Fri. Oct. 16
What makes a good ending?
Reading by Jiaheng
Going forward: How to keep writing without deadlines?
Reading by Zixuan
Homework
Final project due midnight (11:59pm) Tuesday
Fill out course evaluation
Thurs. Oct. 15
Reading by Weijia
How can “form” help us as writers?
Reading by Marcus
Homework
Work on final project
Rewrite your “postcard” as a poem
Be ready to talk about endings
Tues. Oct. 12
A word on revising
Share “postcards from the past”; more about “form”
Reading by Alex
Homework
Tell me what piece you’re going to revise (due Wed.)
Write a “postcard from the present”
Begin revising
Final project due Tues. Oct. 20
Thurs. Sept. 24
Share details from “Mazie” and “The Man Who Eats”
Share aphorisms
Reading by Ketong
Homework
Decide on a character for your essay, if you haven’t yet
Read classmates’ aphorisms and “postcards”
Read “Mazie” or “The Man Who Eats“
Tues. Sept. 22
Observations on Sheng Keyi
Introduction to “form”
Share details from “Uncle Pat”
The Proverbs of Hell: Introduction to aphorisms
Reading by Soukaina
Homework
Think of a character
Read “The Man Who Eats” and/or “Mazie”
Write 3 aphorisms
Write a “postcard from the past”
Thurs. Sept. 17
Sources of tension in “The Mwiko”
Symbols in literature
Alternate endings to “The Mwiko”
Intro to “Proverbs of Hell”
Reading by Jiaqi
Homework
Read instructions for Essay 3
Read “Uncle Pat”
Read “The Proverbs of Hell” and think of a character
(Optional) start reading “Mazie” or “The Man Who Eats”
Tues. Sept. 15
How grading works
Share micro-poem titles; more on “tension”
Discuss “The Mwiko”
Reading by Nelson
Homework
Object essay due by midnight on Friday (China time)
Read / observe《怀乡书》(“The Book of Homesickness”) excerpts
Think about tension in “The Mwiko”
Thurs. Sept. 10
Review: Abstract and concrete
Lists and juxtapositions
Contrasts and tension: “Orange Crush” and “Southern Summers”
Share abstract titles for concrete poems
Reading by Kaiyuan
Homework
Start working on your Object essay
Read poem titles, choose your favorites
Read “The Mwiko,” think of a new ending
Tues. Sept. 8
Share scenes based on micro-poems
Intro to concrete & abstract; share examples
Reading by Rixin
Homework
Read “Orange Crush” and “Savoring a Sweet Taste of Southern Summers”
Think of an object
Give titles to “micro-poems”
Thurs. Sept. 3
Intro to scenes
Share scenes from Short Cuts and Here is New York
Intro to observation and “effect”
Practice observations on excerpts of Home definitions
“The Game of Things”
Homework
Essay 1: Portrait of a Place due next class
Write a scene using details from micro-poems
(Optional - in Chinese) Eileen Chang reading
Tues. Sept. 1
Share favorite details from McSorley’s
Intro to Essay 1: Portrait of a Place
Share Home definitions
Homework
Read instructions for Essay 1: Portrait of a Place
Read excerpts from “Here is New York” and “Short Cuts”
Sat. Aug. 29
Intro to the course, self-introductions
Literary writing and concrete details
Definitions of home
Homework
Write definition of home as a list of concrete details
Read “The Old House at Home”
Read course handbook, skim syllabus
Plan time for an outing next weekend
