Senior Projects (LIT4795.01)

Michael Dumanis

For seniors working on special projects or senior theses. Each student will devote the term to completing the draft of a unified manuscript–typically 75 pages of fiction or creative nonfiction, 50 pages of criticism, 30 pages of poetry, or a lengthy translation project. Each week, the class will critique individual manuscripts-in-progress. These peer critiques will be supplemented with multiple individual meetings with the instructor over the course of the term. Additionally, students will read and discuss three books–one collection of poems (Some Ether by Nick Flynn), one book of short stories (Jesus’ Son by Denis Johnson), and one short book of creative nonfiction (The Balloonists by Eula Biss)–in order to consider the various strategies poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers employ in putting together a full-length manuscript. Projects will be completed by the end of the term.

There will be one group meeting per week. In addition, each member of the class will have individual meetings with the instructor during the course of the term.

Students are not allowed to take more than one Reading and Writing course per term.

Corequisite: Students will be required to attend Wednesday literary evenings.

Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. Email a 1-2 page proposal explaining your project or thesis, in addition to 5-7 pages in the genre you are planning to work, as a single document to mdumanis@bennington.edu no later than April 29. A class list will be posted by May 5 on the Literature bulletin board on the second floor of the Barn. Students will be asked to begin work on their projects during the summer and to arrive at the beginning of the term with 25 pages of fiction or creative nonfiction, 15 pages of criticism, (or 10 pages of poetry already in hand.
Credits: 4
W 10:10am - 12noon, 2:10pm - 4:00pm
Maximum Enrollment: 12
This course is categorized as All courses, Four Credit, Literature, 4000, Michael Dumanis, and tagged , , , , , , .