PARENTING IN THE LITERARY IMAGINATION

Through close readings of several short stories, this class will focus on the depiction of parenthood in twentieth- and twenty-first century American literature. Some of these authors assume the voice and point of view of children to offer cultural and social critiques. Others offer an adult perspective on the challenges and complexities of raising children. Most of these stories meditate on the notion of loss—whether the loss of childhood innocence, the loss of closeness between parents and children, and even the unthinkable loss of a child. Some of the authors include Elizabeth McCraken, Ellen Gilchrist, Frederick Busch, Jhumpa Lahiri, Keven Brockmeier, and Charles Yu. All the readings will be provided.