EL1006:03
The Motives for Fiction
Townsville
26 lectures, 10 tutorials. Second semester.
Staff: Professor P Pierce, Mr J Gray, Dr G Manning.
An introduction to fiction of three, broadly defined types–realist, escapist and reflexive–which begin by asking why readers read and why writers write, the kind of fiction that they do.
Learning Objectives:
- a detailed knowledge of each of the texts set for study;
- an understanding of the concept of “fiction” and its relation to such categories as “narrative”, “novel” and “story”;
- an understanding of the concepts “realism”, “escapism” and “reflexivism” with reference to fiction;
- a sense of the roles of fiction in society;
- an ability to organise an argument of 1,500 words in length making use of at least one interpretive reading of a work of fiction;
- an ability to develop ideas in small group discussion.
Assessment by two assignments of 750 words each and one essay of 1,500 words (40%); tutorial participation (20%); one three-hour end-of-semester examination (40%).