In preparation for Comprehensive Exam Panic Day, I am trying to decide which stories to use for the exam. I have narrowed down my list (if you can call it narrowing) to the following:
"Congress" [from Honored Guest] by Joy Williams
"Charity" [from Honored Guest] by Joy Williams
"The Visiting Privilege" [from Honored Guest] by Joy Williams
"Traveling to Pridesup" [from Taking Care] by Joy Williams
"Winter Chemistry" [from Taking Care] by Joy Williams
"Feast of the Earth, Ransom of the Clay" [from The Ice at the Bottom of the World] by Mark Richard
"What You Left in the Ditch" [from The Girl in the Flammable Skirt] by Aimee Bender
"Quiet Please" [from The Girl in the Flammable Skirt] by Aimee Bender
"The Little Puppy That Could" [from Einstein’s Monsters] by Martin Amis
"The Deal" [from Going Places] by Leonard Michaels
"Scarliotti and the Sinkhole" [from Aliens of Affection] by Padgett Powell
As you can see I am fond of Joy Williams's stories.
And I have narrowed down which questions I will consider:
1: Point of View
2: Characterization
7: Imagery
Decisions.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
A Slowly Growing List of Things to Look Forward To When You Have a Child
- Every day is either Christmas or Halloween or Birthday or Easter
- Leave those cats alone! They're going to scratch you and it will hurt
- You cannot lie under circumstances, but nor can you tell the literal truth
- Geez that kid is sharp
- Can I have cake? Can I have cake? Can I have cake? Huh? Daddy? Can I have cake?
- For the last time, stop asking me!
- Noticing the growth: taller and a bit heavier to carry
- Children's television shows
- Food. Wasted food
- Remembering that you once acted this way yourself
- Watching where the both of you are going
- The joy of hearing the word "fuck" being used experimentally, and justifying this experimentation by saying "Well they learn it eventually"
- TANTRUMS
- Sitting down together on the living room floor, a mess of blocks & cars & plush Care Bears strewn around you, discussing the complexities of each car's identity, its name, and why it is so humorous
- Having to take responsibility for someone else for a change
- More frustration than you're prepared for
- Wicked cackling
- Drawings of potato guys
- Learning about the world all over again
- Circular Logic
- Unexpected hugs and words put beautifully together out of context
- Waking up after 4 hours of sleep, and unexpectedly having to confront shit, in more than one place, including the carpet, a big toe, a butt, a bed, a toilet seat, and underpants
7 comments:
I don't have any advice as far as which stories. I did "Pet Milk" by Dybek and "Nebraska" by Hansen because they were short and easy (relatively) to consider the work as a whole. But this is coming from a poet.
And as far as the question, I did place and setting because both are very oriented around where they are happening.
I guess this comment is to say that I have no advice.
I am enormously pleased that you twice say you have no advice.
And "Nebraska" isn't a story. It's a big fat 4-8-8-4 articulated poem chugging across the prairie.
I had the question picked out before selecting the stories. That helped me narrow the choices.
I found it helpful to pick a story I had taught. Once I decided on the story (The Scheme of Things - D'Ambrosio), I decided on the topic (thematic development), and scoured my brain for another story that screamed "thematic development" (Barred Owl - Offutt). Then I read them both a lot and thought about them a lot. I think it's a good sign you're thinking about comps now.
[word verification: fouredit]
I'm not as attached to the stories I've taught. They aren't my favorites. No one ever anthologizes my favorites. I'll end up with a several lists cross-referencing each other until the best choices appear.
My advice comes from my word verification: politi
Pick two stories you love that have POLITIs (that is, multiple ties/threads/topics) to each other. Then, just read those two stories over and over, until you narrow down one of the ties (that is, topics).
Also, I think you're smart for only picking short stories. I took the pre-imitation comp exam, so I had to write about four pieces of fiction. I picked two novels, a novella, and a short story, and holy shit that was too much reading for the comps.
I think the thing that everyone is saying, and I agree with, is read, read, and reread. I didn't even do any written preparation until the week of. I just read and reread my stuff so I would be familiar with it. I did some margin noting and whatnot, too.
Also, I don't think you necessarily have to pick your favorite stories/works. Pick works that use the issue you're writing about strongly. I really like Dybek, and Pet Milk isn't my favorite of his, but damn if it isn't using place/setting to the max. Same with Nebraska.
On another note: Poetry. I think the important thing with that is to focus on just a few poems that exemplify the book as a whole and not try to talk about every poem.
Word verification: triact.
Post a Comment