High Hanging Fruit: Reading Short Stories that Induce Bafflement
While some fiction offers easy escapism, this course focuses on challenging literature that demands active, focused attention. We will read short stories by noted modern writers—including Joyce Carol Oates, Tim O’Brien, Flannery O’Connor, Raymond Carver, and Sherman Alexie—designed to disorient us and challenge our usual ways of navigating the world.
As writer George Saunders notes, great fiction can induce a “bafflement” that reminds us our minds “aren’t necessarily up to the task of living, and shouldn’t get cocky.” By reading one or two stories before each class, we will work together to make sense of these complex texts and uncover deep, unexpected rewards.