Animal Xenofiction

1. ENGL 475 | Studies in Literary Genres | Fall 2017
Instructor: Anna Banks, Ph.D. Department of English
Office: Brink Hall, Room 123
Phone: 885-6156 (department office)
E-mail: <annab@uidaho.edu>
Office hours: Tuesdays 3:30 – 4:30pm, Wednesdays 9:00 – 10:00am, and by appointment.
Class meeting time and location: T/H 2:00 – 3:15pm in TLC 029
Genre: Animal Xenofiction
“Xenofiction […] is a story told from the point of view of an animal or non-human-like alien/being.
Putting yourself in the mind of another being can help you see the world from different unique points of
view. Sometimes the stories told are allegorical to the real world, while other times they are nothing
more than a fun escape into a different land.”
http://www.bookscrolling.com/the-best-non-human-and-xenofiction-literature/
“A few works of [fiction] take the Point of View of normal animals, Intellectual Animals, Intelligent
Gerbils, or Starfish Aliens. More than that, the creators of such stories take great pains to think through
what it would actually be like to be a rabbit, a dolphin, or a giant betentacled being who smells colour
[…] A good rule of thumb for figuring out if something is in this genre or not: if you can replace the non-
humans with (maybe superpowered) humans without too much trouble, it's probably not Xenofiction”
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Xenofiction
Literary works featuring animal narrators are often considered to be the realm of children’s literature,
but there is also a strong tradition of adult literature focalized through non-human animals. These works
remind us that a non-human narrator can be useful and illuminating in circumstances that go far beyond
the traditional talking animals of children’s fables.
Primary texts will include:
• Kholstomer: The Story of a Horse | Short story by Leo Tolstoy (1886)
• Flush: A Biography | A cross-genre blend of fiction and nonfiction by Virginia Woolf (1933)
• Timbuktu | Novella by Paul Auster (1999)
• Firmin | Novel by Sam Savage (2008)
• Martin Marten | Novel by Brian Doyle (2015)
Film screening:
• Nenette | Director Nicolas Philibert (2010)
In addition we will read critical essays and scholarship written on both the primary texts and on the
significance of animal narrators in terms of developing narrative empathy, defamiliarization, and “what
it is likeness” (to borrow Thomas Nagel’s phrase).

2. Learning objectives:
• To understand the concept of genre fiction.
• To examine a diversity of literatures within the category of animal xenofiction.
• To consider how the socio-cultural and political contexts in which these texts were written
shaped their perspective on non-human animals.
• To understand key concepts such as defamiliarization, speciesism, narrative point-of-view,
narrative empathy, and anthropomorphism.
• To evaluate the aesthetic and formal aspects of xenofiction.
• To explore how these works of literature can be read in a post-humanist context.
• To practice close reading skills and reading against the grain.
Grading scheme and assignments:
Grades will be assigned on the basis of total accumulated points. The University grading scheme will be
used to determine the final grade, i.e. A = 90 – 100%, B = 80-89% etc. This is a discussion- based course,
and class participation is essential.
Grades will be based on successful completion of the following:
Close Reading 15%
Reading With & Against the Grain 15%
Narrative exploration and Mind Map 15%
Weekly response papers/blog entries 20%
Literary analysis 25%
Participation 10%
*(See Bb Learn for details of individual assignments)
General Course Policies
Attendance and Participation
In courses like this one, which use collaboration and creative exchange as one of the principal methods of inquiry,
students are expected to not only attend classes, but to actively and vigorously participate in discussions of
assigned readings, research, etc. You should be prepared to give feedback to your peers and contribute to the
conversations and critical tangents generated from the work. Please exercise reasonable courtesy and decorum in
our workspace, so that we can maximize the learning opportunities we create. This means, among other things,
listen actively to others, appreciate others’ contributions before criticizing them, criticize the ideas and not the
speakers, and practice tolerance and open-mindedness. Please be respectful of others by showing up to class
punctually.
Responsibility for Missed Work Due to Absence
If you miss class for any reason, you must: a) find out from a classmate what work or assignments you missed; b)
understand and agree that being absent from a class does not excuse you from meeting deadlines for assignments;
c) understand that you must make a written request to complete a make-up assignment (if eligible); d) make-up
assignments will be determined on a case-by-case basis by the instructor.
Written Assignments
Unless otherwise instructed, I expect all written assignments for this course to either be typed/written on a
computer, with one inch margins and a reasonably sized font (comparable to Times New Roman 12 or Arial 10).
You are expected to proofread your work before submitting it. Spelling, grammar and proper syntax are integral to

3. effective written communication, and will be considered part of the grading criteria. Please do not E-
mail me assignments unless illness or injury prevents you from coming to campus.
All assignments must adhere to standards of academic honesty. Do not turn in work prepared for other classes.
Document ALL sources consulted in preparing your work, including websites and other material obtained on the
Internet. If in doubt, document.
Late Assignments
All assignments will be collected during the designated class period in which they are due, beyond which time they
will be considered late and 25% of the total points possible for that assignment will be automatically deducted.
After two days, the assignment will no longer be accepted, and you will forfeit any remaining points for that
assignment. (An exception to this rule is the “weekly response papers.” For details, please see individual guidelines
on that assignment).
Course Calendar & Due Dates
A preliminary calendar will be established for the course at the outset of the semester; however, it is subject to
change. The instructor will make every reasonable effort to remind you in class or via email of any assignments
due for the next class period, but it remains the student’s sole responsibility to keep up to date with readings and
due dates for assignments. Any changes to the calendar will be announced in class. Please revise your calendar
and syllabus accordingly.
Cell Phones etc.
Please turn cell phones off during class time, inclduing no texting during film screenings. Thanks!
Communication
I like to communicate with my classes regularly by email, to make announcements, changes in the calendar, etc.
Please make sure that you check Bb Learn and your UI E-mail account regularly. Additionally, please feel free to E-
mail me if you’d like to schedule a time outside of class (other than regular office hours) to discuss any problems or
concerns you are having. Please be courteous and respectful in the tone and wording of your E-mails to me. Also,
please allow an appropriate amount of time for me to read and respond to your E-mails. N.B. I do not read E-mails
late at night.
Accommodations
If you have circumstances that may require different accommodations than outlined in the course policies, please
consult with me as soon as possible. Reasonable accommodations are available for students who have
documented temporary or permanent disabilities. All accommodations must be approved through Disability
Support Services, located in the Idaho Commons Building, Room 306, in order to notify your instructor(s) as soon
as possible regarding accommodation(s) needed for the course. Contact DSS at 208-885‐6307, email
dss@uidaho.edu or go to www.uidaho.edu/dss.
Firearms on UI property and in the classroom
The University of Idaho bans firearms from its property with only limited exceptions. One exception applies to
persons who hold a valid Idaho enhanced concealed carry license, provided those firearms remain concealed at all
times. If an enhanced concealed carry license holder’s firearm is displayed, other than in necessary self-defense, it
is a violation of University policy. Please contact local law enforcement (call 911) to report firearms on University
property.
Course Outline
Following is a schedule for each class meeting throughout the semester. Unless you receive advance
notice of a change, this calendar will represent the topics, activities and work due: Please use it to guide

4. your preparation and participation. Required readings should be completed prior to the class for which
they are assigned.
[ ] Indicate in-class screenings
*Indicates reading available as PDF on Bb Learn
Date Topics Readings Due Dates &
Assignments
Week 1
08/22 Course introduction
08/24 Xenofiction – what
it is and what it isn’t
Week 2
08/29 Animal focalization Kholstomer: The Story of a Horse (aka Strider)*
08/31 Defamiliarization
Week 3
09/05 Kholstomer – Close
reading:
understanding,
noticing, explaining
09/07 Companion and
captive?
“Canis Familiaris: Companion and Captive”* Flush,
Ch 1
Week 4
09/12 Animal
[auto]biographies
Flush Chs 2-4; “Speaking for Animals:
Introduction”*
09/14 Smell is poetry Flush Ch 5; “Smeller”*
Week 5
09/19 A “Woolf in dog’s
clothing”?
Flush Ch 6
09/21 Flush, a
“lighthearted
writing exercise”
Week 6
09/26 Cinematic POV
[Nenette]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X237yGuf4Ds
09/28 Discussion Close reading
assignment
due
Week 7
10/03 In medias res Timbuktu, Chs 1-2
10/05 The emotional life
of dogs
Timbuktu, Ch 3; “Stories, Philosophy, and
Science”*
Week 8
10/10 “He’s not a person,
he’s a dog, and dogs
don’t ask
questions”
Timbuktu, Ch 4
10/12 The textual politics
of literary animals
Timbuktu, Ch 5; “Toward a Narrative Ethology”*
Week 9
10/17 Cruel optimism

5. 10/19 What it is likeness “What is it like to be a bat?”* Reading
against the
grain
assignment
due
Week 10
10/24 Reading and
traveling
Firmin, Chs 1-5
10/26 “And say the animal
responded?”
Firmin, Chs 6 - 8
Week 11
10/31 The contact zone Firmin, Chs 9-13
11/02 “The saddest story I
ever heard…”
Firmin, Chs 14&15
Week 12
11/07 Post-humanism Martin Marten, Chs Chs 1-24
11/09 Close encounters Martin Marten, Chs 25-37
Week 13
11/14 Setting as character Martin Marten, Chs 38-53
11/16 Animism and the
alphabet
Martin Marten, Chs 54-68
Thanksgiving
break
Week 14
11/28 Martin Marten Mind
Mapping
exercise due
11/30 Animal xenofiction
as genre
Week 15
12/05 Individual
conferences
12/07 Individual
conferences
Monday
12/11
“Finals Week” Literary
analysis
paper due by
midnight