Short Fiction (2025)

Short Fiction Titles

  • Key Texts for Study:

    • 'The Bullet in the Brain'

    • 'The Swimmer'

    • 'The Suit' (Continued)

    • 'The Nose'

    • 'The Metamorphosis'

  • Course Identifier:

    • English Literary Studies | ELL1013

    • Instructor: Hedley Twidle

    • Contact: hedley.twidle@uct.ac.za

    • Location: A.C. Jordan Room 127

  • Key Term:

    • Narrative, along with related concepts and terminology.

Dates of Classes

  • 24/02/25

  • 25/02/25

  • 27/02/25

Concepts of Interpretation

  • Description and Summary:

    • What is it about?

  • Interpretation and Analysis:

    • What is it really about?

  • Evidence and Support:

    • How do you know? (Using evidence, quoting, close reading, and developing an argument).

Narrative Framework

  • Common Narrative Opening:

    • The phrase "Once upon a time" used to introduce stories, often associated with fairy tales.

  • Cultural Context:

    • Translations in various languages showcase the universal presence of storytelling across cultures.

  • Citations Needed:

    • Wikipedia article requires additional citations for verification regarding the historical usage of this phrase.

Paul Ricoeur on Time

  • Quote: "Time becomes human to the extent that it is articulated through a narrative mode."

  • Chrono-Logic:

    • Differentiation between 'internal' and 'external' time in narratives.

    • Questions on how storytelling interacts with time, leads to diverse temporalities.

Narrative Analysis by Roland Barthes

  • Variety of Forms:

    • Influences of genre - narratives are found in myths, legends, and various media like films and paintings.

  • Universality:

    • Narrative is intrinsic to human experience, transcending cultures and time.

Example of Non-verbal Narrative

  • Lyric Analysis:

    • Texts from Radiohead and Robert Johnson explore narrative through music and lyrics that invoke emotional and narrative structures.

Concept of Narrative Voice

  • Narrative Perspective:

    • Differentiation between first, second, and third-person narrations.

    • Techniques such as close third person and free indirect style enhance the narrative experience by blending character's internal thoughts with narrative voice.

Thematic Exploration in 'The Suit'

  • Language and Context:

    • Analyzing how vocabulary, diction, and context influence the understanding of a literary work.

  • Cultural Significance:

    • Weaving social context into literary studies, enhancing the understanding of themes and character dynamics.

Can Themba: Biography and Contributions

  • Background:

    • Can Themba, born in 1924, was influential in South African literature, particularly in genres exploring social issues under apartheid.

  • Achievements:

    • Became a prominent figure through journalism and literature, with his work being adapted for stage and receiving honors posthumously.

Narrative Critique by Roland Barthes

  • Text as a Tissue:

    • Acknowledges interconnectedness in literature and culture; the narrative to avoid assigning a singular interpretation to texts and promote multiplicity in understanding.

  • Criticism and The Author's Death:

    • Barthes argues for the removal of authorial intent from text interpretation, allowing for diverse readings.

Critical Frameworks for Literary Analysis

  • Cultural Criticism:

    • Explores all elements of a text, including genre, form, personal response, and broader societal context.

  • Comparative Reading:

    • Engaging literature in conversation with other works and contexts to enrich understanding.

Final Thoughts on Literary Studies

  • Narrative Structure:

    • The idea that narrative constructs our understanding of time, memory, and cultural values in literature and beyond.