Non-Western Storytelling Structures, Themes, and Values

This lecture course is an introduction to Eastern storytelling that opens readers’ minds to radically different ways of telling a satisfying story. Discussions in the West around diversity in the arts often focus on the identities of characters and creators. This course explores  expressions of diversity that go beyond just plopping different faces into stories that are 100 percent Western in spirit. It examines diverse structures, themes, and values from Eastern storytelling. Using examples ranging from the film “Parasite” to the book The Thousand and One Nights to Nintendo video games such as the Mario franchise, the course explores how storytelling staples in the West, such as the three-act structure and themes of empowerment and change, are far from universal. It introduces to students the East Asian four-act structure, as well as circular and nested structures, and explains how Eastern value systems such as collectivism can dictate form. The course is geared towards both story creators in any medium, including prose and screenwriting, as well as general readers and consumers of stories.

This course is part of a large lecture series and does not include workshopping of student writing. It is ideal for those who wish to gain knowledge in a particular subject area without the concerns of receiving credit. Grades are calculated based on quizzes and exams. These courses cannot be applied to certificate completion at UCLA Extension.