english writing

The short story is meant to reveal a truth more general than the brief tale itself, or to delineate a character trait, etc. such that the audience understands the message being conveyed succinctly and quickly.  

This reflection requires the student to capture and communicate a message through the form of a short story.  For example, what is human nature?  How do we behave under any given circumstance?  What motivates, drives, inspires us to action? 

Through this assignment, students will write a short story of their own and make it “literary” by exploring narrative structure, elements of storytelling, attention to diction/language, etc.

Assignment

Write a short story with attention to the elements of narrative structure discussed in class.  The piece must be a minimum of 3 pages in length, typed using 12-point, Times New Roman font and double-spaced with standard 1-inch margins. 

While the meaning/theme is your choice, remember, the goal is to create an impression, to concretely and concisely convey a message to the reader that is larger than the story itself.  In other words, the story is not being told simply for the sake of telling it; rather, the story is a form, a means through which you, as writer, should convey a meaning more significant (about life, human nature, society, etc.).

As with all assignments in the course, students wishing to create/select an option not on the assignment sheet must first speak with the instructor.