Structuring (and De-Structuring) Novels: Special Topics Literature Seminar

How to structure a novel? This is a question most novelists approach with dread, because, a) all the good plots and structures have been used up; b) plots can feel annoying anyway, like a capitulation to cinema or theater; and c) nevertheless, it is impossible to write in total darkness. We’ll dispel this darkness by reading works by a range of novelists. How do these authors strike a balance between complex thought and elegant/unusual structure? And how can we, as writers, maintain narrative coherence over the course of hundreds of pages?