Reading Contemporary Fiction

This unit of study introduces students to the study and analysis of recent prose fiction (short stories and novels) written in English. These are chosen to exemplify a number of contemporary thematic concerns, a variety of literary techniques, modes of representation and conceptions of the purposes of fiction, and some of the social and contextual influences upon all of these. Students will need both to immerse themselves closely in the details of the works studied and to reflect more generally upon issues thereby raised that relate to recent theoretical debates within literary studies. They will be introduced to basic skills in critical method and to vocabulary relevant to the study of narrative fiction. Students will be encouraged to consider the complex transactional processes involved in responding to texts and discussing them with others.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:

1. Articulate literary arguments in a variety of verbal and textual settings and formats;
2. Apply problem-solving skills to analyse literary texts;
3. Analyse literary strategies used in representations of diverse cultures by studying particular literary texts; and
4. Critically reflect upon and discuss issues raised in recent theoretical debates within literary studies.