Literary Jukebox: Art + Design Thinking Principles from Short Fiction

In Short, the World

“I read closely, word by word, sentence by sentence, pondering each deceptively minor decision that the writer had made. And though it’s impossible to recall every source of inspiration and instruction, I can remember the novels and stories that seemed to me revelations: wells of beauty and pleasure that were also textbooks, private lessons in the art of fiction.”

— Francine Prose

Course Abstract

Several short stories from different parts of the World will be closely read. Aspects of the stories shall be discussed in class in cafe conversation style, and the students will be encouraged to mine the stories for Design Principles and Ideas that can be applied in their own work. The aspects of the story that will be mined include::

• The story/sequence,
• The interesting events
• The characters, their voices, identity of the speaker/narrator
• Emotions, impressions, Said and unsaid
• Language construction that seems unique; peculiar turns of phrase; caricature and cliché.
• Cultural, local or historical references and affinities to our own culture;  • Large Ideas and Themes that can be used as Design Principles or Hacks

The students will be required to do a piece of Creative Writing on a choice of topics to be announced after reading each story in class. The unit will also include exposure to the use of open-source technological tools such as Calibre (e-Book Library Manager), the HemingwayApp for improved writing and Browser plug-ins to foster the reading habit.

Learning Objectives as Capabilities

• Be able to read for understanding
• Develop and defend a point of view
• Explore individual voice and build confidence in ability to communicate via writing, presenting, speaking
• Experience writing in one or more modes
• Ability to use language for communicating about the visual and/or other abstractions
• Being able to Generalize the Design Ideas and Principles mined from the Story

Learning Objectives as Studio Habits

None.

Learning Objectives as Dimensions of Practice

None.

Prerequisites

None, if you discount basic literacy !

Learning Outcomes

• Reading, with some regard to the voice of the characters/ writer
• Critical Writing/Reviewing/Stating Opinions
• Writing using different formats and forms (epistolary, first person, biographical, travel, sensory writing, for example)
• Creative Piece of Writing applying the General Design Principles mined from the Story

Modules