Course Catalogue

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How have short stories developed since the turn of the century? What kinds of social issues, recent events, story, characters, styles and structure inspire recent notable writers of the form? How has film, TV, online publishing and social media changed the way short stories are written and read? This brief course explores the development of the short story as a literary art form over the course of the 21st century so far. Through a series of talks and discussions, it will analyse a range of recent short stories to help trace the diversity of styles, structures, themes and techniques during this time. Students will also consider the recent social and literary context of these stories to explore their potential historical connections and future impact.

Block 3

2 hours per week for 5 weeks

Wednesday 19:00-21:00

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Presentation (7 mins or 750 words scripted commentary) comparing the literary features of two of the short stories examined on the course with reference to their broader social and/or literary context (100%).

This course aims to:

■ Introduce students to some key literary features of the short story form over the course of the 21st Century through close textual analysis of a range of notable examples.

■ Present students with the social and literary context of the texts under discussion

■ Provide students with the opportunity to discuss their own engagement with these texts

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Describe and compare the key literary characteristics of specific short stories examined on the course

■ Discuss their broader social and/or literary context.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.