Albertus Magnus College

Department of Foreign Languages

New Haven, CT 06511

FL354S

The Latin American Short Story: To Magical Realism and Beyond!

Spring 2016

Tuesday/Thursday 12:10-1:25 p.m.

Ian Althouse

Aquinas Hall 234

Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:30 – 2:30 and by appointment.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

FL354S: The Latin American Short Story is an advanced literature course for students with a major or minor in Spanish, or who wish to fulfill a General Education requirement. This course will take us on a journey through the evolution of the short story during the twentieth century in Latin America. We will explore the various literary styles writers employed in this period, beginning with el criollismo and lo fántastico through to magical realism and then explore current tendencies of the short story among more contemporary authors. Students will also read theoretical texts written by the same authors about the short story as form written by the same authors whose fictional works we will read for class. We will engage with their fictional pieces as evidence of their theoretical stances and consider where authors overlap in their ideas as well as where they differ and the consequences of those differences. The course demands significant participation and student initiative and will be offered in Spanish.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this semester students will be able to demonstrate:

  1. Identify and debate the characteristics or qualities that make a short story
  2. Explain the theoretical stance of various Latin American authors with respect to the short story as form and how their theoretical ideas are manifested in their stories
  3. An increased ability to critically analyze literature and the multiple themes and literary techniques employed by notable Latin American writers
  4. Trace the genealogy of literary styles in Latin America in the twentieth century leading up to magical realism
  5. an increased vocabulary and ability to speak and write in Spanish
  6. Apply observations of style and elements of theoretical coursework to their own writing in a creative short story of their own

COMMUNICATIONS:

Communications will take place through eLearning, by email, and during office hours. Students who cannot attend office hours are encouraged to set up a separate appointment with Professor Althouse via email.

GRADING POLICIES AND REQUIRED WORK:

Attendance10%

Participation (2)10%

Forumposts5%

Reading quizzes (5)10%

Oral presentations (2)14%

Tertulia (2)16%

Midterm exams (2)20%

Short story15%

GRADING SCALE:

100-93A76-73C

92-90A-72-70C-

89-87B+69-67D+

86-83B66-60D

82-80B-59-0F

79-77C+

ATTENDANCE:

You are expected to arrive to class prepared to participate in our discussions. Absences and late arrivals will impede your participation in class and time to complete reading quizzes when given. For these reasons, absences will influence your final grade in a negative way after the second unexcused absence.

PARTICIPATION:

This class will be conducted in Spanish and students will be expected to speak in Spanish at all times during class. Your voice should be heard in class, contributing ideas and responding to classmates in thoughtful discussion. In order to maintain an engaging conversation, it is very important that everyone comes to class prepared having carefully read the story before class.

In class discussion of these texts will be greatly enriched as we all bring our individual perspectives on these texts to class. For this reason, your preparation and participation in class will be a factor in your final grade in this course.

You will receive 2 participation grades, one at the midterm and one in the last week of the course.

Finally, during the two classes dedicated to the tertulias students will be responsible for leading and directing conversation throughout the entirety of the class.

FORUM POSTS:

You will complete one main post prior to each change in topic during the semester (i.e. the change from Week 3 on criollismo to the Week 4 readings on lo fantástico).You will have the entirety of the weekend to write a main post related to the following week’s readings. The purpose of these posts will be to get you thinking about the similarities and differences you observe in the literary texts. You are encouraged to read your classmates’ main posts and leave a response post to their ideas. Being active on the forum allows you to come to class prepared with discussion topics and questions about the text. Your posts will be graded holistically for

Main Posts: A main post is traditionally your answer to a discussion question. Main posts are required to consist of a minimum of 200 words and be titled: “MAIN POST – [Forum Name].” Your main posts should reflect your understanding of the text (or posit doubts if that is the case), they should be of high quality, and demonstrate engagement with the materials.

Response Posts: Response posts are your comments or feedback to other members' main posts. Your response posts should be of high quality, add value to the discussion, and be a minimum of five sentences.

GRADED ASSIGNMENTS:

In addition to class participation, students will be responsible for two tertulia presentations and write-ups, two oral presentations, two midterm exams, and one creative writing piece. Five reading pop-quizzes may be administered at any point in the semester to verify completion of homework and class preparation.

TERTULIAS:

There will be two tertulias during this semester in which students will discuss critical readings on the style and form of the short story, written by the authors whose short stories we are reading in class. Prior to the tertulia, students will be divided into groups of three or four and each student will be responsible for reading only oneof the texts assigned for that day. As a result, the student must take on the role of expert of their assigned critical text.

Students will need to have read the text carefully and have prepared a set of notes on the text that they will provide for their classmates as well as a copy for submission to the instructor.

In class, students will share out on their reading and discuss the similarities and differences they encounter in each writer’s thoughts as well as engage in a critical conversation about their own opinions and thoughts about the texts at hand.

ORAL PRESENTATIONS:

Each student will be responsible for making two, separate, 5-minute oral presentations in Spanish during the course of the semester.

The first presentation will present a brief biography of the author to be discussed, as well as the historical context in which the work was written. The presentation will take place at the beginning of class in which we discuss that author’s work. In the case that we read an author on more than one day, presentation will occur at the beginning of the first class only regarding the work(s) to be discussed that day.

The second presentation will consist of a close reading in which the student will explore in great detail a particular aspect of the text (a specific scene, structural element, trope, symbol, etc.). Though the grade for this activity will be based solely on the oral presentation, the presentation must be prepared in writing beforehand and you will be asked to hand in this written version at the end of your presentation. The exercise of writing out your ideas is good practice for any oral presentation you will give, as it demands that you formulate a cogently organized argument. In addition, you will receive feedback on both your oral presentation as well as your written work.

READING QUIZZES:

There will be 5 reading quizzes administered as pop-quizzes over the course of the semester. This means that you can expect there to be one quiz roughly every 3 weeks, however, these quizzes are intended to verify completion of readings and class preparation. Reading quizzes will be 3-4 questions long and may be in the form of multiple-choice, short-answer responses, or a combination of the two and will occupy the first 20 minutes of class on the days they are administered.

CREATIVE WRITING PIECE (SHORT STORY):

As we go through the semester, we will observe the creative plots, varied styles, and diverse theoretical ideas of many authors. We will dissect their writing and use their work to inform our own writing as we invent short stories inspired by the works we read together. Employing their writing as models, we will apply their theoretical observations and try to incorporate elements of their personal styles as we develop our own plot structures, story concepts, and writing styles.

We will engage in three workshops, or talleres de escritura, in which we present our ideas, think through the execution of those ideas, and offer suggestions to improve our writing—both grammatically and stylistically.

There is no strict length requirement for this short story; however, the length should reflect an understanding of the genre as we have discussed it in this course. The story should be well developed and show evidence of revision after each of the talleres. The final draft will be due in one week after the last day of classes.

TRADITION OF HONOR

Albertus Magnus prides itself on its tradition of honor, which extends to all aspects of college life. This means that students are expected to assume responsibility for their actions and to uphold ethical standards and abiding by the College’s policies. For a more detailed explanation of the Tradition of Honor and relevant accompanying procedures you may turn to your Student Handbook.

To this end, every student must write and sign the following statement at the end of each examination: “I declare the Honor Pledge.”

SPECIAL NEEDS AND ACCOMMODATIONS

Please advise the instructor of any special problems or needs at the beginning of the semester or module. Those students seeking accommodation based on disabilities should provide a Faculty Contact Sheet obtained through the Academic Development Center in Aquinas Hall, (203) 773-8590.

EMERGENCY PLAN FOR FL354S: THE LATIN AMERICAN SHORT STORY

The plan here outlined is a preliminary plan of action in the event that there is a natural disaster or emergency that results in the closing of the College, impedes my ability to teach the course, or impedes your ability to take the course. This plan is subject to modification to address the specifics of the circumstance(s) that arise.

CLOSURE OF THE COLLEGE

If the College closes and public access to the internet is lost, the course is suspended. A revised course schedule will be issued by the College.

If the College closes but public access to the internet is still available, the course will continue online. Assignments as outlined in the syllabus will be posted online, and you should adhere to the due dates. You must complete written assignments and post them in the Assignments section of the course on Campus Cruiser by the noted deadline.

INSTRUCTOR INCAPACITATION

If the College is closed and I am unable to provide instruction online, you must complete written assignments and post them in the Assignments section of the course on Campus Cruiser. Once I am no longer incapacitated, I shall respond to the work submitted and use the next class session to work through the course material that was assigned for the classes that were missed. The oral final, which typically is administered in the last week of class, will not be given and the grading scale will be adjusted.

If the College is not closed and I am temporarily incapacitated, we shall follow the same plan as outlined in the preceding paragraph, except that the oral exams will take place at a designated time in my office.

If I am unable to remain as the course instructor, another instructor will be named, and he or she will follow the plan outlined in the first paragraph of this section.

STUDENT INCAPACITATION

If the College is closed and you are incapacitated, you should contact me as soon as you are well enough to do so, and we shall discuss whether or not it is feasible for you to complete the course, and whether you should withdraw or take an incomplete. Much depends upon the caliber of your performance prior to your incapacitation and the length of time that you were not able to participate in the course. Note that, according to the Albertus Magnus College Catalogue, incompletes are only to be given to students who are doing passing work at the time that an incomplete is requested.

If the College is not closed and you are incapacitated, you should contact me as soon as possible and provide medical or other appropriate documentation showing that you could not attend class. We shall discuss whether or not it is feasible for you to complete the course, and whether you should withdraw or take an incomplete. Much depends upon the caliber of your performance prior to your incapacitation and the length of time that you were not able to participate in the course. Note that, according to the Albertus Magnus College Catalogue, incompletes are only to be given to students who are doing passing work at the time that an incomplete is requested. The attendance policies outlined in the syllabus remain in effect. A student who misses more than three class sessions is advised to withdraw and will not receive a passing grade, regardless of the reason(s) for the absences.

Course Calendar

Daily Assignments[1]

Week 1 – 1/18 – 1/22

  1. Introduction – What makes a short story?
  2. Discussion of the syllabus, policies, assignments, and grades.
  3. ¿De qué consiste un cuento?
  4. Jorge Luis Borges - “Borges y yo” (1961)
  5. Augusto Monterroso - “El dinosaurio” (1959)

Week 2 – 1/25 – 1/29

  1. Introduction – What makes a short story?
  2. Edgar Allen Poe
  3. “The Importance of the Single Effect in a Prose Tale.” In The Story and Its Writer: An Introduction to Short Fiction. Ed. Ann Charters. Boston: Bedford Books of St. Martin’s Press, 1991. Print
  4. “The Tell-Tale Heart” (1843)
  1. Introduction – What makes a short story?
  2. Ann Charters
  3. “Introduction: What is a short story?” and “Reading Short Stories” (p. 3-5) (from The Story and Its Writer: An Introduction to Short Fiction. Boston: Bedford Books of St. Martin’s Press, 1991. Print)
  4. Anton Chekhov
  5. “On Problems of Technique in Short-Story Writing”

Week 3 – 2/1 – 2/5

  1. El criollismo and the first confrontations with modernity
  2. Horacio Quiroga
  3. “El almohadón de plumas” (1907)
  1. El criollismo and the first confrontations with modernity
  2. Leopoldo Lugones
  3. “La fuerza omega” (1906)
  4. “La lluvia de fuego” (1906)

Week 4 – 2/8 – 2/12

  1. Lo fántastico
  2. Jorge Luis Borges
  3. “Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius” (1944)
  1. Theory and Thought
  2. Jorge Luis Borges
  3. “La muerte y la brújula” (1944)
  4. Ricardo Piglia
  5. Tesis sobre el cuento: Los dos hilos: Análisis de las dos historias

Week 5 – 2/15 – 2/19

  1. Lo fántastico
  2. Julio Cortázar
  3. “Circularidad de los parques”
  4. “Casa tomada”
  1. Theory and Thought – Primera tertulia
  2. Horacio Quiroga – “Decálogo del perfecto cuentista”
  3. Jorge Luis Borges – “Antidecálogo del escritor”
  4. Julio Cortázar – “Algunos aspectos del cuento” (1962-1963)
  5. Julio Cortázar – “Del cuento breve y sus alrededores” (1969)

Week 6 – 2/22 – 2/26

  1. Review Day
  1. Midterm exam

Week 7 – 2/29 – 3/4

  1. El surrealismo y las vanguardias
  2. María Luisa Bombal
  3. La amortajada (1948); pp. 1-XXX
  1. El surrealismo y las vanguardias
  2. María Luisa Bombal
  3. La amortajada (1948); pp. XXX-fin.

Week 8 – 3/7 – 3/11

  1. Lo real maravilloso
  2. Alejo Carpentier
  3. “Viaje a la semilla”
  4. “Prólogo” fromEl reino de este mundo (1949)
  1. El Boom y el realismo mágico
  2. Alejo Carpentier
  3. “Prólogo”fromEl reino de este mundo (1949)
  4. Gabriel García Márquez
  5. “Un señor muy viejo con unas alas enormes” (1955)

SPRING BREAK 3/14 – 3/18

Week 9 – 3/21 – 3/25

  1. After El Boom
  2. Enrique Anderson Imbert
  3. “El crimen perfecto” (1965)
  4. Marco Denevi
  5. “Apocalipsis” (1966)
  1. NO CLASS 3/24 – EASTER BREAK

Week 10 – 3/28 – 4/1

  1. After El Boom–Feminist writing
  2. Rosario Ferré
  3. “Muñeca menor” (1976)
  1. After El Boom – Feminist writing
  2. Isabel Allende
  3. “Boca de sapo” (1989)
  4. “Una venganza” (1989)

Week 11 – 4/4 – 4/8

  1. After El Boom–Dictatorships and the Dirty Wars
  2. Cristina Peri Rossi
  3. “El prócer” (1981)
  1. After El Boom–Dictatorships and the Dirty Wars
  2. Luisa Valenzuela
  3. “Aquí pasan cosas raras” (1976)

Week 12 – 4/11 – 4/15

  1. Feminine/Feminist Writing, – Segunda Tertulia
  2. Rosario Ferré – “La cocina de la escritura”
  3. Cristina Peri Rossi – “La metamorfosis del cuento”
  4. Luisa Valenzuela – “Escribir con el cuerpo”
  1. El Post-Boom: The CrackManifestoand McOndo
  2. “El manifiesto del Crack” (1996)
  3. “Prólogo” to McOndo (una antología de nueva literatura hispanoamericana) (1996)

Week 13 – 4/18 – 4/22

  1. Post-Boom and the New Millennium
  2. Edmundo Paz Soldán
  3. “Dochera” (1998)
  1. Post-Boom and the New Millennium
  2. Roberto Bolaño
  3. “Llamadas telefónicas” (1997)

Week 14 – 4/25 – 4/29

  1. Post-Boom and the New Millennium
  2. Roberto Bolaño
  3. “Otro cuento ruso” (1997)
  1. Taller de escritura

Week 15 – 5/2 – 5/6

  1. Taller de escritura
  1. Taller de escritura – LAST DAY OF CLASSES

[1] This calendar of readings is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor in the event of an unforeseen change in schedule (e.g. inclement weather, etc.). Any changes to the calendar will be made explicit in class or via e-mail and updated on our online class site.