The curriculum allows the student to develop writing skills, provides an introduction to the possibilities of contemporary literature and offers a perspective on the place of literature among the liberal arts. Criticism by practicing writers and talented peers encourages the student’s growth as both creator and reader of literature.
SPECIAL FOCUS — CWR 204-2: READING FICTION
Taught by Alaa Al Aswany
The art of writing begins with reading critically. This Reading Fiction course teaches the tools to appreciate literary works and learn from accomplished writers from different periods and around the world. Students learn to interpret fiction, recognize underlying themes, decipher writing techniques, and analyze the human content of each story. In fiction, writers must have a defined point of view, strong, believable characters, a unique style, and, most importantly, what I call the human content. In this course, we discuss the human content in the fiction we read and the essence of what the authors express: the drama, emotion, and insight that a story or work of fiction imparts on the reader, and which leaves us feeling more fulfilled and expansive in our understanding of life.
