First-Year Writing Seminar (105-8-25)

Topic

True Fictions

Instructors

Brendan M O'Kelly

Meeting Info

University Hall 312: Mon, Wed 12:30PM - 1:50PM

Overview of class

Recent controversies about "fake news" and disinformation would appear to suggest that contemporary mass media is newly unreliable. This course will explore how the distinction between truth and fiction in all media technologies has always been muddy. To do so, we will examine fiction that pretends to be true from 17th-19th century literature and philosophy to documentary-styled novels, films, and radio programs that span the 20th century. We will study the predominance of "found footage" films and digital media in the current millennium that parallel the rise of reality television, YouTube, and the smart phone. We will begin and end the quarter with considerations of "fake news," from founding father Benjamin Franklin's fabricated newspaper propaganda to contemporary digital media. We will also read selections from philosophy and critical theory that question the concept of truth and the construction of reality through media technologies.

Class Materials (Required)

Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood. Vintage, 1994. 978-0679745587

Class Attributes

WCAS Writing Seminar