English 303.1
Spring 2011
TTh 2:00-3:15 PM
CCC 322
Dr. Matthew Davis
Office Hours: Tuesday and
Thursday 3:15-4:15 and by
appointment
Office: CCC 421
Phone: 346-4307
email: matthew.davis@uwsp.edu
The Myth of . . . the Self-Made Man
Course Description
We have all heard that America is the land of opportunity, where anyone with hard work
and determination can become a success. This story of the individual rising to success is central
to American culture and this course will investigate what we will be calling “the myth of the
self-made man” in American literature, tracing its origins and development beginning with
Franklin’s Autobiography and continuing to works such as Alger’s Ragged Dick, Burroughs’s
Tarzan of the Apes, Douglass’s 1845 Autobiography, Washington’s Up From Slavery, and
Paredes’s George Washington Gómez. While this story—central to American identity and a key
component of “the American dream”—has numerous historical examples, by treating it as a
myth we will seek to uncover the effects of each telling and re-telling of this story, paying
particular attention to the ways in which those excluded from the traditional narrative seek to
gain access to or challenge it.
This is not a lecture class, but rather one designed to give you the critical tools necessary
for the study of the self-made man in American literature and culture. I am excited about the
literature we will be studying during the course of this class and am committed to the study of
literature as the means by which we can more fully understand our nation’s history and culture. I
hope that you will come to share some of this passion by the end of our time together. At the
very least, I expect students to complete all readings prior to our class discussions, to participate
actively and thoughtfully in our discussions, and to think critically about the intersections of
literature, politics, culture, and history.
Required Materials
Alger, Horatio Ragged Dick (Norton Critical Edition)
Burroughs, Edgar Rice Tarzan of the Apes (Del Rey)
Franklin, Benjamin The Autobiography (Norton Critical Edition)
Paredes, Américo George Washington Gómez (Arte Publico)
Washington, Booker T., W. E. B. Du Bois, and Frederick Douglass Three African-American
Classics (Dover)
Electronic Reserves (see below)
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Course Requirements
Participation
The class will be most rewarding and lively if we throw ourselves into the material and
think of class meetings as mutual discussions. If you are not accustomed to talking in class, let
me know how we can create inviting conditions for you to talk. If shyness gets the best of you,
come see me (sooner rather than later) and we will see what we can do. You will need to
participate aloud in the course. Class participation is graded on a pass/fail basis and consistent,
thoughtful contributions are required to receive a passing grade. “Consistent” means every other
class period; “thoughtful” (which does not mean “correct”) means contributions in which you
venture an idea or interpretation. Although class participation is graded on a pass/fail basis,
particularly sharp and engaged contributions could raise your final course grade if it is on a
borderline. Please be aware that you may use online participation in D2L’s discussion forums to
make up for poor in-class participation or for missed classes. Failing the class participation
requirement will lower your final grade up to one full letter.
I recognize that participation depends on your comfort and confidence in the class and
with the course material, which is why I always welcome suggestions about how participation
can be made more inviting, especially for people who are shy or who are new to literature
classes. Realize that your contribution to discussion need not be a fully formulated or “brilliant”
insight by any means. If you feel shaky in your understanding of a specific text, for example,
you might pose a question rather than an “answer.” Inevitably, your question is probably one
shared by others in the class, and other people will be pleased you asked it, as will I. When you
ask questions, you can in fact do great literary analysis. For example, by asking, “Why does the
author’s conclusion seem to contradict the first paragraph of her short story?” you give the class
an excellent starting point for discussion even if you don’t yet have an answer to your own
question.
Attendance
Attendance is mandatory. If there is an emergency or a legitimate special circumstance
that forces you to miss a class, I ask you notify me beforehand. This notification is a courtesy
that I appreciate, but it does not necessarily excuse your absence. If you miss class, it is your
responsibility to inform me of what is going on and to work to resolve the problem (ask me for
handouts, consult classmates for notes, participate in discussion on the D2L forums, and make an
office appointment to review what you missed, if you so desire). Three or more absences runs
the risk of a lowered final grade for the course. If you miss five classes, you cannot pass the
course. Exceptions to the attendance policy are made only in the case of grave emergencies and
may require documentation.
Desire2Learn
Substantial course materials will be available only by using the Desire2Learn online
course administration software. You will want to familiarize yourself with the D2L system as
this will be the principle means by which course assignments, schedules, and announcements
will be made available to you. You should get used to visiting the site for our course on a daily
basis to keep on top of assignments and announcements.
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Desire2Learn’s Discussion Boards, in particular, will provide you with valuable
information such as: questions to consider prior to reading a text; a place to formulate and share
your responses to a text; and a means to demonstrate attentive engagement with material in case
of absence or inadequate classroom discussion participation. Be sure to visit the Discussion
Boards prior to completing each course reading and be sure to return periodically to follow
ongoing discussion of course materials.
Electronic Reserves
Some of our course readings will be available to students through Electronic Reserves,
accessible by going to MyPoint, clicking on the “Libraries” tab, and then selecting the link to
Electronic Reserves. You will need to print out the readings and bring them to class with you on
the days we are discussing them; failure to do so will count as an absence. I suggest printing out
all of the readings early in the semester and compiling your own course reader for English 303.
Quizzes
To check that people are keeping up with the reading, I will regularly give unannounced
quizzes. These quizzes will be easy if you have read the assigned reading. I have settled on the
habit of such quizzes after having students request them to ensure that everyone (and not just a
few people) is ready to participate in discussion. The quiz questions will be basic factual
questions (e.g., “Does the main character like pie or cookies best?”), not debatable matters of
interpretation. Be aware that the excuse “I read but just don’t remember” is not acceptable (what
good is reading without remembering??). A single poor performance on a quiz will not affect
your final grade, but repeated poor performances should be reason for concern.
Out of fairness to all students, no make-up quizzes will be given under any
circumstances. Please do not ask me to make an exception.
I encourage you to take notes in the margins of your books (or in a dedicated notebook
for text rental items) and to jot down ideas and responses to the materials when you read. Doing
so will help you on the quizzes, enable you to better participate in class discussions, and benefit
you when it comes time to study for exams or settle on a paper topic.
Presentations on “Contemporary Narratives of the Self-Made Man”
During the first weeks of class, I will be passing around a sign-up sheet for class
presentations for the remainder of the semester. Students will prepare a presentation on a
contemporary narrative of a self-made man that they have located through their own research.
These presentations provide valuable discussion of important materials and, as such, I take them
very seriously. Should you have any questions or concerns about your presentation, please feel
free to talk with me during my office hours or to schedule an appointment to meet with me.
Students should endeavor to make connections between their contemporary narrative of selfmade men and our class readings. Finally, presenters will need to submit a one-half page critical
self-assessment of his or her presentation and how effectively the required information was
presented. These critical self-assessments are due within one week of the presentation.
Associated with these presentations will be a brief writing assignment that more fully
explores the durability of the myth of the self-made man in contemporary times. Details for the
written assignment will be provided separately in class.
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Formal Writing Assignments
During the course of the quarter, you will be completing a variety of formal writing
assignments (1-2 pages single-spaced to 8-10 pages double-spaced in length). Completion of all
papers is required to satisfactorily complete this course. For all assignments you are encouraged
to meet with me prior to a paper’s due date to discuss your work.
Papers need to follow MLA-style documentation and therefore must:
• Have one-inch margins on all sides.
• Be in an easily legible 10- or 12-point font such as Times, Times New Roman,
or Courier.
• Be double-spaced throughout, including your heading and quotations.
• Have page numbers in the upper right-hand corner of each page, preceded by
your last name.
• Have the student’s name, the course number and section, the instructor’s
name, the assignment name or number, and the date in the upper left-hand
corner. The title for the paper should appear centered at the top of the first
page, below the heading. No separate title page is necessary.
• Be turned in at the beginning of class on the date due. If you are late to class
when a paper is due, your paper will be counted as late and penalties will
accrue.
Papers that do not meet all of these requirements will not be accepted and will cause your
paper to be considered late. Late papers will cause your final grade for that paper to be
lowered one grade level (i.e. from an A- to a B+) for each day (including weekends and
holidays) that it is late.
Be Forewarned
Please know that we will sometimes discuss and write about issues perhaps considered
controversial according to some perspectives. However, such investigations are the quintessence
of a liberal arts education: thinking analytically about what is to you unfamiliar, new, or even
previously rejected builds a capacity for communal understanding. Our examination of such
issues never demands your endorsement of or adherence to a particular position but rather
demands your intellectual engagement and respect.
Grading
Quizzes
Response Papers (3)
Contemporary Narratives of the
Self-Made Man Assignment
Presentation
Final Essay
Participation
Total
15%
30%
15%
10%
30%
P/F
100%
F = Minus One
Letter Grade
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Office Hours and Campus Resources for Writing
Please take advantage of my office hours to ask any questions you may have or to deal
with issues you would like to discuss with me outside of class. Just come by—you don’t need an
appointment. If you can’t make my office hours, I can always arrange to meet you at a time that
will work for both of us. If you need to reach me outside of class or office hours, email is the
best way to contact me.
The Tutoring-Learning Center (018 LRC) is a service for all UWSP students who are
working on papers. Its purpose is to help you get started, organize ideas, revise, and think about
the rhetorical situation of your particular writing assignment. I expect all of you to make use of
the Center to assist you in your writing and revising of papers for this class. To make an
appointment, please call x3568. Please also be advised that the center becomes especially busy
at midterm and toward the end of the semester when most students are working on final
assignments. Be sure to plan ahead and make an appointment well in advance.
Statement on Academic Honesty and Plagiarism
Plagiarism, or the representation of another’s work as your own, is a serious violation of
university policy and is unacceptable in the academic community. When you draw upon ideas or
language of other writers, you need to clearly indicate your sources. In class, students will learn
about accepted procedures for giving credit to sources that are quoted, paraphrased, or
summarized. If you have further questions about how to give credit to your sources, or are
unsure whether or not you are plagiarizing, please contact me before the assignment is due.
Please see http://www.uwsp.edu/centers/rights/RRBOOKLET8-2005-06.pdf for further
information about your responsibilities and rights as a student.
Special Needs
Please let me know if you need special assistance or have special considerations that need
to be accommodated. I will do all that I can to help you succeed in this course. The Office of
Disability Services can also assist students with special needs (x3365, voice or x3362, TDD).
Tips for Success
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Keep extra copies of your work, including drafts and revisions. These copies will come in
handy if you encounter any disk or computer problems and you can recycle any extras later.
Participate early and often. Start raising questions and posing ideas today, and make yourself
speak every day during the first two weeks to create a habit. If you are generally quiet in
class, take advantage of the newness of the situation and try something new.
Turn off your cell phone. Better yet, leave it at home. I have very good hearing and find
“vibrate” just as disturbing as an actual ring.
Come to class every day, prepared, and take responsibility for making the discussion useful
to you.
Get used to visiting Desire2Learn. This will be your best way to keep up to date with
assignments, schedule changes, and reading questions. D2L also provides you with easy
access to your classmates as well as me.
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Ask questions—of me, your classmates—whenever you are confused or unsure. Come by
my office hours, schedule an appointment, or email me to discuss concerns about your
writing, the readings, or the class. No matter the quality of your teachers, your education at
this level is what you make of it; don’t be shy about seeking the help and advice you need.
Read carefully and take notes. Write in your books; or, in the case of text rental, take careful
notes in a dedicated notebook. Be sure to keep track of dates, page numbers, and even
paragraph numbers or stanzas (for poetry) in your notes. Expect to read difficult readings at
least twice. Read materials again before attempting to write about them. Circle key words.
Try to locate and explain connections that you see between the form and content of a given
work.
If you find yourself disliking a writer or a text, investigate why: Is it the writer’s tone? The
writing itself? The writer’s assumptions? His or her argument? Readings have been
selected for their range and contributions to American literature—don’t expect to “like”
every piece; do expect, however, to learn something from everything you read and try to
figure out each work’s importance.
English 303
Spring 2011
Tentative Schedule—Subject to Change
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Week 1
Tues
1/25
Introduction to class and each other
Thurs
1/27
Franklin The Autobiography Part I (1-57)
Week 2
Tues
2/1
Franklin The Autobiography Parts II-IV (58-146)
Thurs
2/3
Franklin The Autobiography Parts II-IV (continued)
Week 3
Tues
2/8
Lawrence “Benjamin Franklin” (289-299)
Thurs
2/10
Lemay “Franklin’s Autobiography and the American Dream” (349360); Response #1 Due
Week 4
Tues
2/15
Emerson “The American Scholar” (ER)
Thurs
2/17
Hawthorne “My Kinsman, Major Molineux” (ER)
Week 5
Tues
2/22
Emerson “Self-Reliance” (ER)
Thurs
2/24
Alger Ragged Dick Chapters 1-10 (1-46)
Week 6
Tues
3/1
Alger Ragged Dick (continued) Chapters 11-27 (46-115)
Thurs
3/3
Scharnhorst “Demythologizing Alger” (182-198); Response #2 Due
Week 7
Tues
3/8
Douglass Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American
Slave Prologue and Chapters 1-10 (339-409)
Thurs
3/10
Douglass Narrative Prologue and Chapters 1-10 (continued)
Week 8
Tues
3/15
Douglass Narrative (continued) Chapters 11-Appendix (409-426)
Thurs
3/17
Washington Up From Slavery Chapters 1-7 (1-56)
Spring Break
Week 9
Tues
3/29
Washington Up From Slavery (continued) Chapters 8-17 (57-157)
8
Thurs
3/31
Washington Up From Slavery Chapters 8-17 (continued)
Week 10
Tues
4/5
Du Bois from The Souls of Black Folk “The Forethought” (163-164)
and “Of Mr. Booker T. Washington and Others” (191-201)
Thurs
4/7
Du Bois from The Souls of Black Folk “Of Our Spiritual Strivings”
(167-173)
Week 11
Tues
4/12
Burroughs Tarzan of the Apes Chapters 1-14 (1-132)
Thurs
4/14
Burroughs Tarzan of the Apes Chapters 1-14 (continued)
Week 12
Tues
4/19
Burroughs Tarzan of the Apes (continued) Chapters 15-28 (133-276);
Response #3 Due
Thurs
4/21
Burroughs Tarzan of the Apes Chapters 15-28 (continued)
Week 13
Tues
4/26
Paredes George Washington Gómez Parts I and II (9-105)
Thurs
4/28
Paredes George Washington Gómez Parts I and II (continued)
Week 14
Tues
5/3
Paredes George Washington Gómez (continued) Parts III, IV and V
(107-302)
Thurs
5/5
Paredes George Washington Gómez Parts III, IV and V (continued)
Week 15
Tues
5/10
Conclusions
Thurs
5/12
Conclusions; Course Evaluations
Final Essay Due: Tuesday, May 17, 2011 at 12:30 PM