Be able to identify and interpret the use of various elements of literature in the short story genre in general and in specific stories in particular;
Be able to discuss the history of the short story as a genre;
Be able to compare and contrast periods, authors, and stories from the text;
Be able to analyze and discuss the writing and the cultural meaning of specific stories;
WELCOME TO UNIT 10!
This unit will introduce "A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and the literary subgenre of magic realism. Last week's story, "The Smallest Woman in the World" by Clairce Lispector is also an example of this subgenre. As we strive to understand the author's purpose, we will read the story; listen to a discussion prepared just for our class; take a practice quiz; and discuss the two stories on a Discussion Board in Blackboard. Let's begin with the raining crabs!
To start:
Read
"A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Listen
Magic Realism and 'A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings'
Transcript of the Lecture is here: Magic Realism
Practice for Understanding
This ungraded quiz will help you determine how much you understand about the story. If your score is under 8, please re-read the story before writing on the Discussion Board.
Quiz
Next
Go to our class Blackboard>Discussion Board. DB #10's posting instructions are available below and also on the Discussion Board. Your first posting is due on or before Wednesday, July 11th; two responses are due by Saturday, July 14th.
Discussion Board #10: Write a message in which you explain one of the eight "bullet points" discussed in Professor Hicks' lecture; use your own words and give an example from "A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings" or from last week's reading, "The Smallest Woman in the World" by Clarice Lispector. Respond with comments that extend the converstion by replying to two of your classmates who wrote about different bullet points than you did.
Summary of this Learning Unit
Magic realism is a sub-genre of fiction. It is most popular in the work of Latin American writers, such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Clarice Lispector, and Helena Maria Vilaamontes. We see magic realism as a blend of the extraordinary within the ordinary, an extension of the literary device known as "willing suspension of disbelief," which we learned about in Unit 1.
Summary of this Learning Unit
Magic realism is a sub-genre of fiction. It is most popular in the work of Latin American writers, such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Clarice Lispector, and Helena Maria Vilaamontes. We see magic realism as a blend of the extraordinary within the ordinary, an extension of the literary device known as "willing suspension of disbelief," which we learned about in Unit 1.
Just for fun
