Simple Solution, Impossible Problem

Gary Hink — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 04:11:17 +0000

“Truth depends on an encounter with something
that forces us to think and to seek the truth.” (14)

“if the resonance has both objective and subjective conditions,
what it produces is of an altogether different nature:
the Essence, the spiritual Equivalent….that breaks with the subjective chain.” (154)

— Deleuze, Proust and Signs (1972)

M 30-Nov     Foer: Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (through p. 173)
                       (Laura Hampson & Tahara Franklin)

W 02-Dec     Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (pp. 174-259)
                       (Krystal Sardinas & Paige Miller)

Due: Project Proposal Update (revised/finalized; 7pm, on blog)
(counts as blog entry; add Foer to your “poetics inventory”)

→ Notes from class discussion (plus reminders and clarifications)

F 04-Dec Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (pp. 267-326) (Sarah Zimmerman)

plus: (required): “Mystory” excerpts by Ulmer (PDF)

M 07-Dec Due: Final Project — “Resonance Assemblage” (checkpoint / partial)

Discussion Intro. Schedule

Gary Hink — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 05:20:43 +0000

Required

By Friday 4-Sept, please post (in comment below) top 4 selections / requests of two days responsible for starting class discussion of readings —beginning Wed 9-Sept, as part of Attendance/Participation credit.

Review Schedule (updated 05-Sept)

Review Schedule (updated 05-Sept) —to choose feasible and preferable dates for yourself personally (i.e. avoiding any problematic/difficult days)

By now, hopefully you’ve looked into our novels, in order to make somewhat of an “informed choice” (or at least less blindly) — for example, by reading / inquiring about the author or novel, or perhaps briefly examining the style:

Google Books has previews for all,

except Jazz (NB: Morrison’s most experimental and least characteristic novel)

Note: City of Glass can be found here.

Curious as to how the “Common Terms and Phrases” will relate to your reading (experience)…consider differences between when we say “what this book is about” versus “what this book is” — we will explore both, but mostly the latter.

Additionally, and along these lines of database tags, try the Literature Map, for a superficial comparison / study…

As I’ve said, I do not encourage reading reviews in order to choose — we’re not reading these “for pleasure / leisure,” after all (ah, but what of the experience? to contemplate and discuss later). Rather, these are part of our experiment, our objects of study (much more on this, soon…)

Practical Notes:

please consult students’ requests before submitting, in order to avoid texts/days (already) in high demand.
There are certain dates that are conducive to two presenters: e.g. 14-18 Sept (1 Gatsby + 1 Cambridge); 28-Sept; 19-Oct, 16-Nov.
We will negotiate in order to resolve, particularly with the second date. I will confirm (and negotiate conflicts/preferences) selections/dates via email.
To that end, ideally everyone will choose dates in each half of the term (fairly closely divided, around homecoming) — but this is not imperative.

Exclusions:

12 & 14 Oct
13-Nov
23 & 25 Nov
07 & 09 Dec

Novel Experience & Expression » Foer

Simple Solution, Impossible Problem

Discussion Intro. Schedule