English 273 – Intro to Literature: Creative Writing and Literature (Summer 2017)
“Short Stories of Hawaii—Who, what, why.”
CRN: 91656, Session 1, Sec. 601
Instructor: Kapena M. Landgraf
E-mail: KAPENAML@HAWAII.EDU
Course Description:
How has Hawaii told its stories? Who are the people writing these stories? What do these stories say about Hawaii, its history, and its people? Throughout the course, we will examine several short stories which traverse Hawaii’s literary genealogies, focusing our attention on the ways different cultures and generations share and record their experiences through writing. We will carefully consider the socio-political and historical context of each work, but also focus on craft – not only the what, but also the how. By evaluating the basic elements and foundations of a story, and analyzing how each are used by various authors, we will also come to understand the self-reflective nature of writing – how are we, as authors, forced to interrogate our perceptions of setting, social class, gender, education, etcetera to develop characters and situations worth reading? How do we inform our writing and how might this process of producing story inform us about ourselves?
Ideally, by the end of the course, each student should be able to formulate an answer to perhaps some of the most basic of creative writing inquiries: why do we write? And, perhaps by extension, read? Furthermore, what is it about written stories which we, as human beings living in an ever changing and evolving world, find so compelling? To develop a possible response to such inquiries, it is necessary that we investigate what sort of work stories do. Stories are much more than entertainment. They can become the catalysts of critical thought, conversation, and change. In this course, we will consider how stories are dynamic – constantly responding to, and acting upon, prevalent individual, communal, and global issues. We will carefully consider how stories are in conversation with the environment – with land, sea, and air. What patters in craft can we identify in a narrative and what do these patters reveal about the author, the audience (intended or unintended), and/or the socio-political and historical context from which the narrative originates? What can a story tell us about culture, perspective, collaboration, and contention?
Note: This course IS NOT a creative writing workshop. There will be some lecturing, but much of the course will be devoted to a discussion of the reading materials and an overview of the processes and craft of creative writing.
Required Coursework:
- One (1) introductory, personal narrative – 1000 words.
- Fifteen (15) “blog” postings to our course website concerning assigned readings – 300 words minimum.
- Two (2) analysis/close reading essays where you’ll engage, and put into conversation, both creative works and critical scholarship– 1000 words minimum.
- One (1) final project proposal/draft – 1000 words minimum.
- One (1) final project – 1500 words minimum.
Readings:
- Ching, Stewart. “Way Back to Palolo.” (PDF)
- Kanae, Lisa. “Islands Linked by Ocean.” (PDF)
- Morales, Rodney. “Daybreak Over Haleakala.” (PDF)
- Apio, Alani. “Ka Ho‘i Ana.” (PDF)
(This is an abbreviated list. Additional readings will be required. All readings will be provided via PDF on our Laulima course website.)
Note:
The entirety of this course description is tentative and subject to change. Please contact me, Kapena Landgraf, at KAPENAML@HAWAII.EDU should you have any questions.