EGMT 1510: Telling Stories

Why do people tell stories? What do stories reveal/conceal about the teller? Why may parables be more powerful than narratives?  Why do stories change over time? Is there such a thing as a life story?  Are memoirs culturally important? Can a story be true but not factually accurate? Can changing the way you tell a story change the way you live your life?     In this class we will explore these questions and others by reading parables, fiction, personal narratives, memoirs, and poetry.  We will also listen to songs and podcasts. We will learn the narrative techniques and literary devices writers/storytellers employ. We will debate whether humor reinforces or undercuts a story’s power. We will ask others what stories are most important to them and why.  Over the course of the quarter, we will also tell some stories ourselves.