NCHU Course Outline
Course Name (中) 現代小說(4515)
(Eng.) Modern Fiction
Offering Dept Continuing Bachelor Program in Foreign Languages and Literatures
Course Type Elective Credits 2 Teacher CHEN SHU-CHING
Department Continuing Bachelor Program in Foreign Languages and Literatures(N)Undergraduate Language 中/英文 Semester 2025-FALL
Course Description This course explores the evolving landscape of fiction from the early 20th century to the contemporary era, with particular attention to how literature reflects and refracts issues of identity, class, race, and societal ideals. Through close readings of selected works—James Joyce’s Dubliners, Sherman Alexie’s The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby—students will engage with the thematic and formal concerns of modern and postmodern literature. This course emphasizes the coming-of-age narrative (bildungsroman), the illusion and critique of the American Dream, class and racial issues, indigeneity, and how storytelling devices and genre conventions have shifted to accommodate new cultural realities. Alongside literary analysis, students will develop critical tools for evaluating narrative perspective, character development, plot structure, symbolic language, and the social function of fiction.

Prerequisites
self-directed learning in the course Y
Relevance of Course Objectives and Core Learning Outcomes(%) Teaching and Assessment Methods for Course Objectives
Course Objectives Competency Indicators Ratio(%) Teaching Methods Assessment Methods
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
. Analyze the thematic concerns of modern fiction, including identity formation, social mobility, racial inequality, and disillusionment.
. Evaluate the formal features of fiction—such as narrative voice, structure, and symbolism—across different genres and time periods.
. Understand the evolution of the bildungsroman and its adaptation across diverse cultural contexts.
. Critically examine the concept of the American Dream as portrayed and contested in 20th- and 21st-century fiction.
. Compare and contrast how class and race are represented in literature from various socio-political backgrounds.
. Engage with both canonical and underrepresented voices in modern fiction, fostering a more inclusive understanding of literary tradition.
Discussion
Attendance
Quiz
Course Content and Homework/Schedule/Tests Schedule
Week Course Content
Week 1 Introduction to the course
Week 2 James Joyce "Araby"
Week 3 James Joyce "Araby"
Week 4 Sherman Alexie, The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Week 5 Sherman Alexie, The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Week 6 Sherman Alexie, The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Week 7 Midterm Exam
Week 8 Discussion of Midterm Exam; Excerpts from James Wood, How Fiction Works.
Week 9 James Joyce, "The Dead"
Week 10 James Joyce, "The Dead"
Week 11 James Joyce, "The Dead"; American Dream
Week 12 Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
Week 13 Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
Week 14 Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
Week 15 Final Exam
Week 16 Day off
self-directed
learning
   02.Viewing multimedia materials related to industry and academia.

Evaluation
- Class participation and engagement in discussions: 20%
- Midterm Exam: 40%
- Final Exam: 40%
Textbook & other References
. Dubliners and The Great Gatsby are available at Cave Bookstore on the first floor of the Chung Hsing Library.

Teaching Aids & Teacher's Website
. Scanned files for The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian will be posted on ILearning on a weekly basis.
Office Hours
Thursday 15:00-17:00 or by Appointment
Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs(Link URL)
include experience courses:N
Please respect the intellectual property rights and use the materials legally.Please respect gender equality.
Update Date, year/month/day:2025/08/20 12:29:51 Printed Date, year/month/day:2025 / 10 / 19
The second-hand book website:http://www.myub.com.tw/