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Distinguished Writer Joins MSU English Staff

by Ellen K. Miller?

As some of you may remember, Richard Brautigan, author of Trout Fishing in America and The Tokyo-Montana Express, among others, came to MSU this quarter to teach creative writing. Although 150 students from the English Department and numerous students from other departments signed up, the class was restricted to English majors and its size was limited to 15 students. Students were selected on the basis of recommendations from instructors in the English department. Brautigan himself had nothing to do with the selection process. "I assumed that the students had read my work and were familiar with my techniques ... that there would be a bridge ... I'm not interested in seeing my own style mirrored back to me."

No one really knew what to expect from the creative writing class because it was experimental for the English department, for the students, and for Richard Brautigan. Although Brautigan was a poet in residence at MSU and had lectured as several colleges, such as Harvard, Duke, and Sanford, he had never taught a class before. "I don't thing it's possible to teach creative writing," Brautigan said, but he wanted to provide a creative atmosphere and make his experience available. His approach was non-academic, and non-linear. "I was told by some professors that there are two things students don't like in a class. One is reading aloud, the other is cumulative grading. I am doing both ... I wanted to have a more personal program to find out who the students were and encourage their individual talents." Brautigan emphasized reading and writing for enjoyment as important to the process of becoming a writer.

In the first part of the quarter, Brautigan's approach to teaching met with some resistance. Some students wanted a more analytical approach, but Brautigan observed that "when they used this approach, they became frustrated." He was trying to use "whatever works ... whatever challenges and excites the imagination." He added, however, that "what has worked for me may not work for other people."

Other students in Brautigan's class did not want assignments of specific topics. They wanted the freedom to write about any subject they liked. He assigned shared topics in order to make the class more cohesive while emphasizing their individuality. "Whenever I gave the class the freedom to do whatever they wanted, confusion occurred and the quality of the work suffered. Whenever I assigned something specific, quality improved." Also, within the framework of the assigned topic, the students could use any form they liked. "It took a while for the students to figure out how much freedom they had."

Richard Brautigan firmly believes that imagination cannot be taught, and that creativity, its origins and processes, is difficult to define. "An image or a remembered sound can become a novel or a short story ... I have to encourage talent ... Sometimes a student will come out with an incredible piece of writing and take a 360 degree turn." Brautigan saw progress in his class, and, more specifically, in the development of his students. "I have been very pleased by the high quality of work."

Will Richard Brautigan ever teach again? He is uncertain but "If I teach in the future, this experience has been invaluable." He thinks that teaching should be innovative. Brautigan objects to a de-emphasis on the humanities and the "high-schoolization" of college in which students are learning as sophomores what they should have learned in high school. Finally, Brautigan said, "I am very distressed about education, which may sound funny coming from one who has not had a formal education."

Richard Brautigan considers a relationship with his fourth grade teacher "the pivotal educational experience" in his life. He used to hide his own books behind the textbooks in class until, one day she took one the books he had been reading and asked him questions about it. Then she quizzed him on other books he had been reading. When Richard demonstrated his capacity to learn and remember, his teacher told him, "You bring your books to class and you read them. You don't have to participate." He studied on his own the rest of the year. "She had no idea what she was setting off."

Richard Brautigan has no idea what his class will set off. "I think everyone in this class has been affected. I hope that, after the end of this class, the students can enjoy writing and realize the possibilities are endless."


Exponent?
June 4, 1982: 28




Copyright note: My purpose in putting this material on the web is to provide Brautigan scholars and fans with ideas for further research into Richard Brautigan's work. It is used here in accordance with fair use guidelines. No attempt is made regarding commercial duplication and/or dissemination. If you are the author of this article or hold the copyright and would like me to remove your article from the Brautigan Archives, please contact me at birgit at cybernetic-meadows.net.