- Calculated Fiction

Institution:

The Evergreen State College

Subject:

Description:

Faculty: Brian L. Walter (mathematics, computer science), Steven Hendricks (creative writing) Major areas of study include mathematics, literature, fiction writing, literary theory and computer science. Class Standing: This Core program is designed for freshmen. Prerequisites: Strong algebra, reading and writing skills are recommended. "O Godiva, I could be bounded in a nympholepsy and count myself a kingfish of infinite spacemen." ªHamlet Mathematical principles can provide the basis for creative writing, from the chance operations that generated the quote above to plot structures, themes, content, and even style. Author Italo Calvino views writing as a combinatorial game, an all but random process of associations and layers of implications that can lead to great works of literature as surely as nonsense. Calvino and others reveal that writing guided by abstract principles, particularly mathematical concepts and constraints, can lead to some of the most wondrous, original, and provocative work. Jorge Luis Borges's stories provide numerous examples. In The Aleph, the narrator attempts to describe a location from which all places can be seen simultaneously: "Mystics, faced with the same problem, fall back on symbols: to signify the godhead, one Persian speaks of a bird that somehow is all birds; Alanus De Insulis, of a sphere whose center is everywhere and circumference is nowhere; Ezekiel, of a four-faced angel, who at one and the same time moves east and west, north and south." Works like The Aleph not only reflect mathematical concepts but also give them flesh, rendering those abstractions poetic and tangible. Informed by the work of writers such as Borges and Calvino, we will construct fictional narratives that reflect or are governed by mathematical concepts. In the fall quarter, students will be introduced to a wide range of mathematical and literary principles and practices. Using those tools, students will produce works rigorous in their literary content and thorough in their mathematical precision and depth. In the winter quarter, the primary focus will be on a major writing project, along with the study of computer programming as a tool to aid further investigation of the potential interplay between mathematics and literature. The regular work of the program will include book seminars, short papers, and workshops in literature, writing, mathematics and computer programming, as well as the aforementioned writing project. Readings will introduce students to relevant historical and philosophical ideas, numerous examples of writing that fuse math and literature, and provocative mathematical concepts. Coursework will emphasize foundations and skill development in mathematics, creative writing, critical reading, argumentative writing, literary theory, and computer programming. Total: 16 credits each quarter. Enrollment: 46 Special Expenses: Approximately $75 each quarter for overnight field trips. Program is preparatory for careers and future studies in mathematics, literature, fiction writing, literary theory and computer science.

Credits:

16.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.evergreen.edu

Phone Number:

(360) 867-6170

Regional Accreditation:

Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Calendar System:

Quarter

The Course Profile information is provided and updated by third parties including the respective institutions. While the institutions are able to update their information at any time, the information is not independently validated, and no party associated with this website can accept responsibility for its accuracy.