“That
Love is all there is, is all we know of Love” wrote the famous poet Emily
Dickinson. And while we may not be able to define Love exactly, this course
will explore various love relationships: romantic love, erotic love, married
love, family love, unrequited love---and others. We will discuss these
relationships through short stories by famous Canadian, British, and American authors.
Suggested texts include:
· “The Kimono” (H.E. Bates): “It all
started with a piece of clothing!”
· “A Rose for Emily” (William Faulkner):
“A strange ending to an affair…”
· “Mabel” (Somerset Maugham):” She
didn’t give up!”
· “What We Talk About When We Talk
About Love” (Raymond Carver): “What is the nature of real love?”
· “How I Met My Husband” (Alice Munro):
“The desire for fulfillment…”
· “The Legacy” (Virginia Woolf):
“Secrets in a marriage…”
· “Telephone Call” (Dorothy Parker):
“Waiting, waiting for the phone to ring…”
· “A Painful Case” (James Joyce): “He just
couldn’t commit…”
· “Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel’s Coat”
(Roald Dahl):”Her husband had other plans….”
· “The Colonel’s Lady” ( Somerset
Maugham): “Why did she have that affair with a younger man?......”
The stories
average 3-8 pages in length and we will usually discuss one selection per week including
the background of the text, information about the author, and your impressions
of the story. In order to benefit most from our meetings, participants are
encouraged to read the weekly story in advance.
https://mmccl.blogspot.com/2016/02/mabel-1924.html "Mabel"
https://blocs.xtec.cat/gmacian/files/2008/09/the-colonel.pdf "The Colonel's Lady