Imposters, Fakes and Hoaxes in Fiction

What is the course about?

On this in-the-college literature course we’ll study three gripping, intricate novels about impersonation and identity. What can these stories of ‘faking it’ tell us about who we are, what we believe, and why? We’ll explore these novels themes and literary forms, and the pleasures of reading about hoaxes, fakes and fraudsters'.

- Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr Ripley introduces the character of Tom Ripley, who takes up an unexpected opportunity to start a new life in Europe. He’s willing to go to extreme lengths to secure money, success and the good life – someone else’s life. ‘Streets ahead of the conventional thriller: a cool little classic of its kind.’ (Evening Standard)

- In the Booker-shortlisted Case Study, Graeme Macre Burnet presents the notebooks of a young woman who believes a psychotherapist drove her sister to suicide – and then becomes his client in order to confirm her suspicions. ‘Fun and funny, sly and serious, a beguiling literary game that manages to say more about the nature of the self than any number of more self-consciously solemn works.’ (David Szalay)

- Zadie Smith’s first historical novel The Fraud is set in 1873: the trial of the ‘Tichborne Claimant’ is captivating England. In a world of hypocrisy and self-deception, deciding what is real proves a complicated task. ‘Inspired by an extraordinary court case, and featuring a real-life Victorian novelist, Smith’s funny, almost flawless new novel examines identity, the notion of truth and 19th-century England and Jamaica in flux.’ (Guardian).

What will we cover?

We’ll cover a range of topics including: literary impersonations; theories about hoaxing and what makes it successful; doubles and the uncanny in psychiatry and in literature; historical fiction; the Tichborne case and its colonial context.

We’ll also study the literary forms of these novels and how they work to shape our experience of reading. This will include: narrative structure; reading competing voices in a work of fiction; reading and evaluating clues; and how literary devices function to inspire both trust and suspicion.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

• Discuss these novels and their themes confidently, with an enhanced knowledge of the authors and the context of their work
• Develop your understanding of narrative structure
• Consider how techniques in fiction work to shape what readers believe
• Take away ideas to enhance your future reading.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

This course is for everyone who is enthusiastic about reading and discussing contemporary fiction, particularly fiction that explores ideas about impersonation and impostors. You don’t need to have studied literature formally.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

Teaching on the course includes: short presentations from the tutor, structured discussions, small group activities, close reading and analysis, and working with additional materials such as video clips. Guided by the tutor, the focus is on participation and interaction, with opportunities for sharing responses and ideas. Work for the class involves doing the reading for each week, with questions provided for you to think about in advance.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

You’ll need to buy or borrow these books, all available in paperback:

Graeme Macrae Burnet, Case Study (Saraband, 2021)
Patricia Highsmith, The Talented Mr Ripley (1955)
Zadie Smith, The Fraud (Penguin, 2023) (in paperback from 6 June 2024)

The tutor will provide links to all class materials and further reading.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

The tutor will also be teaching HLT291 Exploring Epistolary fiction: novels in letters in the 21st century, HLT287 London in Writing and HLT289 Classics Remixed and Retold. For these and other fiction courses please look on the web at www.citylit.ac.uk under History, Culture and Writing/Literature.