Narrative & Narrative Theory Winter 2015
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/A Room of One's Own (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 0547447345)
Raymond Chandler, The Big Sleep (Vintage)
Truman Capote, In Cold Blood (Random House)
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 Coursework.
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 Coursework are marked # on the syllabus.
Papers: Students will write three brief papers of 600 words (one page single-spaced) during the quarter. 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 Coursework 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 “COURSEWORK” AND ENROLL YOURSELF.
Questions: "Forum" within Coursework contains open threads for each day of our course. Do file questions and ideas at any time. On class days 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 the posted papers. It is essential that they be on time since I must prepare the class around them. They will be filed on Coursework in order to elicit responses from the class. Please visit Coursework 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 paper if it is lower than later papers. Breakdown of grading: Participation, including comments on Coursework 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 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 Thursday, March 12 by noon.
Schedule of Meetings
Week 1 What is Narration?
January 6Organization and Introduction
January 8#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 13 Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe
Fludernik, 21-32
January 15 Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe
Fludernik, 36-44
Week 3 Classic Narration in the Novel
January 20 Jane Austen, Emma
Fludernik, 44-47
January 22 Jane Austen, Emma
Fludernik, 53-58
Week 4Classic Narration in the Novel
January 27 Jane Austen, Emma
Fludernik, 58-60, 64-69
January 29 Unreliable Narration in the Novel
Henry James, The Turn of the Screw
Fludernik, 69-71, 85-87
Week 5Experimental Narration in the Novel
February 3Virginia Woolf, Mrs. Dalloway
Fludernik, 78-85
February 5Virginia 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 10 Raymond Chandler, The Big Sleep
Fludernik, 32-35, 47-49
February 12 Howard Hawks, The Big Sleep (shown in class)
#Roland Barthes, “Introduction to the Structural Analysis of Narratives,” parts 1-2
Week 7The Novel and Detection
February 17 Raymond Chandler & Howard Hawks, The Big Sleep
#Roland Barthes, “Introduction to the Structural Analysis of Narratives,” parts 3-4
February 19 The 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 24 Truman Capote, In Cold Blood
#J. Paul Hunter, Before Novels, Chapter 7, pp. 167-170, 172-176, 188-194
February 26The Fictional Memoir
J. M. Coetzee, Boyhood
#H. Porter Abbott, The Cambridge Introduction to Narrative,
2nd ed., 145-153
Week 9The Fictional Memoir
March 3J. M. Coetzee, Boyhood
#Carolyn Barros, Autobiography: Narrative of Transformation, Chapter 1
#Dorrit Cohn, "Fictional versus Historical Lives," The Distinction of Fiction, Chapter 2
March 5The Graphic Novel
Alison Bechdel, Fun Home
#Scott McCloud, Understanding Comics, Chapter 3
Week 10The Graphic Novel
March 10Alison Bechdel, Fun Home
#Eddie Campbell, “Graphic Novel Manifesto (Revised)
March 12No class. Final papers due at noon today
Final Course Papers Due: Thursday, March 12, noon
Rev 1/4/15
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