World Literature: Coming of Age Theme (Fall 2011)

earth from space
Blue Marble, NASA

ENLT 206-02, Tues. 1-2:15 in PA 112, Thursdays 1-2:15 online
http://chss.montclair.edu/~nielsenw/wl11.html
<http://english.montclair.edu>


Prof. Wendy Nielsen
Office Hours: drop in T 2:30-5:30, & by appt. in Dickson Hall 352.
Email: nielsenw@mail . . . 

Texts available at University Bookstore:
Other required readings are posted on Blackboard: http://blackboard.montclair.edu/

Course description: Coming-of-age stories mark a loss of innocence, and they punctuate the shift from childhood to adulthood. In this course, we will examine why writers use this universal motif to describe their experiences after 1945, a period marked by the end of several global atrocities (the Holocaust, the Atom Bomb, colonialism) and the beginning of new revolutions for individuals, communities, and nations. What lessons do coming-of-age stories teach readers from all over the world? During the first few weeks, we will compare folk and fairy tales from Europe to Salman Rushdie’s Haroun and the Sea of Stories. The following unit focuses on literature related to the Atom Bomb (short stories collected by Nobel Prize winner Kenzaburo Oe, and Hiroshima Mon Amour, by Marguerite Duras), and colonialism (Mariama Bâ, Scarlet Song). The final unit invites students to read the motif of coming-of-age critically in the memoir, I, Rigoberta Menchu. Exposure to literature from Africa, Europe, Asia, and South America will help students appreciate the way literature reflects and shapes global issues. Satisfies: Other Literature (1c); Genre Study (Fiction) (Fiction); Multinational (4a); Women Writers (4c); 2011 International Issues (3a); 2011 Women and Gender Studies (3c); and GER World Literature. 

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

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

#2: Participation (incl. regular attendance, contribution to class discussion, discussion questions, peer review)--10%:
#3: In-class Midterm (Unit I)--25%: No make-up dates!

#4: Journal Portfolio (critical intro., 4-5 originals + at least 1 revision that highlights your editing skills, and all original journals with my comments on them)--25%: Students will write at least one entry for nearly every text we read. You may use the blog assignments as rough drafts for your journal entries. Each entry begins with any key passage from the work. After copying this passage, write a 1-2 page (250-400 word) analysis. You are encouraged to use these entries as an opportunity to develop skills in close analysis and to track key themes, techniques, or issues in a literary text. Journals are not graded until they are presented in a revised Journal Portfolio (see below). Bring a copy to class--the only copy which I will read and comment on--and post your response to Blackboard/Discussion as well, so that other students can learn from your work, and you can better understand your reading audience. Owing to scheduling difficulties, I am afraid I am NOT able to read late journal entries, although I do expect to see them in the final Portfolio. I will NOT accept emailed journal entries. If you cannot attend class, I suggest you ask a fellow participant to bring your hard copy to class. If you are unable to turn in your journal on time, I suggest you ask a fellow student to read and evaluate the work-in-progress.

The final Journal Portfolio includes a c
ritical intro., your TOP 4 entries + at least 1 revision that highlights your editing skills, and all originals you submitted with my comments on them. If you wish to submit all 5 assigned journals, you may (I score the top 4). The cover letter should self-evaluate your own Journals and address the following questions: How have these writing exercises aided your thinking this semester? What are the strengths and weaknesses of your journals? What is your best journal entry, and why? What grade would you give yourself for this assignment? Consider the following guidelines in averaging your grade:
Although you are only required to revise one journal entry, if you revise others, I will reevaluate them. Immediately following the cover letter, place your mandatory revised journal, any other revised journals, and all original journals. You should also include any journals that you’re handing in late. Here’s a final list of everything you should include the following in this order: 1) Cover letter; 2) Mandatory revised journal; 3) Any other revised journals; 4) Original Journals with my comments on them; 5) Any late Journals. Please simply staple everything together, or use a binder clip. No cover pages, please. Please also upload a copy of all journals to Safe Assign.

#5: Research Synopsis on World Literature
(incl. mandatory proof of draft work)--20%; assignment TBA

#6: Final Exam (mostly on Unit II)--20%: No make-up dates!

Policies: Tentative schedule subject to change; please check your Montclair email and <http://chss.montclair.edu/~nielsenw/wl11.html> for updates
Date
Class Activities
Homework Due
R 9/8 online See Bb for instructions:
Course + stud. intro.; Timeline + Geography; What is world literature
Tuesday's reading assignment is in the cell below. Acquire the textbooks for this class! See additional instructions for this class on Blackboard/Online Classes. 
T 9/13 International Fairy Tales: Female Coming of Age; international persona assigned
Read from Cole: "Cinderella" (3-8), "Blue Beard" (29-32), "Ashenputtel" (68-74), "Snow-White" (53-61), "LRR" (112-14), "Baba Yaga" (411-14), "Indian Cinderella" (694-96), "Magic Orange" (727-30), "Three Magic" (756-60); DISC. #1: Post 1 or more discussion questions about the readings on Blackboard/Discussion Forum/Fairy Tales, and bring a copy to class. These questions might include ones you would pose as an instructor of the class, things you are confused about in the reading, or a mix between the two. The purpose of discussion questions is to open a dialogue between you and me; to make this a student-centered classroom; and to help students become better writers by becoming critical thinkers, or people who question what they read. Discussion questions are not evaluated, are not mandatory, but are taken into consideration for your Participation Grade.  Please feel free to respond to other students' queries if you feel inspired to answer; I will take such responses as extra credit for your Participation Grade (and enjoy reading them, of course). 
R 9/15 online asynchronous
International Fairy Tales: Male Coming of Age
Read from Cole: "Hansel and Gretel" (145-151), "Jack and the Beanstalk" (193-98), "The Lad" (310-13), "The Forest" (387-94), "Aladdin" (467-77), "Raja's Son" (583-91), "Oni" (644-49), "Lucky" (760-63); BLOG #1 (Fairy Tales): Post a blog entry about an intriguing passage in one or two of the fairy tales we have read from the perspective of your international persona. How would your alter ego read a specific passage in one or two of these tales? You could compose this blog in the form of a letter, or a blog read by a specific audience (friends, family, special interest group, neighborhood). Consider this rough draft work for your journal entry due next class. Practice citing the fairy tales according to the MLA method (see "Anthology"). Additional instructions for this online class will be on Blackboard/Online Classes
T 9/20 Review; Your Journals; Rushdie bio; Haroun and the Sea of Stories; Online Meetings
Rushdie 1-54 (through middle of ch. 3); JOURNAL #1 (Fairy Tales): Write 1-2 pages (250-400 words) on a passage from one or two of the fairy tales we have read (see assignment in Requirements section). You might focus your interpretation of a specific passage by answering one of your own or another student's interpretive questions from a previous class, or reflecting on a broader thematic issue supported by your close analysis of the text. Although each individual journal is not graded, I expect you to complete at least 4 of the 5 assigned journal entries, which will be graded when they are presented in a revised Journal Portfolio. Bring a copy to class (will be collected for instructor's feedback) and post your response to Blackboard/Discussion as well. I will NOT accept emailed journal entries. If you cannot attend class, I suggest you ask a fellow participant to bring your hard copy to class.
R 9/22 online synchronous Haroun and the Sea of Stories
Rushdie 54-110 (through ch. 6); Go to Blackboard for instructions on our first live Elluminate session. 
T 9/27 Review; Stud. Ques.; Women in Haroun; iTunesU; Journals returned
Rushdie 113-56 (through ch. 9); DISC. #2: Write 1 or more orig. discussion ques., and post them to Blackboard/Discussion Board.
R 9/29 online; asynchronous Review; the end of Haroun
Rushdie 159-end;  BLOG #2 (Rushdie): Post a blog entry about an intriguing passage in Rushdie from the perspective of your international persona or in your own voice. Additional instructions for this class will be on Blackboard/Online Classes
T 10/4
Kenzaburo Oe; Introduction, “The Crazy Iris” ; Map of Japan; “Human Ashes” Oe and Ibuse 9-35; Oda in Oe 63-84; JOURNAL #2 (Rushdie): Bring a hard copy for instructor and post to Bb. DISC. #3: Write 1 or more orig. discussion ques.: bring a copy for yourself to discuss in class, and post them to Blackboard/Discussion Board.
R 10/6 online; synchronous Review; “The Colorless Paintings”; "The Empty Can" Sata in Oe 113-25; Hayashi in Oe 127-43; BLOG #3 (Oe): Post a blog entry about an intriguing passage in Oe from the perspective of your international persona or in your own voice. See other instructions on Blackboard/Online Classes for our Elluminate session.
T 10/11
Review; Hiroshima Mon Amour (DVD #1847); Discussion of Hiroshima Mon Amour Read Duras, Hiroshima Mon Amour; JOURNAL #3 (Oe): Bring a hard copy for instructor and post to Bb.
R 10/13 online; asynchronous Lecture about  Hiroshima Mon Amour DISC #4: Write 1 or more orig. discussion ques., and post them to Blackboard/Discussion Board. See other instructions on Blackboard/Online Classes.
T 10/18 Review; RQ Hiroshima?; Midterm Review
Bring questions and your texts.
R 10/20 online asynchronous Take-home midterm posted by Wed. 10/19, due Thurs. 10/20 by 2:30pm
Posting through Safe-Assign mandatory. See other instructions on Blackboard/Assignments.
Unit II: Women and the Postcolonial World
T 10/25 Scarlet Song: Ba bio + Ques.; BUBL Link on Senegal; Research Synopsis
Read Bâ, 1-44
R 10/27 online; asynchronous Scarlet Song Read Bâ, 45-87; BLOG #4 (Bâ): Post a blog entry about an intriguing passage in Bâ from the perspective of your international persona or in your own voice. See other instructions on Blackboard/Online Classes.
T 11/1 Review; Scarlet Song Read Bâ, 88-123; JOURNAL #4 (Bâ): Bring a hard copy for instructor and post to Bb.
R 11/3 online; synchronous Scarlet Song Read Bâ, 124-end; DISC #5: Write 1 or more orig. discussion ques., and post them to Blackboard/Discussion Board. Go to Blackboard for instructions on how to access Elluminate session. 
T 11/8 Library Tutorial in Sprague 203
Read Menchu, 1-57; Post Research Question for Research Synopsis
R 11/10 online; synchronous Review; I, Rigoberta Menchu Read Menchu, 58-107; DISC #6: Write 1 or more orig. discussion ques., and post them to Blackboard/Discussion Board.
T 11/15 Menchu
Read Menchu, 108-65
R 11/17 online; asynchronous I, Rigoberta Menchu Read Menchu, 165-219; Post at least 1 peer-reviewed source (MLA style) for Research Synopsis; BLOG #5 (Menchu): Post a blog entry about an intriguing passage in Menchu from the perspective of your international persona or in your own voice.
T 11/22 I, Rigoberta Menchu; Gender; Final Exam Topics Read Menchu, 220-77; JOURNAL #5 (Menchu): Bring a hard copy for instructor and post to Bb.
R 11/24
No class Happy Thanksgiving!
T 11/29 Review; I, Rigoberta Menchu; Final Exam Topics Read Menchu, 277-end, intro (xi-xxiii), and Damrosch (Bb)
R 12/1 online asynchronous Drafts of Research Synopsis due
See Bb for instructions; Start revising your journals for the Journal Portfolio
T 12/6 Presentation of Research Synopses; Journal Revision
Research Synopsis due as hard copy for instructor, and on Blackboard/Assignments/Final Draft for presentation. Be prepared to give a 2 - 3 min. executive summary of your research ques. and findings. Bring journals you'd like to revise.
R 12/8 online asynchronous  Peer Review of Journal Portfolios
See Bb for instructions; Finish revising your journals for the Journal Portfolio
T 12/13
Discussion of Journals; Final Exam Review (mostly Unit II)
Journal Portfolios due--hard copy in class, and upload to Safe Assign; Optional: Participation Packet due (staple/print all discussion questions and online responses)
T 12/20 in class; F 12/16 2:15pm online
Final Exam mostly on Unit II 3:15-5:15pm
Journal Portfolios returned

Wendy C. Nielsen, ENLT 206: World Literature: Coming of Age (Fall 2011), English Department, Montclair State University, Aug. 2011