This week we are looking at two very different stories from acclaimed masters of

This week we are looking at two very different stories from acclaimed masters of the short story in its classical form: William Faulkner (‘A Rose For Emily”) and James Joyce (Araby”). Although I hope to discuss many aspects of these two tales, let’s start with a consideration of setting. How does each of these writers create a specific sense of place in their work? What can you say about the specific locations where these stories take place?
It’s important to be conscious of the importance of very specific choices in writing. Highlight a specific word, phrase or sentence from one of these stories and discuss how it contributes to a very particular sense of the setting.
We are also talking about symbols. A symbol, in literature, is almost always a concrete thing that stands for a more abstract idea. For example, a rose (which is something you can see and touch) is a traditional symbol of love (which is an abstract idea you can only think about). With this definition in mind, let’s talk about two of our stories for this week, “The Birth-Mark” and “St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves.” What was your initial reaction to these stories, both intellectually and emotionally? Thinking about them analytically, can you identify symbols that inform the meaning of each story? How do you know something in the story is not just a prop, but a symbol of something larger?
Can you think of other symbols you have noticed in the stories