English 216

Fall 1998 Office: JHA 436
Office Phone: 6-3465
Mr. David A. Salomon
Office Hours: MW 11-11:50 and by appointment
E-mail: salomon@uconnvm.uconn.edu

The Short Story

This course introduces you to the world of the short story. Don't be deceived! The definition of the word "short" is rather fluid. We will read stories as brief as a few paragraphs and as long as forty pages. Please read each story at least once before the class discussion of it. Use a good dictionary as you read; we will gloss foreign terms and phrases in class discussion. Bring the text to class in order to follow the discussion and make your questions specific. Take notes. Ask questions. Discuss the stories and authors with other members of the course. The unassigned stories are well worth reading, in these and the authors' other books. The library abounds in secondary materials, and a web site is given below.

Texts

(all available at the UConn Co-Op):

Fiction: A Longman Pocket Anthology. Ed. R.S. Gwynn. Longman.

Yukio Mishima. Acts of Worship. Kodansha.

Isak Dinesen. Winter's Tales. Vintage.

Attendance:

Students are expected to attend class regularly. Absences will begin to affect grades after 4 class hours have been missed. Lateness will have a similar effect. If you are sick or have an emergency which forces you to miss more than two consecutive classes, call the Office of Student Affairs (6-3428), and let them know. This way, they will contact all of your instructors, and you might not be held accountable for those absences. Don't disappear for two weeks and then reappear, expecting everything to be all right.

Course Requirements:

Five reading quizzes--unannounced (the lowest grade of the five quizzes will be dropped); quizzes are given during the first ten minutes of class; they cannot be made up if missed or if you are late.

One 5-7 page paper on either Mishima or Dinesen; suggested topics will be discussed; the paper need not use secondary sources, but if it does, make sure those sources are documented properly; due Monday, December 14

Midterm Exam: Wednesday, October 22

Final Exam: Date to be announced

You may use any books you like for the exams (including texts and notebooks); quizzes are closed book.

N.B. There will be absolutely no makeups for either quizzes or exams. Quizzes will be given during the first ten minutes of class; if you arrive late and miss the quiz, you've missed the quiz.