This course introduces students to fiction,,poetry, creative nonfiction and drama and,presents an opportunity to produce written work,in those genres for review by the instructor and,peers. DEN 307 offers student writers an,opportunity to improve their writing. The works,of published writers, like the exhibits of,artists, are used as models and resources. This,course is open to the general student population,,but is required for all Creative Writing Minors.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: DEN 102
The fairy tale is a distinct genre of literature,,with its own set of characteristics and audience,expectations. In this course, students will,study numerous classic examples of the fairy,tale, such as those collected by the Brothers,Grimm and salon tales written by Charles Perrault,for members of the French court, as well as,modern revisionist adaptations. The origins of,fairy tales from saga and certain Renaissance,collections such as the Pentamerone by,Giambattista Basile and The Arabian Nights will,also be explored. Students can expect to study,saga, classic Marchen, and global examples of,diffusionism. Some attention is paid to art from,the tradition of fairy tale illustration as well,as filmic adaptations.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: DEN 102
This upper-level course on Shakespeare and the,Emergence of the Early Modern Self seeks to,explore the ways in which the language of,Shakespeare – in sonnet sequence, in comedy and,tragedy – allows a site for the study of the,struggles, conflicts and anxieties in the,emergence of what may be called early modern,subjection. Through close attention to the,language and conventions of Elizabethan writing,and staging, students are encouraged to formulate,their own historical yet creative reading of self,and subjectivity in Shakespeare’s art and work. A,special section on Shakespeare and Film is used to,open discussion on the uses and re-interpretation,of Shakespeare’s works for modern and contemporary,audiences (in terms of gender, race and class).
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: DEN 102
The purpose of this workshop is to create and,refine new fiction in the form of flash or short,stories, novellas and/or novel chapters. Since,good writing rarely occurs in a vacuum, in,addition to providing critiques on student story,and chapter drafts, we will also discuss,materials from professional writers to help,deepen our own understanding of the craft of,fiction and the interplay between form and,content.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: DEN 102
Creative nonfiction is a type of writing that,uses literary styles and techniques to construct,narratives that have their foundation in fact.,Examples include: memoir, travelogue, the,personal essay, and cultural observation. As,opposed to journalism and technical writing,,which are also based in fact, creative nonfiction,projects a dramatic, literary framework onto,everyday existence, rendering it enlightening and,potentially meaningful to the reader. We will,study examples of creative nonfiction in order to,determine some of the structures and methods of,this relatively open genre, and in turn, apply,them to students’ own work. As a workshop class,,the primary focus is student writing of,manuscripts to be critiqued and improved. The,class requires students to share their writing,,questions, and opinions. As an online workshop,class, we will interact almost entirely through,the medium of Blackboard, posting work and,responses weekly or bi-weekly. On a deeper level,,we will consider the sometimes slippery nature of,truth as it applies to this writing form, looking,for consensus on the boundaries we can push, vs.,those we must maintain in order for this genre to,preserve its claim to authority.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: DEN 102
At once literary and visual, graphic novels,challenge the traditional boundaries of,literature. In recent years, graphic novels have,explored important social and political themes,,retold ancient stories, and carved new territory,in story-telling. This course will explore the,graphic novel as a cultural artifact asking,several key questions: What stories have been,told in graphic novel format, and why those,stories? What do graphic novels mean for our,understanding of storytelling, particularly,literature? How and why do the stories differ,from traditional literature? What do graphic,novels tell us about the moment in which they are,produced? What is the relationship between text,and image? Must they be of equal importance? How,do they function differently from texts and,images found in picture books and other,text/image platforms? The answers inspired by,these questions are put into practice with the,completion of a small, original graphic novella,of an original story.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: DEN 102
Science Fiction and Horror may transport readers,to a planet light years away or usher them,through fiend filled graveyards and crypts.,Whether extrapolating futuristic technology from,contemporary science or conjuring novel survival,strategies, these genres imagine what might have,been or what might be, creating a platform for,rich possibility. In this course, we will explore,the nature of both genres by reading and,discussing a diverse selection of works drawn,from text, film, television, radio and comics,before students generate writing of their own.,Concepts will be reinforced through group,workshop and discussion. In this multi-genre,course, we will focus on those elements that make,for vivid, effective, memorable writing in,science fiction and horror: original detail,,memorable image, inventive language and authentic,setting. Both critical thinking and artistic,sensibility will be emphasized.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: DEN 102
The Scriptwriting Workshop offers art and design,students an opportunity to read scripted texts,within the contemporary professional canon,prepared for radio broadcast, theater, television,and film. Scripting mechanics will be emphasized,,including voice and character development,,three-act structure, plot points, sequencing and,stage and shot direction. Students will compose,an original short form work and critique the work,of colleagues. Concepts will be reinforced,through group workshop and discussion. Both,critical reading and artistic sensibility will be,emphasized.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: DEN 102
This course looks at some of the sexual, social,,and cultural dilemmas facing women as writers,,artists and individuals, based upon the literature,written both by and about them. Readings include,novels and a series of short fiction, essays,,poetry, etc.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: DEN 102
This course explores the myriad and changing,roles,of the automobile in American culture. Through,numerous examples of car culture in literature,and,film, this course interrogates, celebrates and,ponders both the past and future of one of modern,technology’s most remarkable and influential,inventions. A survey of literary and cinematic,case studies are used in the course to establish,an ongoing, theoretically geared discussion of,the,Wondrous Machine.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: DEN 239