EGL 301 - Jr. Seminar: Fiction Workshop: Writing Activist Fiction

Course Units: 1

“It seems to me,” writes Toni Morrison, “that the best art is political, and you ought to be able to make it unquestionably political and irrevocably beautiful at the same time.” In this section of fiction workshop, Morrison’s statement will serve as our central challenge. We’ll read and write fiction that considers issues of social and environmental justice and/or aims to inspire social change. How do fiction writers use their work to address the issues most important to them? What moves, excites, or incites readers in unquestionably political, irrevocably beautiful fiction? How do we integrate our personal viewpoints, knowledge, experiences, and politics with artful expression and entertainment? Why and when does such writing sometimes earn the dismissive labels of “one-dimensional” or “didactic?” This workshop course is intended for students with some experience and an interest in writing fiction, including that which addresses social and environmental issues. Most of the course will be devoted to workshop critiques of students’ stories. Students will be asked to write at least three stories outside of class, as well as several in-class exercises; to write one or more essays on published works of fiction; and to provide both written and oral critiques of classmates’ work. Prerequisite(s): It is strongly recommended, although not required, that students have already taken EGL 294. Prerequisite for 300-level courses: one 100-level and two 200-level English courses or instructor’s permission. CC: HUL, WAC, HUM