From the Decameron to The Last of Us: Storytelling After Crisis

From climate change to politics, crisis feels ever present. But what comes after loss? We will approach questions about rebuilding community from a narratological perspective. We examine how fictional communities, like Boccaccio's brigata, attempt to reinstitute society after the Plague, and analyze Giorgio Rosa's real project to build his own independent nation. This seminar examines the nexus of narrative and solace in The AIDS Quilt and in The Last of Us video-game. By closely studying these 'texts,' we'll have the opportunity to explore themes of consolation as we generate and pursue new questions about the art of storytelling.