Seymour Benjamin Chatman passed away on November 4, 2015 at his home in Berkeley, CA. He was 87. Seymour was born in Detroit, Michigan and lived briefly in Philadelphia, PA and Ithaca, NY.
He was a Professor in the Rhetoric Department at the University of California, Berkeley for over 30 years, helping establish the field of Narratology and writing multiple books and journal articles analyzing the narrative structure of various films, novels, and poems. He specialized in films by the auteur Michangelo Antonioni. Professor Chatman was a member of the Narratology Society, the Modern Language Association, and The U.C. Arts Club.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara Blomer of Berkeley, CA, his three daughters, Emily Kate Chatman Duffy, El Cerrito, CA, Jennifer Anna Chatman, Berkeley, CA and Mariel Rebecca Chatman Lassalle, Arlington, VA, his four granddaughters, Ava Simone Chatman Barnett, Sonya Lena Chatman Barnett, Noémie Maëlys Lassalle, and Anaïs Sophie Lassalle, and his three sons-in-law, Ken Duffy, Russell Barnett and Thibaut Lassalle.
Memorial services are pending.
In lieu of flowers or gifts, donations may be made in Seymour’s name to:
The North Berkeley Senior Center
Att: Donations
1901 Hearst Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94709
or
UCSF Aging And Memory Center
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