Exploring Cities Through Literature

What role do cities play in our lives? How does literature attempt to explore and answer this question? In many texts, the city is a setting for allegory and utopian/dystopian narrative, as well as often a character itself. How can we, as readers, access the city through literature? How do authors and artists describe the realities of urban and suburban living? Come read about cities real and imagined in poems, short stories, and excerpts from novels, along with selected essays and articles. Authors will include Italo Calvino, N. K. Jemisin, China Miéville, Jan Morris, and many others. This course focuses on reading and discussion, with some creative writing exercises at the end. We will also discuss some selected works of visual art. No previous knowledge of these subjects is necessary. All readings will be provided digitally.