms, genres, structures, and characteristics of narrative.
This course is required by the English Department for the major and its syllabus has been reviewed by the departmental curriculum committee. The department does not intend to rule out our enjoyment of the marvelous novels listed for reading, but, in the spirit of the requirement, much of the focus will be rather technical. In the end, I hope, you will find that your pleasure in reading novels is enhanced by greater knowledge about their workings.
Note on Books: We will be looking closely at passages in each text. It is vital that you have the edition listed above for each book and that you bring it to class for each session. The bookstore has the books on sale, and I hope that you will support their effort to make books easily available to you, including through rentals. You may find better prices or used copies by shopping online. Readings not on the booklist will be posted on Canvas.
Reading: The success of this course will depend upon each student’s having completed the reading by the time it is discussed. Most novels will be treated in segments so that the entire text need not be read by the first day, though clearly this is a desirable goal. Note that when the reading of a novel is divided, the papers should be about the segment of the book read for a given day (e.g. first half of the novel the first day, second half the second day, etc.). Note the assignments to do readings outside the novels; these are short, and appear for most sessions. Readings on Canvas are marked # on the syllabus.
Papers: During the quarter, students will write about three brief papers of at least 600 words (to fit on one page single-spaced). At the end of your paper, please place one question that you would like to see discussed. The papers may resemble the usual English paper in some ways, but they ought to be specifically appropriate to the discussion of narrative and narrative theory. The number of papers may be adjusted according to the size of the class.
These papers will form the point of departure for our discussion, and therefore must be ready punctually. Finished copies should be available to the class on Canvas by midnight the night before the class so that everyone can read them in advance. It is essential that they be on time since I must prepare the class around them. Students are responsible for producing enough hard copies for everyone in the course. Papers must be produced single-spaced for distribution in class. Depending on the enrollment in the course, one or two of these papers may be discussed in section. PLEASE FIND THE FORUM ON “CANVAS” AND ENROLL YOURSELF.
Discussion Questions: "Discussions" within Canvas contains open threads for each day of our course. Do file questions and ideas at any time. On class days, ideally by 9:00 a.m., about one-third to one-half of the class (depending on enrollment) will file questions specifically on the material for the day and on at least one of the posted papers. It is essential that they be on time since I must prepare the class around them. They will be filed on Canvas in order to elicit responses from the class. Please visit Canvas often and get into the rhythm of responding to questions. A selection of these questions and responses will be used in class. They will be graded. Students need not turn in questions on days when they have a paper due, but, in general, should be posting about one question per week.
A Note on Sources: Papers in this course should be based on your ideas about the assigned reading, including texts in narrative theory. Some of the assigned volumes have introductions and commentary for you to use. Please focus on these materials. If you use books, articles, internet sources, or rely on work by other students, you must, by Stanford policy, specifically indicate your indebtedness.
Attendance and Discussion: This is not a lecture course. Please do not enroll if you expect lectures. Much of the value of this course lies in discussions that are difficult to reconstruct from notes. Therefore, attendance is a part of the required work without which you cannot successfully complete the course. The frequency and quality of your participation in discussion will figure, along with attendance, in your final mark.
Office Hours: I hold regular office hours. Do come in to talk with me about reading or papers, in advance or after the class.
Computer Policy: If you wish to use a laptop, I must ask that you turn off the wireless access during class. This is a discussion course, much of which will not lend itself to detailed note taking. In addition, open computers in front of you tend to block your availability to others in the room. Studies show that handwritten notes are more effective.
Students with Documented Disabilities: Students who may need an academic accommodation based on the impact of a disability must initiate the request with the Office of Accessible Education (OAE). Professional staff will evaluate the request with required documentation, recommend reasonable accommodations, and prepare an Accommodation Letter for faculty dated in the current quarter in which the request is being made. Students should contact the OAE as soon as possible since timely notice is needed to coordinate accommodations. The OAE is located at 563 Salvatierra Walk (phone: 723-1066, URL:
Grading: All work must be filed to pass this class. I do not give incompletes. I will cross off your mark on your first 600 word paper if it is lower than later ones. Breakdown of grading: Participation, including comments on Canvas 20%; Discussion papers including in-class exchanges about your papers 60%; Final paper 20%.
Final Course Paper: The final course paper may be an expansion (not just cut and paste) to 900 words of one of the student's shorter papers written for this course, or it may treat a novel not covered in a student's discussion papers. These papers will be due on Monday, March 19 by 1:00 p.m.
Schedule of Meetings
Week 1 What is Narration?
January 9Organization and Introduction
January 11#Daniel Defoe, “The Apparition of Mrs. Veal”
#E. A. Poe, "The Murders in the Rue Morgue"
Dmytrick,Murder, My Sweet clip of voice-over narration,
shown in class
Fludernik, 1-7 & Glossary of Narratological Terms, 150-62
Week 2Fact or Fiction
January 16 Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe
Fludernik, 21-32
January 18 Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe
Fludernik, 36-37 & 40-44
Week 3 Classic Narration in the Novel
January 23Jane Austen, Emma
Fludernik, 44-47
January 25Jane Austen, Emma
Fludernik, 53-58
Week 4Classic Narration in the Novel
January 30Jane Austen, Emma
Fludernik, 58-60, 64-69
Unreliable Narration in the Novel
February 1Henry James, The Turn of the Screw + 123-29
Fludernik, 69-71, 85-87
Week 5Experimental Narration in the Novel
February 6Virginia Woolf, Mrs. Dalloway
Fludernik, 78-85
February 8Virginia Woolf, Mrs. Dalloway
#William James, “The Stream of Thought,” pp. 219-221, 268-278 in The Principles of Psychology, volume 1.
Week 6The Novel & Detection
February 13 Raymond Chandler, The Big Sleep
Fludernik, 32-35, 47-52
February 15 Howard Hawks, The Big Sleep (shown in class)
#Roland Barthes, “Introduction to the Structural Analysis of Narratives,” parts 1-2
Andrew Bricker, "Key Terms in Narrative Theory"
Week 7The Novel and Detection
February 20 Raymond Chandler & Howard Hawks, The Big Sleep
#Roland Barthes, “Introduction to the Structural Analysis of Narratives,” parts 3-4
February 22The Non-Fiction Novel
Truman Capote, In Cold Blood
# Marie-Laure Ryan, Possible Worlds, Artificial Intelligence, and Narrative Theory, 1-5, 61-67.
Week 8The Non-Fiction Novel
February 27 Truman Capote, In Cold Blood
#J. Paul Hunter, Before Novels, Chapter 7, pp. 167-170, 172-176, 188-194
March 1The Fictional Memoir
J. M. Coetzee, Boyhood
#H. Porter Abbott, The Cambridge Introduction to Narrative,
2nd ed., 145-153
Week 9The Fictional Memoir
March 6J. M. Coetzee, Boyhood
#Carolyn Barros, Autobiography: Narrative of Transformation, Chapter 1
#Dorrit Cohn, "Fictional versus Historical Lives," The Distinction of Fiction, Chapter 2
March 8The Graphic Novel
Alison Bechdel, Fun Home
#Scott McCloud, Understanding Comics, Chapter 3
Week 10The Graphic Novel
March 13Alison Bechdel, Fun Home
#Eddie Campbell, “Graphic Novel Manifesto (Revised)
March 15Roundup and Review
Final Course Papers Due: Monday, March 19, 1:00 p.m.
Rev:11/16/17
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