The Pursuits of English (Spring 2014)

Prof. Wendy C. Nielsen

Tuesdays 11:30 a.m.-1:35 p.m. in DI 179 & Thursdays 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. in DI 179
http://msuweb.montclair.edu/~nielsenw/14pursuits.html

Prof. Wendy Nielsen
Office Hours: drop in Tuesdays 4-5:30, Thursdays 10:30-11:30 & 12:45-1:15, & by appt. in Dickson Hall 352.
Email: nielsenw@mail . . .

Required Texts available at the University Bookstore:

1.   Mary Shelley, Frankenstein (1818), Norton 2nd edition: 978-0393927931*
2.    Jean Genet, The Maids (1947), trans. B. Frechtman, Grove/Atlantic: 978-0802150561 (also avail. as a pdf on Bb, but missing a pg.)
3.    Mary Klages (2006), Literary Theory: A Guide for the Perplexed, Continuum/Bloomsbury Academic: ISBN-13: 978-0826490735

» » Please purchase your own copy online of Michael Haneke, Caché (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, 2006); all other readings are on Blackboard.

* on Reserve at Sprague Library under ENGL 300-01 and ENGL 300-02 (limit one day)

Course description: An inquiry into what constitutes contemporary literary and film study: its subject matter and its underlying goals and methods. Students study literary and film texts of various genres, as well as literary/film criticism and theory; inquire into the nature of authorship and of texts; examine and expand their ways of reading, interpreting, and writing about texts; trace the relation of literary/film criticism to theory; consider the relation of literary and film study to issues of power; and develop independent habits of thought, research, discussion and analytic writing that are informed by literary theory and criticism.

Required Assignments: Click here to get an explanation of my shorthand on Style issues, and my criteria for grading:
http://msuweb.montclair.edu/~nielsenw/correction.html

#1: The Spirit of a Democratic Classroom: Respect, Collegiality, and Integrity

#2: Participation (15%): Incl. regular attendance, contribution to class discussion, discussion questions, peer review, in-class and online writing assignments that occur in a timely manner.

Attendance policy: Students must attend a majority of class sessions in order to pass the class; long-term and repeated absences are unacceptable. Your first 3 absences are automatically excused and need no explanation please. Beyond that, you will need a note from your physician or the Dean of Students in order to excuse an absence for medical reasons or family death. Attendance is a part of your Participation Grade, which is also determined by your active and enthusiastic participation in class discussions; original and thought-provoking discussion questions; and informal writing assignments. Please make a friend in class to cover material missed while absent.

#3: Writing Assignments (60%): You will write four papers, one on each of the assigned texts in the course. You are expected to incorporate what you have learned about contexts, theories and stylistic traditions into your written assignments.

#4: Final Paper (25%): The final paper assignment will require you to revise and expand (by at least 4 pages) one of your earlier papers in the course. As part of your expansion, you will be expected to conduct supplementary research and to closely analyze additional passages from your chosen text.

Policies:

Turn off and put away cell phones, blackberries, and related electronics. Absolutely NO TEXTING or talking on handheld devices ANYTIME in class, including breaks and before class. Laptops should be used to write lecture notes only (not IM'ing, Facebook, etc.). Misuse of cell phones and laptops in class can affect your participation grade.
Papers should be no longer or shorter than the length assigned and should be submitted on time as stapled hard copies (no cover pages, loose pages, or folders please). Double space and use twelve-point type, in Times New Roman or CG Times (or 10 pt. in Veranda, etc.). 3 points are deducted from formal writing projects for every class day they are late.
To teach students to avoid plagiarism, lectures will also include instruction in MLA documentation of all work. This course engages in questions of authorship, including web authorship (http://chss.montclair.edu/~nielsenw/web.html) and e-books. Submitting work and words that are not your own will result in failing this course and disciplinary action by the Dean of Students. You can see my entire FAQ on plagiarism here: http://chss.montclair.edu/~nielsenw/citation.html
Accommodations are always arranged for students with documented disabilities. Please call, email, or see the instructor personally, as well as Services for Students with Disabilities (Linda A. Smith in Morehead Hall 305, X5431).
Please note that I do not discuss grades via email. In office hours, however, I can offer time and attention to your concerns.

Tentative schedule subject to change; please check your Montclair email and <http://msuweb.montclair.edu/~nielsenw/14pursuits.html> for updates

Date	Class Activities	Homework Assignment
UNIT 1: CLASS, GENDER, & RACE IN BLOODCHILD
T 1/21	Course overview; Free Write on Texts; Contextual introduction to Bloodchild; Methodological lecture: Close reading--Literary Elements & How to Do a Close Reading of William Blake, "The Chimney Sweeper" from Songs of Innocence (1789)	No reading due
R 1/23	Student introductions and discussion of Bloodchild	Read: Octavia Butler, Bloodchild
T 1/28	Lecture on Marxist and feminist literary theory; Close reading of class in a passage from Bloodchild; Gender in Klages and Butler	Read: Althusser, excerpt from Ideology, & Klages 91-109 & 126-35; recommended: Myra Jehlen, “Gender”; O'Hara, "Class"; & Williams, "Base and Superstructure"
R 1/30	Close reading of class and gender issues in a passage from Bloodchild	Bring Butler to class
T 2/4	Lecture on critical theories of race; Close reading of racial dynamics in a passage from Bloodchild	Read: Smith, "Toward a Black Feminist Criticism" & Kwame Anthony Appiah, “Race”; recommended: Gates, "Talking Black" & JanMohammed and Lloyd
R 2/6	Peer editing workshop; Close reading of racial dynamics in a passage from Bloodchild	1.5 page draft of Bloodchild paper due
UNIT 2: DISCOURSES IN *FRANKENSTEIN*
T 2/11	Contextual Introduction to Frankenstein: Romantic Timeline & Discourses: Authorship; Class, Nature & Empire, & History; Literature; & Nature; Methodological lecture: Research methods & Annotated Bibliographies	Assignment #1: Close Analysis of Class, Gender, and/or Race paper due
R 2/13	Discussion of Frankenstein; essays on discourses related to Frankenstein assigned	Read: Frankenstein, vol. I
T 2/18	Picture Contest; Other Discourses of Frankenstein	Read: Frankenstein, vols. II & III
R 2/20	Discussion of Frankenstein	Bring Shelley to class
T 2/25	Lecture on discourse theory; Discourse analysis of Frankenstein	Read: One (assigned) essay on a discourse relevant to Frankenstein & Paul Bové, “Discourse”
R 2/27	Peer editing workshop; Discourse analysis of Frankenstein	Research proposal for Frankenstein paper due
T 3/4	Lecture on authorship theory; Debate about authorship in Frankenstein	Read: Roland Barthes, “The Death of the Author”; P. B. Shelley, preface to 1818 edition of Frankenstein (5-6); Mary Shelley, introduction to 1831 edition of Frankenstein (165-169); Charles Robinson, "Texts in Search of an Editor" (198-204); Anne Mellor, "Choosing a Text of Frankenstein to Teach" (204-211); Klages, 142-146; recommended: Foucault, "What is an Author"?
R 3/6	Peer editing workshop; Discussion of authorship in Frankenstein	2.5-page draft of Frankenstein paper due
UNIT 3: DECONSTRUCTION AND QUEERNESS IN *THE MAIDS*
T 3/18	Contextual introduction to The Maids; Interview; Drama; Methodological lecture: Teaching methods	*Assignment #2: Frankenstein* paper due**
R 3/20	Review; Discussion of The Maids	Read The Maids
T 3/25	Lecture on deconstruction; Deconstruction of a passage in The Maids	Read: Lucie Guillemette and Josiane Cossette, “Deconstruction and Différance”; Klages, pp. 53-62; recommended: Jacques Derrida, excerpt from *Dissemination*
R 3/27	Deconstruction of a passage in The Maids
T 4/1	Lecture on queer theory; Discussion of how to teach queer theory	Read: Judith Butler, “Bodily Inscriptions, Performative Subversions”; J. L. Austin, excerpt from How to do Things with Words: & Klages, 111-120
R 4/3	Peer editing workshop; Discussion of queerness in The Maids	1.5-page draft of The Maids paper due
UNIT 4: POSTCOLONIALISM AND NARRATOLOGY IN *CACHÉ*
T 4/8	Contextual introduction to Caché; Methodological lecture: Ethical Considerations	Assignment #3: *The Maids* paper due; watch (outside of class): Caché
R 4/10	Discussion of Caché
T 4/15	Lecture on postcolonial and narrative theories; Analysis of postcolonial narrative design of Caché	David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson, “Narrative as a Formal System”; Patrick Williams, “Post-colonialism and Narrative”; & Klages, 147-163; recommended: J. Hillis Miller, “Narrative”
R 4/17	Analysis of postcolonial narrative design in Caché
T 4/22	Lecture on art cinema; Ethical analysis of a scene from Caché	Read: David Bordwell, “The Art Cinema as a Mode of Film Practice” and Robert Self, “Systems of Ambiguity in the Art Cinema”
R 4/24	Peer editing workshop; Discussion of art cinema characteristics in Caché	1.5-page draft of Caché paper due
T 4/29	Abbreviated class so that you can start working on your Final Paper Proposal (clarified at the beginning of class)	Assignment #4: *Caché* paper due
R 5/1	One-on-one meetings about final paper	Final paper proposal due online
~~T 5/6~~	NO CLASS! ~~One-on-one meetings about final paper~~
T 5/13	Final paper due by 3pm=

Bibliography

Althusser, Louis. "Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses." The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. Ed. Vincent B. Leitch. NY: Norton, 2001. 1483-1509. Print.

Appiah, Kwame Anthony. "Race." Critical Terms for Literary Study. 2nd Ed. Eds. Frank Lentricchia and Thomas McLaughlin. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 1995. 274-86. Print.

Bové, Paul B. "Discourse." Critical Terms for Literary Study. 2nd Ed. Eds. Frank Lentricchia and Thomas McLaughlin. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 1995. 50-64. Print.

Derrida, Jacques. "From Dissemination." The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. Ed. Vincent B. Leitch. NY: Norton, 2010. 1697- 1734.

Duff, David. "From Revolution to Romanticism: the Historical Context around 1800." Companion to Romanticism. Ed. Duncan Wu. Malden: Blackwell, 1999. 23-35. Print.

Ellison, Julie. "Sensibility." Handbook for Romanticism Studies. Eds. Joel Faflak and Julia M. Wright. Malden: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. 28-53. Print.

Fay, Elizabeth A. "Author." Handbook for Romanticism Studies. Eds. Joel Faflak and Julia M. Wright. Malden: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. 107-24. Print.

Gates, Henry Louis, Jr. Smith, Barbara. "Talking Black: Critical Signs of the Times." The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. Ed. Vincent B. Leitch. NY: Norton, 2001. 2432-24. Print.

Heydt-Stevenson, Jillian. "Narrative." Handbook for Romanticism Studies. Eds. Joel Faflak and Julia M. Wright. Malden: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. 159-76. Print.

Hogle, Jerold E. "Gothic." Handbook for Romanticism Studies. Eds. Joel Faflak and Julia M. Wright. Malden: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. 195-212. Print.

Janowitz, Anne. "Sublime." Handbook for Romanticism Studies. Eds. Joel Faflak and Julia M. Wright. Malden: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. 55-67.

Jehlen, Myra. "Gender." Critical Terms for Literary Study. 2nd Ed. Eds. Frank Lentricchia and Thomas McLaughlin. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 1995. 263-73. Print.

Kelley, Theresa M. "Science." Handbook for Romanticism Studies. Eds. Joel Faflak and Julia M. Wright. Malden: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. 357-73. Print.

Klages, Mary. Literary Theory: A Guide for the Perplexed. NY: Continuum, 2006. Print.

Kitson, Peter J. "Race." Handbook for Romanticism Studies. Eds. Joel Faflak and Julia M. Wright. Malden: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. 289-305. Print.

Lokke, Kari. "Gender and Sexuality." Handbook for Romanticism Studies. Eds. Joel Faflak and Julia M. Wright. Malden: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. 307-24. Print.

Miller, J. Hillis. "Narrative." Critical Terms for Literary Study. 2nd Ed. Eds. Frank Lentricchia and Thomas McLaughlin. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 1995. 66-79. Print.

O'Hara, Daniel T. "Class." Critical Terms for Literary Study. 2nd Ed. Eds. Frank Lentricchia and Thomas McLaughlin. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 1995. 406-27. Print.

Pease, Donald E. "Author." Critical Terms for Literary Study. 2nd Ed. Eds. Frank Lentricchia and Thomas McLaughlin. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 1995. 105-17. Print.

Perry, Seamus. "Romanticism: The History of a Concept." Companion to Romanticism. Ed. Duncan Wu. Malden: Blackwell, 1999. 5-11. Print.

Richardson, Alan. "Slavery and Romantic Writing. Companion to Romanticism. Ed. Duncan Wu. Malden: Blackwell, 1999. 460-69. Print.

Scrivener, Michael. "Class." Handbook for Romanticism Studies. Eds. Joel Faflak and Julia M. Wright. Malden: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. 277-88. Print.

Smith, Barbara. "Toward a Black Feminist Criticism." The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. Ed. Vincent B. Leitch. NY: Norton, 2001. 2302-15. Print.

Tomko, Michael. "Religion." Handbook for Romanticism Studies. Eds. Joel Faflak and Julia M. Wright. Malden: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. 339-56. Print.

Williams, Raymond. "Base and Superstructure." The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. Ed. Vincent B. Leitch. NY: Norton, 2010. 1420-37. Print.

Wright, Julia M. "Nation and Empire." Handbook for Romanticism Studies. Eds. Joel Faflak and Julia M. Wright. Malden: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. 259-75. Print.

Wylie, Ian. "Romantic Responses to Science." Companion to Romanticism. Ed. Duncan Wu. Malden: Blackwell, 1999. Print.

Wu, Duncan, ed. Companion to Romanticism. Malden: Blackwell, 1999. (Sprague Library: PR457 .C58 1999)