Masterworks in American Short Fiction

Image of Nathaniel Hawthorne

Nathaniel Hawthorne, circa 1883. (Image courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division [reproduction number, LC-USZ62-2358 (b&w film copy neg.)])

Instructor(s)

MIT Course Number

21L.705

As Taught In

Fall 2005

Level

Undergraduate

Cite This Course

Course Description

Course Highlights

This course features a unique collection of short fiction references in the readings section, as well as course study materials.

Course Description

For some reason, American literature (like French, Irish, and Russian, among others) has been especially productive in major works in fictional forms shorter than the novel. Our task in this course will be to survey that field, by looking at particular moments of high accomplishment. We will, in addition, consider some of the ways in which literary formulae can be used and varied, and some of the impacts of elements of narrative construction.

Other Versions

Related Content

John Hildebidle. 21L.705 Masterworks in American Short Fiction. Fall 2005. Massachusetts Institute of Technology: MIT OpenCourseWare, https://ocw.mit.edu. License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA.


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