Read "The Nature and Aim of Fiction," page 63 in Mystery and Manners. In 3 groups discuss:
"The type of mind that can understand good fiction is not necessarily the educated mind, but it is at all times the kind of mind that is willing to have its sense of mystery deepened by contact with reality, and its sense of reality deepened by contact with mystery." What does she mean by "contact with reality and contact with mystery"? How are these deepened by contact with one another?
"Conrad said that his aim as a fiction writer was to render the highest possible justice to the visible universe.... It means that he subjected himself at all times to the limitations that reality imposed..." Explain "limitations that reality imposed." What's Flannery's point here? How can you contextualized it in your own writing?
"It means that when you write fiction you are speaking with character and action, not about character and action." Explain the difference between "with" and "about" in this statement. How do you differentiate between speaking with and speaking about? What does she mean by "action"?
In-class writing exercise: Exchange the exercises you did in the last two class in which characters are fighting over an object. Now take someone else's scenes and find a way to end the story in a couple scenes.
In-class exercise (in groups): Choose a commonplace fairy-tale. Dissect the tale into scenes on notecards. Distribute cards among group members. Each member writes the scene he/she is given. Regroup and talk about sequencing, chronology, what you need and don't need to convey the story...
Start a story with this:
The first time I heard ________________________, I was in _____________________________.
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