Madness in Literature
Mrs. Emerson
priory.mrooms.net
650-851-6106 (Office)
Office hours: T-Th after
school
pemerson@prioryca.org
Other times by appointment
The Course
Through the study and discussion of the literary representations of madness, this semester-long course will
examine the definitions, manifestations and treatment of madness across the 18th—20th centuries.
Students will explore the following questions: How do writers represent madness and what do these
representations suggest about the nature of madness? What factors drive a person to madness? Where does
madness intersect with such issues as love, obsession, religion, gender roles and societal pressures? By what
criteria does society define madness and how does it aim to treat it? At the intersection of psychology,
society and literature, students will search for insight into what constitutes madness, what pressures drive a
person to that point, and how diverse authors use madness as a motif to speak out against societal flaws
and injustices.
We will discuss several forms of literature—novels, essays, poems, and criticism. This course will focus
heavily on class discussion and expository writing. In addition, students will participate in cooperative
projects, literary analysis and informal debates. All activities and assignments will help students develop
reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. Additionally, students will engage in activities to improve
their vocabulary and grammar skills. Most importantly, students will improve their ability to think critically
and express their thoughts fluently.
Course Objectives
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Understand, interpret, and question several definitions of “madness.”
Explore the expression of madness through literature and how the texts challenge society.
Understand literature of madness as its own essential genre of writing in terms of purpose,
approach, and form.
Examine the societal structures that give rise to literature of madness, and how it is expressed by
different members of society such as women, veterans, and the oppressed.
Use different critical lenses, such as Feminist criticism, Psycholanalytic Criticism and New
Historicism to deepen understanding of the works studied.
Study madness in literature as a way to understand how not only authors but themselves as well,
use writing to challenge the world around them.
Understand that writers use literature as a means to grapple with larger societal and personal
challenges.
Engage deeply in a particular thematic area and gain a heightened understanding of a topic.
Engage each other as a community of readers while developing critical thinking skills.
Analyze, through close reading, writing and questioning, the elements of fiction and thematic
similarities of various works of literature.
Increase vocabulary skills through the reading and study of vocabulary words.
Strengthen written communication skills by writing formal and informal essays and online posts.
Improve oral communication skills through class and small group discussion as well as formal
presentations.
Develop research skills through a variety of inquiry projects.
Mrs. Emerson
Course Description 2012-2013
Madness in Literature
Honors
Students with the honors designation will be expected to have a higher level of both motivation and skills.
Honors students will demonstrate strong foundations in critical reading and a strong understanding of
writing organization and clarity. They will be required to read one additional text as well as supplemental
readings outside of class, propose their own reading schedule, and write a full-length formal essay based on
the reading.
Expectations
To be successful in this class, you must exhibit the behavior of engaged, independent learners. Specifically,
respect your peers, the teacher and the classroom itself, actively read all assignments on time, question
ideas critically, refrain from private discussions during class, and be prepared and on time. During class, you
are expected to have the reading assigment for the day open and on your desk in front of you. You must have a
pen or pencil ready to make annotations or take notes. Your attentiveness to the aforementioned topics will
determine the quality of your work and will shape your class participation grade. You earn a participation
grade, so always act with integrity.
I also expect you to follow all school rules, to be responsible for your actions, and to accept the
consequences of your choices. I will enforce school rules when necessary.
Grading Policy
Your grade will be determined by the following system:
Mastery: This category assesses your mastery of course content and skills and includes all major writing
assessments, projects, and tests (45%).
Scaffolding: This category assesses your performance on all work that prepares you for mastery
assessments and includes minor writing assessments, informal responses to literature, homework, quizzes,
vocabulary, and grammar (45%).
Participation: This category assesses your performance during in-class/group work and discussions (10%).
Paper Policy
Formal, non-timed writing assignments can be rewritten. Students will receive their formal essays with
margin comments, but no grade. They may choose to rewrite the essay based on teacher comments.
However, if they choose not to revise, they will receive their letter grade at that time. The revised paper
must be turned in within a week from the return of the original paper. A revision represents a student’s
critical re-working of the paper. Papers that have addressed editor’s marks only are not revisions and will
not be accepted as such. Conference with the teacher is strongly encouraged and in some cases mandatory
to discuss strategies for making the paper better.
Materials
Required Texts
 Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte
 Wide Sargasso Sea, by Jean Rhys ISBN: 978-0-393-30880-8 Edition: 1966 Publisher: W.W.
Norton & Co.
 Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut ISBN: 978-0-385-33384-9 Edition: 1969 Publisher: Delta
Books
 Notes from Underground, by Fyodor Dostoevsky: ISBN-10: 0-679-73452-X; ISBN-13: 978-0-67973452-9
 Vocabulary Workshop : Level ____, by Jerome Shostak ISBN: 978-0-8215-7112-5 Edition: 2005
Mrs. Emerson
Course Description 2012-2013
Madness in Literature
Publisher: Sadlier-Oxford
Required Materials
 A looseleaf binder to take daily notes and do daily in-class writing. You will be passing in work that
you do in class regularly. Suggested divisions for your binder: Notes, Writing, Handouts, Reference
 Day planner for keeping record of your assignments
 Book(s) being discussed
There will be an all-semester book & binder check at the beginning of the third week of school. Please bring
all required books for the semester to the book check. You will be getting homework points.
Starting Class
I will start class when the schedule says class begins. We will start each day with a moment of silence and
meditation. If you arrive after we begin, you will be considered tardy.
Tardiness
If you are tardy, you must sign in using the sign-in sheet at the door. Please write your name and your time
of arrival. Excessive tardies will result in detention and, if necessary, further disciplinary action in
accordance with Woodside Priory’s tardy policy.
Leaving Class
If you need to leave class to use the rest room, you may discretely leave at any time during the lesson
without asking me; however, you first must sign out using the sign-out sheet at the door. Please record the
time that you leave, the time that you return, and the purpose of your absence from class. I will periodically
review the sign-out list. Excessive departures from class will result in detention, and, if necessary, confine
you to the classroom for the rest of the school year. Please be wise about your need to leave class.
Homework
You must prepare for each class by reading the assigned work actively and critically. Learning to think
critically means formulating your own questions, opinions and interpretations about a work of literature,
not relying solely on someone else’s interpretation. Your participation grade depends in part on your shared
observations. Come to class ready to discuss what you’ve read: read poems at least three times, review
difficult passages in novels, and look up new and unfamiliar words in the dictionary. You are expected to
keep all homework in your binder and keep a homework calendar that I will give you. I will check
homework during warm-up exercises. Be prepared with your homework and calendar ready at the
beginning of class.
Late Work
You must turn in homework at the beginning of the period. I consider late work any work not turned in at
the time I request it. You may turn in late work at the beginning of the next class meeting for 50% of the
original grade. I will not accept work turned in any later than this time. Presentations, group handouts and
similar projects affecting the entire class cannot be done late. Students not ready on their scheduled day
will receive a zero.
Make-up Work
You are responsible for finding out about missed assignments at a time that does not interrupt class,
preferably from another student or during my office hours. I will accept make-up work for excused absences
only. If the absence is school related, the work must be picked up before the day of absence and turned in
Mrs. Emerson
Course Description 2012-2013
Madness in Literature
upon your return.
You must make up exams and quizzes missed because of an absence within 48 hours. It is your
responsibility to arrange a time with the teacher in person. You will lose a half a letter grade per day for
each day you delay making up a major assignment after an excused absence after the initial 48 hours. If you
miss a quiz because of a tardy, you will receive a zero on that quiz. All late major assignments not excused
by a valid absence will be reduced by half a letter grade per day. After 3 days, you receive a zero.
Extensions
Extensions may be granted only after discussing the matter with the teacher in person and at the teacher’s
discretion based upon individual circumstances. Extensions will not be granted over email the day before
the assignment is due.
Laptop Usage during Class
Students may not use laptops during class without written permission and an accommodation by Brother
Edward. If you have permission but use your laptop for purposes not related to class, you will have your
privileges revoked for the remainder of the year.
Students may use laptops for group projects if the teacher gives explicit permission to do so. Students are
instead expected to have the day’s reading assignment ready to annotate during class time.
Academic Honesty
As one of Priory’s five Benedictine values, integrity is taken very seriously in this classroom. Consequently,
you are not permitted to give or receive aid on tests, quizzes, essays or on any other graded work, unless I
have given you explicit permission to do so.
Some examples of conduct which violate academic integrity include:
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Copying from another’s test or quiz or allowing another to copy from your own test or quiz
Using material on a test or essay which does not reflect your own work or ideas
Discussing an in-class graded assignment with a student who has not completed that assignment
Unpermitted collaboration on a take-home assignment (e.g., take-home essay) (See “Note on
Tutors” below)
 Plagiarism (taking someone else’s work or ideas and passing them off as your own; failing to cite
someone else’s ideas using MLA)
However, the following conduct is permitted:
 Working with a teammate on a group project
 Using ideas and language from an outside source on an essay provided that outside research is
permitted and you cite the source correctly (we’ll go over this)
 Preparing for a test, quiz, or in-class essay with a parent, tutor, or another student provided that
you are an equal participant in that preparation. (See “Note on Tutors” below)
Violations of this academic integrity policy will result in an automatic zero for the assignment and may also
involve a meeting with Mr. Schlaak and your parents. Repeated offenses may result in a notification on
your transcript, suspension, or even expulsion.
Note on Tutors
I understand that many of you have tutors. This is acceptable; and, in many cases, tutors can be beneficial
to your growth as a writer. However, you need to be careful that your work is just that—yours. Keep in
Mrs. Emerson
Course Description 2012-2013
Madness in Literature
mind, turning in work that does not sufficiently reflect your own voice and style constitutes cheating under
Priory’s academic policy. To avoid turning in work that is “overly-tutored,” I strongly suggest that you
follow these guidelines:
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Never compose with your tutor. Write the entire first draft by yourself.
Allow your tutor to make suggestions and point out places where the writing is awkward or
unclear, but do not allow him or her to rewrite your sentences.
Choose your own words – do not allow your tutor to substitute “fancier” words for your own.
Once your tutor has made his or her suggestions, revise the paper, proofread your work, and
turn it in. Do not meet with your tutor a second time for the same assignment. You should be
the final editor.
If you are using a tutor, please have him or her contact me so that we can communicate with
one another.
Reading Schedule
The following schedule lists topics and all major assessments by month. This schedule is subject to change
as class evolves.
Fall Semester
Month
August
Primary Texts
Intro to Madness
September
Jane Eyre & Wide Sargasso Sea
October
Notes From Underground
November
Slaughterhouse Five
December
Independent Research
Mrs. Emerson
Assessment
Summer Reading Assessment, Group
Presentation on History of Madness, Critical
Response Paper
Response Papers, Passage Analysis, Debate,
Formal Essay
Analytical Writing, Design Thinking,
Response Papers
In-Class Essay, Service Learning Project,
Response Papers, Final Paper
Student-directed research paper
Course Description 2012-2013
Madness in Literature