Students enrolling in this course will learn about one of the most enigmatic writers of the late 20th and early 21st century. A graduate of Amherst College and adjunct professor at Emerson College, David Foster Wallace embodies what it means to be a modern thinker. A polymath whose obsessions ranged from Kafka to English language usage, lobster to tennis, the media to politics, Wallace’s writing is as wide-ranging in style as it is in content. Students will read selected essays and short stories, in addition to the author’s teaching notes from The David Foster Wallace Reader in order to try to tap into what made the author tick, and to better hone their own fiction and essay writing skills.

Departmental approval is required for this course.