Material Detail

Abstract

Literary Voice overviews the conventions of short stories, poems, dramatic works, and novels. The text features several chapters on the writing process and is focused on getting students to experience literature. Sections on reading literature as a critic and writing about literature in academic settings are accompanied by chapters on the genres.

Description

The Literary Voice is an introduction to literature text created through the SUNY OER Initiative. With few exceptions (noted in the credits for each page), the mini-lectures are self-created. The text has a genre-based focus, with the readings being listed within each genre's chapter in rough chronology. Many of the works are linked. The text contains five plays and a lengthy literary nonfiction chapter in addition to the fiction and poetry chapters. Siddhartha, Hermann Hesse's modernist novel of India, is included in its entirety. I intentionally include more readings than any one course would get through in case instructors wish to tailor the content. Just as easily, they could organize the course either chronologically or thematically. Several chapters discuss academic writing, specifically as it applies to literary analysis. Several of the readings are personal favorites that adapt well to an introduction to literature survey.