Why do human beings produce and consume narratives as prolifically as they do? How are stories constructed? How do readers approach and consume them? What is the role of narrative in culture? This course primarily studies prose fiction, but it may include drama, narrative poetry, nonfiction, and film, as well as criticism and theory of narrative. It may be offered as a general introduction to narrative, or it may focus on a particular topic, such as Life Writing, Popular Literature, Myths and Folktales, or the Contemporary Novel.