Introduction to Literary Theory (200-0-20)
Instructors
Alejandra Uslenghi
847/467-1713
3-113 Crowe
Meeting Info
Kresge Centennial Hall 2-410: Tues, Thurs 9:30AM - 10:50AM
Overview of class
The Concept of Fiction
What kind of reader are you? Can you discriminate fiction from fact? How do you navigate between the real and the imaginary when reading?
Literary theory examines how we understand and analyze literature, providing frameworks and concepts for interpreting literary texts. Central to literary theory thus is the concept of fiction, which interrogates what constitutes a fictional text as distinguished from other social discourses, like journalism, historical narrative, testimonial accounts, or personal statements. If we commonly think of fiction as defined by its imaginary or non-factual nature, how does this still impact our perception of reality? And why do we feel real feelings about fictional and identify with fictional characters? Guided by modern and contemporary authors and theorists, we critically examine the distinction between the claim of truth and the construction of verisimilitude. Reading a diverse array of texts, we work through the differentiation of genres, the construction of discursive voices, and how fictional worlds develop coherency and a sense of realism our of the use of particular language. Finally, we playfully experiment with large language models like AI to test these insights.
Class Attributes
Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area