MA-EngLit, Semester 4, Paper 1A, CreativeWriting

MA English Literature, Semester 4, Paper 1A, Creative Writing

Internal Assessment (40 Marks): Sr. No. Particulars Marks 1 2. One written assignment (producing an original piece of fiction or non-fiction). Suggestions: A short story of approximately 3000-3500 words or a biography/life of some eminent individual/or a piece of travel writing also of 3000-3500 words(that is unpublished and original) must be submitted on or before the deadline given by the department running the course. Producing two original poems (any form can be chosen by the learner) 20 Marks 10 marks for each poem (10x2) Total=40 Mark

Semester End Examination (60 Marks): Semester End Examination Duration: 2 Hours 60 Marks Question 1: Essay on Unit 1 (1 out of 2) :15 Marks
Question 2: Essay on Unit 2 (1 out of 2) :15 Marks
Question 3: Essay on Unit 3 (1 out of 2) :15 Marks
Question 4: Two editing exercises based on Unit 4 (1 out of 2)* :15 Marks *Instruction for Question 4: One verse passage and one prose passage (from fiction/ travel/life writing) to be assigned in order to test the learner’s editing skills.

 

Semester 4, Paper 1A, Creative Writing

Course Title: Creative Writing Objectives: 1.To acquaint the learners with some workable approaches that will enable them to creatively express themselves in specific genres, namely, fiction (the short story, the novella and the novel), non-fiction (with a focus on life writing and travel writing), and poetry 2.To equip the learners with a thorough understanding of these genres using texts prescribed for the purpose 3.To train them in producing creative writing by giving them practice exercises and tasks designed to empower them with this ability.

Unit 1: Introduction to Creative Writing (4 essays: fiction, poetry, life writing and travel writing)

Prescribed text: The Cambridge Companion to Creative Writing edited by David Morley and Philip Neilsen

The exercises in the prescribed texts will empower the learners with skills that will help them produce short fiction, life writing, travel writing and poetry.

1. Carlson Ron. “A writing lesson: the three flat tyres and the outer story”

2. Lea, Bronwyn. “Poetics and Poetry”

3. Neilsen, Philip. “Life Writing”

4. Gislason, Kari. “Travel Writing”

Unit 2: Understanding Fiction Prescribed text: Studying Literature by Pramod Nayar

1. Narrative Vantage: point of view (narrator, narratee, implied author, implied reader, three types of narrators and narratives, reliable and unreliable narrators, narrative levels: extradiegetic, intradiegetic, hypodiegetic/second-level narrative, third-level narrative)

2. Plot (master plots, stasis, moment of crisis, rising action, falling action, denouement, linear, non-linear, flashback, flash forward, in medias res, proairetic code, hermeneutic code, diegesis)

3. a. Character (flat and round, stock characters, major and minor characters, characters as actants, stereotypes) b. Characterisation (showing, telling, speech and action) 4. Setting (place, landscape, atmosphere, historical setting, temporal order, frequency and duration)

Explanatory Note: This unit equips the student with a thorough understanding of the centrality of narrative, types of narrative (linear and non-linear) and types of plots. It also trains the learners in the various methods and techniques of characterisation such as showing and telling. It ensures that they are acquainted with the major types of characters such as flat, round, stock, major and minor as well as characters as actants. Last, but not the least, the unit seeks to develop an understanding of locations and locales in terms of atmosphere, socio-historical setting, temporal order, duration and frequency.

Unit 3: Understanding Poetry

Prescribed texts: Studying Literature by Pramod Nayar and A Background to the Study of English Literature by B. Prasad

 

A. Concepts

1. Voice, persona (prosopopeia /face-making)

2. Tone, mood and attitude

3. Hyperbole

4. Irony

5. Denotation

6. Connotation

7. Syntax

8. Rhythm (stress, metre)

9. Rhyme (end-rhymes, partial rhymes, internal rhymes, broken/split rhymes, initial/head rhyme, schemes, free verse)

10. Imagery

11. Symbolism

12. Figures of speech (simile, metaphor, personification, apostrophe, synecdoche, metonymy)

B. Genres

1. Lyric

2. Ode

3. Satire

4. Sonnet

5. Dramatic monologue

6. Ballad

7. Haiku

Explanatory Note: This unit seeks to equip the learners with a working understanding of the various literary forms in poetry such as the lyric, ode, satire, sonnet, dramatic monologue and the ballad. The segment will train the learners to produce these and other contemporary forms of poetry such as the haiku.

Unit 4: Editing and proofing

Prescribed text: Editing and Revising Text by Jo Billingham

1. Proof-reading

2. Copy editing

3. Punctuation

4. Spelling

5. Vocabulary

6. Grammar

7. Style

Explanatory Note: •The principles of editing and revising are to be integrated with the teaching of units 2 and 3 in particular. The knowledge of the concepts in this unit will empower the learners with the skills necessary for revising their creative output. •Learners are also to be introduced to newer forms of writing such as blogs, flash fiction, fan fiction, Instagram poetry in addition to the types listed in the syllabus. •The fourth unit should be tested in an applied and not in a theoretical manner where passages of prose and poetry are to be given to the student to edit and apply the techniques taught. •The learners are to be trained to identify errors in grammar, punctuation, style, spelling etc. and correct the prose and verse passages in order to achieve accuracy, clarity and a better flow.

Prescribed Texts:

1. Billingham, Jo. 2002. Editing and Revising Text. Oxford University Press.

2. Morley, David and Neilsen, Philip. Eds. 2012. The Cambridge Companion to Creative Writing. New Delhi: Cambridge University Press.

3. Nayar, Pramod K. Studying Literature: An Introduction to Fiction and Poetry. Hyderabad: Orient Blackswan Private Limited. 2013.

4. Prasad, B. A Background to the Study of English Literature. Revised Edition. New Delhi:Trinity Press, 2012.

References:

1. Abbott, H. Porter. 2008. The Cambridge Introduction to Narrative. Cambridge University Press. Second Edition.

2. Baumwell, Dennis and Saitz, Robert L. 1978.Advanced Reading and Writing: Exercises in English as a Second Language. Second Edition.

3. Behn, Robin and Twichell, Chase (eds.). 2001. The Practice of Poetry: Writing Exercises from Poets who Teach. New York: Harper Resource.

4. Bromberg, Murray and Liebb, Julius. 1997. The English You Need to Know. Second Edition. New York: Barron’s Educational Series, Inc.

5. Burke, Jim. 2003. Writing Reminders: Tools, Tips, and Techniques. Heinemann.

6. Earnshaw, Steven (ed.). 2007. The Handbook of Creative Writing. University of Edinburgh Press.

7. Jensen, Derrick. 2005. Walking on Water: Reading, Writing and Revolution. Chelsea Green Publishing.

8. Kooser, Ted. 2007. The Poetry Home Repair Manual: Practical Advice for Beginning Poets. University of Nebraska Press.

9. La Plante, Alice. 2010. The Making of a Story: A Norton Guide to Creative Writing. New York: W.W. Norton.

10. Rao, Cheryl et. al. 2009. Anyone Can Write. New Delhi: Cambridge University Press India Pvt. Ltd.