Pre-requisites:  

There are no pre-requisites for this course, but the students are required to have a basic understanding of the structure and grammar of the English Language, a penchant for oral and written creative expression, and the nascent ability to unpack and deconstruct literary artworks to understand their formal mechanics.

Introduction:

"In place of a hermeneutics, we need an erotics of art", wrote Susan Sontag in one of her most influential essays on the craft of writing, Against Interpretation. How does art operate in the affective plane? What is it about a particular arrangement of words that “defamiliarizes” reality altogether as per the Formalists? What really is “an erotics of art” and how can we learn to read and experience literature in the most thoughtful way? Through a close examination of a diverse array of writings on craft, style, and form, this course is meant to be an undertaking in understanding the mechanics of literature and its various genres including fiction, poetry, and drama. We will close read a varied selection of texts that challenge formalist conventions, and learn how each writer employs voice, image, and metaphor to create and build a narrative. Through discussions, workshops, and peer review exercises, this course is not only meant to develop language skills, but also instill appreciation in students to get to grips with literature in all its abundant glory.

Objectives:

This course is designed to enable students to master the essential study skills required in graduate academic training. The objectives of this course are to a) enable students to develop their writing skills in different styles (creative, academic), b) to respond to different literary forms with insight and learn effective reading methods, c) to familiarize themselves with various literary genres and forms, d) to write and formulate academic essays and answers, e) to create presentations and learn skills to present confidently in an academic environment, f) the necessary skills required for a graduate module such as note-taking, making annotations and outlines etc., g) to master the structure of the English language and learn to be able to express themselves coherently and effecitively.

Outcome:

The students are expected to complete this course with an exhaustive understanding of the mechanics of various literary genres, how to read and respond critically to a literary text, and ways to express their insights in an effective and convincing manner. The students will be expected to read and comment on each other’s writings in a workshop setting which will enable them to be better and more thoughtful readers and ultimately, scholars.