Course overview

The course presents all twenty-two 鈥渇ables鈥 of Robert Louis Stevenson, some as short as a few lines, others running to several pages, all of them challenging the reader with unexpected approaches to human life. We will read all the fables in six weeks, coming together on Zoom to share responses and questions, examine the literary merits and explore the ways the fables might enhance our understanding of ourselves and others we come into contact with day by day. There are podcasts for each fable to supplement our discussions, as well as space on the Canvas site to continue the Zoom discussions.

Course description

Over the twenty years of his writing career, Robert Louis Stevenson created twenty-two short pieces of fiction that he called fables, though some are more properly fairy tales. They address issues of what is valuable in life, how to live in the moment, how to deal with self-righteous, narrow-minded religious doctrine, where to find certainty in an uncertain world. The stories include an incident with Long John Silver between chapters of Treasure Island, a sick man stuck in a burning house, a mysterious wizard who gobbles like a turkey, a princess living in a dream of unfulfilled desire, and many others. Although not very well known, these stories have justly been called Stevenson鈥檚 masterpieces, for their superb narrative and dramatic technique, their witty use of language and their ability to pack so much into so small a space. The Zoom discussions will not aim to provide 鈥渁nswers鈥 to the problems posed in the stories but encourage us to play with them, share our responses and questions, and suggest ways the stories might shed light on ourselves and the world we live in. The podcasts on each of the fables will provide preliminary material for our discussions.

What financial support is available?

We don't want anything to stand in your way when it comes to bringing Adult learning within reach so if you need anything to support you to achieve your goals then speak to one of our education experts during your enrolment journey. Most of our courses are government funded but if you don't qualify or need alternative financial help to access them then let us know.

What other support is available?

All of our digital content, teaching and learning activities and assessments are designed to be accessible so if you need any additional support you can discuss this with the education experts during your enrolment journey and we will do all we can to make sure you have optimal access.

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