And Now for Something a Bit Different

Ah, the end of the first half of my first year at Wabash and, thus, the end of Intro to Short Fiction. Do I lament that this is the last of my blogs? Maybe, in some ways. It's given me an opportunity to gage my classmates, and in turn to be gaged. It's added another weight to the scale of stress at Wabash, but it's also given me an opportunity to improve myself, my writing, through practice. Enough, though, with the sentimentals.

Because this is the final blog post, perhaps I should rap up a few things, give a final report. So, first, I'll list my three favorite stories and my three least favorite stories of the year. They will be chosen based both on writing style and plot, but mostly on how much weight they carry for me in terms of message. My three favorite short stories of the class, in no particular order, are “Sonny's Blues”, “God Lives in St. Petersburg”, and “Wait”. My three least favorite short stories of the class are...well, there really aren't any. I can honestly say I enjoyed each and every one of these stories, to one degree or another.

Okay, back to sentimentals. To me, this class has, at its best, embodied what an English class is meant to be. Heated discussions, insults flung, and a general spark of life all in the midst of Dr. Benedicks' half-smile as she looks on in what can only be approval; approval that this is what college is about. Ideas clashing with ideas, all propelled with passion. Alas, the end approaches as Intro to Short Fiction transmutes into Poetry. I hope to see all of you eight days from now, arguing with just as much heat about poetry as about story.