For your second reflection essay, you’ll explain why you least like one short story you’ve read from the Reading Room. I.e. what is the least favorite (or even worst) story you’ve discovered and read on your own so far this semester.
Here are a few guidelines:
- “realistic” or “not realistic” are not good criteria. I.e. we’ve spent a fair amount of time this semester talking about how stories work, about narrative technique and structure, etc. Unless you’re prepared to strictly define “verisimilitude,” don’t choose you’re least favorite story on the basis of whether or not it seems “realistic.”
- avoid judgments based on content or theme. Personally, I don’t typically enjoy short stories that involve bourgeois people complaining about life. There are some major exceptions (for instance, John Cheever), of course. But this criterion is too easy.
- do use the terms and ideas we’ve used to frame our discussion of short fiction – – characterization, plot, setting, narration, perspective, etc. What I’m interested in: how you judge stories by their craft (or even “art). (One of the greatest achievements of a writer can be the way they use craft and technique to transform apparently “unrealistic” or “uninteresting” material into compelling fiction.)
- try to start your essay with one sentence that begins something like: “[Story X] by [author] is my least favorite story because . . . .”
- no more than two pages of sharp, clear prose. Remember: three strikes and you’re out. As in our previous reflection essay, just add your essay to your Reading Journal. If possible, put the essay near the top of your google doc. (As you’ve been accumulating journal entries, this will save me a lot of scrolling and potential confusion.)
Questions? Concerns? Let me know in class or at profhanley@gmail.com
Due: Thursday, November 17, by midnight.