Literature of Lies

What are our expectations for truth in memoirs and fake news? And how do we feel about unreliable narrators, lies within the story world, tall-tales, and satire? We will ask how lies are constructed narratively, and what we lose and gain when and if we stop trusting our stories. As we consider various types of narrative untruth, we’ll dive into some cognitive psychology to learn about the trustworthiness of memory (and how forgetting creates gaps that false information can fill) as well as our susceptibility to fake news. Together the class will allow us to ask what is “true” in our post-truth world.

This class will have a particular focus on the skills of reading, analytical writing, and project design.

• Interests: Debate, Psychology, Reading, Storytelling, Writing
• Grades: 11th, 12th
• Subjects: English