An Introduction To Fiction

Kennedy/Gioia's An Introduction to Fiction, 11th edition continues to inspire students with a rich collection of fiction and engaging insights on reading, analyzing, and writing about stories. This bestselling anthology includes sixty-five superlative short stories, blending classic works and contemporary selections. Written by noted poets X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia, the text reflects the authors' wit and contagious enthusiasm for their subject. Informative, accessible apparatus presents readable discussions of the literary devices, illustrated by apt works, and supported by interludes with the anthologized writers. This edition features 10 new stories, three masterwork casebooks, revised and expanded chapters on writing, and a new design. New "Key Terms Review" feature at the end of every major chapter--provide students a simple study guide to go over key concepts and terms in each chapter. New 2009 MLA guidelines--provides students the updated source citation guidelines from the new 7th edition of the MLA Handbook and incorporates these in all sample student papers. New section on "Writing a Response Paper"--provides instructions and a sample student essay for this popular type of writing assignment. Updated, revised format to increase accessibility and ease of use--newly added section titles and sub-titles will help Web-oriented students navigate easily from topic to topic in every chapter. Additionally, all chapters have been reviewed and updated to include relevant cultural references.

Preface: This book is an introduction to the reading and critical study of serious fiction. It explains the principal elements, techniques, and types of fiction; it provides a critical vocabulary and describes the writing of critical analyses; it anticipates many of the student's perennial questions and difficulties. The book will be useful to experienced readers as well as to beginners.

This concise and highly accessible textbook outlines the principles and techniques of storytelling. It is intended as a high-school and college-level introduction to the central concepts of narrative theory – concepts that will aid students in developing their competence not only in analysing and interpreting short stories and novels, but also in writing them. This textbook prioritises clarity over intricacy of theory, equipping its readers with the necessary tools to embark on further study of literature, literary theory and creative writing. Building on a ‘semiotic model of narrative,’ it is structured around the key elements of narratological theory, with chapters on plot, setting, characterisation, and narration, as well as on language and theme – elements which are underrepresented in existing textbooks on narrative theory. The chapter on language constitutes essential reading for those students unfamiliar with rhetoric, while the chapter on theme draws together significant perspectives from contemporary critical theory (including feminism and postcolonialism). This textbook is engaging and easily navigable, with key concepts highlighted and clearly explained, both in the text and in a full glossary located at the end of the book. Throughout the textbook the reader is aided by diagrams, images, quotes from prominent theorists, and instructive examples from classical and popular short stories and novels (such as Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Franz Kafka’s ‘The Metamorphosis,’ J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter, or Dostoyevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, amongst many others). Prose Fiction: An Introduction to the Semiotics of Narrative can either be incorporated as the main textbook into a wider syllabus on narrative theory and creative writing, or it can be used as a supplementary reference book for readers interested in narrative fiction. The textbook is a must-read for beginning students of narratology, especially those with no or limited prior experience in this area. It is of especial relevance to English and Humanities major students in Asia, for whom it was conceived and written.

Kennedy/Gioia'sAn Introduction to Fiction, 10econtinues to inspire readers and writers with a rich collection of fiction and engaging insights on reading, analyzing, and writing about stories. This bestselling anthology includes sixty-six superlative short stories, blending classic works and contemporary selections. Written by noted poets X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia, the text reflects the authors' wit and contagious enthusiasm for their subject. Informative, accessible apparatus presents readable discussions of the literary devices, illustrated by apt works, and supported by interludes with the anthologized writers. This edition features 11 new stories, three new masterwork casebooks, extensively revised and expanded chapters on writing, and a fresh new design. New students of fiction.

This affordable, chronologically arranged anthology features 72 short stories carefully selected for their representation of international voices and techniques, their significance in the development of fiction, and their educational and thematic value. Selections are weighted toward the modern and contemporary, with a fair representation of earlier stories. Story groupings help instructors shape thematic units, and help students recognize thematic and technical points of comparison between readings. Multiple stories by the same author allow students to compare works and analyze the evolution of the writer's literary technique.

Gathers examples of literature from Shakespeare to August Wilson, Leo Tolstoy to Amy Tan, and William Blake to Derek Walcott

An enriching introduction to the diverse and exciting world of literature, this anthology offers a broad collection of short fiction, poetry, drama and nonfiction selections written by a diverse group of writers who represent different social classes, races, genders, cultures, and sexual orientations. Organizes selections around five socially relevant themes-- Growing Up and Growing Older; Women and Men; Money and Work; Peace and War; and Varieties of Protest. Shows how literary technique serves larger purposes-- the recreation of experience, the exploration of ideas, the analysis of social issues-- and how these larger purposes themselves shape literary form. Explains the ways in which literary form creates meaning, and provides a strong emphasis on writing about literature throughout, with a full chapter on all stages of the writing process -- generating ideas, developing a thesis, discovering a form, drafting, revising, and editing-- plus numerous excerpts from sample papers and journals. Now contains 42 new works, with more by Native American and Latino/Latina writers, as well as Bertolt Brecht's play Mother Courage" and Shakespeare's Othello"; also includes 18 works of nonfiction prose that have been chosen both for their literary technique as well as for their exploration of the five major themes.

Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing, Compact, 8th Edition is a book to lead readers beyond the boundaries of self to see the world through the eyes of others. Built on the assumption that great literature can enrich and enlarge the lives it touches, this text was developed with two primary goals: to introduce individuals to the appreciation and experience of literature in its major forms and to develop individuals' abilities to think critically and communicate effectively about and through writing.--AMAZON.

Literary History in America has been built around individual names, titles, and dates, such as the years in which significant works of fiction were published. Yet most of the fiction published from 1850 to 1900 first appeared in a number of installment formats. That books were first made available to the public in parts has been dismissed as an interesting but critically irrelevant fact of literary history, but now scholars recognize that modes of production shape literary meanings, not just for individual works, but in the larger culture as well. Lund explains how most American novels were published and read between 1850 and 1900, then provides the titles of several hundred serial works, their parts' divisions, and the dates of publication. Lund considers 69 authors and 285 titles, making America's Continuing Story the most complete study of its kind to date.

Literature, 9/e , the most popular introduction of its kind, is organized into three genresFiction, Poetry, and Drama. As in past editions, the authors' collective poetic voice brings personal warmth and a human perspective to the discussion of literature, adding to students' interest in the readings. An introduction to a balance of contemporary and classic stories, poems, and plays. Casebooks offer in-depth look at an author or clusters of works, for example "Latin American Poetry." Authors Joe Kennedy and Dana Gioia provide inviting and illuminating introductions to the authors included and to the elements of literature. Coverage of writing about literature is also included. For those interested in literature.