In this six-week online seminar-style course, we will immerse ourselves in the short stories of George Saunders. Saunders is one of America’s most popular and celebrated writers; his collections regularly top bestseller lists, and he has garnered numerous accolades, including the Booker Prize, the Story Prize, MacArthur and Guggenheim Fellowships, and the PEN/Malamud Prize for excellence in the short story. He was also raised Catholic, and this course will focus, in part, on how his work fits within the broader parameters of the Catholic literary tradition.
In each week of this asynchronous online course, we will read and discuss one (or two) of his short stories, supplemented with material from his interviews and non-fiction works. Participants will be provided with digital copies of all the stories under discussion, as well as a physical copy of “Conversations with George Saunders” (a career-spanning collection of interviews with the author). The course will feature weekly written lectures alongside robust discussions via the online message board.
We will look at the development of Saunders’ style and subject matter, paying particular attention to the spiritual themes in his stories. Using Walker Percy’s concept of “diagnostic” fictions, or stories that shine a light on the maladies afflicting modernity, we will analyze the ways in which Saunders’ work both identifies what ails us (late-stage capitalism, overreliance on technology, environmental degradation and the dehumanization of individuals) and offers potential solutions.
The format for this seminar is entirely asynchronous and text-based, meaning participants will be able to engage with both the lectures and the discussion board at whatever time of day makes sense for them. Participants can expect to develop specific skills related to close reading, literary analysis, critical thinking and personal expression, which they will be able to apply to any future reading encounter.
But the heart of the course will be our engaged weekly discussions, which will utilize the message boards in the Wet Ink platform. The professor will be actively engaged in the discussion board each day, guiding the discussion and responding to questions.
An underlying assumption of this course is that deep, sustained engagement with texts can be a transformative experience for the reader. When we take the time to slow down and look closely at the elements of craft that go into creating a work of fiction, and to reflect on the deeper themes that are embedded in the work, we come away from this encounter changed. This course will provide the opportunity to undertake this kind of engagement with a community of supportive fellow readers, guided by an expert in the field.
Week 1 (October 13-19): “CivilWarLand in Bad Decline” (1996) — “CivilWarLand in Bad Decline”
Week 2 (October 20-26): “Pastoralia” (2000) — “Sea Oak” and/ or “The Falls”
Week 3 (October 27-November 2): “In Persuasion Nation” (2006) — “Brad Carrigan, American” and/or “CommComm”
Week 4 (November 3-9): Nonfiction interlude (2007) — “Buddha Boy”
Week 5 (November 10-16): “Tenth of December” (2013) — “The Semplica Girl Diaries” and/ or “Tenth of December”
Week 6 (November 17-23): “Liberation Day” (2022) — “Ghoul” and “Love Letter”
Note: All readings will be supplied, in addition to a copy of instructor Michael O’Connell’s book “Conversations with George Saunders.” No books or reading materials will have to be purchased for this course.
Michael O’Connell is a writer, editor and educator who lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Since earning his Ph.D. in American Literature from Loyola University Chicago, he has spent over a decade teaching literature and humanities courses at the university level, both online and in person.
He is the editor of “Conversations with George Saunders” (University Press of Mississippi, 2022), author of “Startling Figures: Encounters with American Catholic Fiction” (Fordham University Press, 2023), and co-editor of “The Journal of David Foster Wallace Studies.”
His essays have appeared in a wide array of peer-reviewed academic journals, including American Catholic Studies, Religion and the Arts, Christianity and Literature, and Renascence, as well as literary journals and websites, including The New Ohio Review, Dappled Things, Church Life Journal and The Under Review.
Questions?
If you’re interested in the course but the enrollment fee poses a financial hardship, email Mike Jordan Laskey at jccucommunications@jesuits.org. You can also email Mike with any general questions about the course.
