Lake Superior State University
English 236: Literature and Culture (T / TH: 9:30-10:50) / Fall 2008 /
Art 115
College of Social Sciences, Arts, and Humanities (SSAH)
Professor: Dr. Mary Been
Office: Library 320
Office Phone: 906/ 635- 2116
Office Hours: Monday through Friday: 11:00-12:00, or by appointment
E-mail: mbeen@lssu.edu
Class Texts
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Cesaire, Aime. A Tempest.
De Beaumont. “Beauty and the Beast”
Euripides. Medea. Slavitt and Bovie, eds. University of Pennsylvania Press
Meyrink, Gustav. The Golem
Piercy, Marge. He, She, and It.
Shakespeare. The Tempest. Gerald Graff and James Phelan, eds. Bedford/St. Martin’s
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein
Wisniewski, David. Golem.
Course Description
Catalog Description:
Students will examine English-language texts from a variety of cultures, including American
minorities and other represented cultures. Students will observe the way in which culture is
presented in the texts and how culture can help to shape the texts.
Attendance
Since much of our understanding of the texts comes through class discussion and lecture, it is crucial
that you be here for all classes. Your grade will not be as strong if you are not here to listen and
participate. If you have more than three absences during the term (excluding excused absences), I
reserve the option of deducting points (generally five points per absence) from your total class points for
each additional absence. If you must be absent, you are responsible for following the syllabus in order
to keep up. You should also find out from a classmate what happened and the details of the
homework. Although I am always available to you during office hours or by e-mail for assistance with
your writing or other projects, I do not answer questions such as, "What happened in class today?" or
"What is the homework?" You may find out the answers to these questions by consulting the syllabus
and/or a classmate. I am here to teach the class at the assigned time; I expect you to be here at that time
too. I do not do one-on-one reviews of missed material except under extraordinary circumstances.
Instructor Availability
I encourage you to stop by or call during office hours if you have questions, problems, or even just want
to chat for a couple of minutes. If you want to talk with me but my posted office hours conflict with
your class or work schedule, let me know and we will work out an alternative meeting time. I am also
available to you on e-mail (mbeen@lssu.edu). Please see restrictions on e-mail questions under
"attendance."
E-mail: The subject lines of all messages to me should say ENGL236, along with a brief description
of your message's subject (for example: ENGL236/ Paper Topic question). Please always remember to
give your full name and e-mail address at the end of your message. Keep in mind that you will receive
formal notification of college and class business ONLY at your lssu.edu e-mail address.
Reading
Our readings will be close, textually-based readings; I will expect you to read the works assigned, your
own work, and the work of the other writers in the class in that manner.
Grading
Project
Points
Exam One
100
Exam Two
100
Final Exam (comprehensive)
200
Paper (Peer Review, 10; First Draft 10, Final Draft 80)
100
Total:
400
Total points for each project include points for drafts and peer reviews. A draft is always due on the
writing workshop day indicated on the syllabus. If you do not have it with you in class, you will not be
able to get class feedback. If you miss the class workshop session, you will need to make your own
arrangements for peer reviews with another member of the class; you may not receive full points for a
darft that was not ready the day it was due. If you have a draft with you in class on the day it is due, and
if it meets the minimum requirements of the assignment, you get the ten points automatically.
If you are absent on the day of a writing workshop/peer review, you can make up the points for the peer
review by talking with one of your classmates outside of class and offering to do a peer review WITHIN
24 hours of the class meeting (otherwise he or she will not have enough time to review and respond to
your comments).
Distribution of Grading Points
100% +
A+
401 and above
93-100%
A
372-400
90-92%
A-
360-371
88-89%
B+
352-359
83-87%
B
332-351
80-82%
B-
320-331
78-79%
C+
312-319
73-77%
C
292-311
70-72%
C-
280-291
68-69%
D+
272-279
63-67%
D
252-271
60-62%
D-
240-251
Calculating your own grade. You may figure out what your overall progress grade is at any given
point in the term. Take the number of POSSIBLE points for the papers/exams finished thus far and
divide that number into the ACTUAL points you've received on those papers. So, let's say you're at
week eleven and you’ve received back exams one and two. The total possible points for exams one and
two is 200. If you have received 160 points thus far, you divide 200 into 160 and get .80. This puts you
at 80, which is a B minus. Remember that within the 90 percentile range is an A, 80 percentile a B, etc.
Late Papers
All papers (early and final drafts) and assignments are due at the beginning of class on the day they are
listed as due in the syllabus. Unless you have made special arrangements with me before the work is
due, any late work will lose five points for each day it is late, including weekends. After one week, late
work receives no points at all, although you must still hand it in to pass the course.
Academic Honesty
Academic dishonesty, or plagiarism, is not just copying; it can also be a reference—without
attribution—to another person's ideas, even if that reference is entirely in your own words. The
penalties for plagiarism are severe, from failure in a course to expulsion from the college. We will be
reviewing academic standards of appropriate use of other people’s work. MAKE SURE you are in class
on those days. You are responsible for understanding and applying the guidelines of appropriate use of
sources in all of your written work, in this class and in other classes. Protect yourself! In addition to
being in class on the days we review these guidelines, you need to be able to understand and apply the
guidelines Hacker lays out in the text you used in ENGL110 and ENGL111: A Writer’s Reference on
pages 344-347; 418-421. A Writer’s Reference is also on reserve in the library.
IPASS (Individual Plan for Academic Student Success)
If at mid-term your grades reflect that you are at risk for failing some or all of your classes, you will be
contacted by a representative of IPASS. The IPASS program is designed to help you gain control over
your learning through pro-active communication and goal-setting, the development of intentional
learning skills and study habits, and personal accountability. You may contact 635-2887 or email
ipass@lssu.edu if you would like to sign up early in the semester or if you have any questions or
concerns.
The Americans with Disabilities Act & Accommodations
In compliance with Lake Superior State University policies and equal access laws, disability-related
accommodations or services are available to students with documented disabilities.
If you are a student with a disability and you think you may require accommodations you must register
with Disability Services (DS), which is located in the KJS Library, Room 130, (906) 635-2355 or
X2355 on campus. DS will provide you with a letter of confirmation of your verified disability and
authorize recommended accommodations. This authorization must be presented to your instructor
before any accommodations can be made.
Students who desire such services should meet with instructors in a timely manner, preferably during
the first week of class, to discuss individual disability-related needs. Any student who feels that an
accommodation is needed—based on the impact of a disability—should meet with instructors privately
to discuss specific needs.
Class Protocol for Electronic Devices
Cell phones must be turned off. If your phone rings during class, you must bring GOOD cookies for the
entire class next class period. If you must have your phone on during class for some reason, please see
me.
Text messaging during class is not allowed. Computers should be open only if you are using them
to take notes or to work on class projects during class work time. If you seem to be using your
computer for other purposes, I will ask you to close it. Ipods, blackberries, etc., all need to be put away
during class.
COURSE CALENDAR
This syllabus is subject to modification; the needs of the class will determine additions, deletions, or changes. Any
changes in scheduling or assignment requirements will be announced in class.
Always bring the reading that is listed for discussion or as due with you to class on that day. If too many people
seem to be forgetting their readings, I reserve the right to hold an impromptu open-book quiz; only those people
who have the text with them will have a book for the quiz (no sharing during quizzes).
Topic and Reading
Week
One
Monstrosity
Overview of monster theory
TH. 9/4
deBeaumont version of “Beauty and the Beast” available online at:
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/beauty.html
Writing Due/
Quizzes
.
Week
Two
Beauty and the Beast
.
“Beauty and the Beast”: The tale and its contexts
T 9/9
TH 9/11
Zipes
Bettelheim
Cocteau
Film: “La Belle et la Bête” (Cocteau) 1946
Week
Three
9/16
9/18
The Tempest
The Tempest: Acts I and II
The Tempest: Acts III, IV, and V
Week
Four
The Tempest
Contexts for The Tempest
9/23
In your Bedford Tempest:
Michel de Montaigne, from “Of the Cannibals” 119
William Strachey, from “True Repertory of the Wrack” 121
Sylverter Jourdain, from “A Discovery of the Barmudas” 123
Richard Hakluyt, “Reasons for Colonization” 125
Frank Kermode, from “Shakespeare: The Final Plays” 174
Paul Brown, “’This Thing of Darkness I Acknowledge Mine’: The
Tempest and the Discourse of Colonalism” 205
Ania Loomba, from “Gender, race, Renaissance Drama” 324
Medea’s speech (Ovid, Metamorphosis)
Robert Browning, “Caliban Upon Setebos” Available at
http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poem/267.html
Excerpts: Dominique Mannoni, Prospero and Caliban: The Discourse
of Colonization
9/25
.
Cesaire: A Tempest
.
Week
Five
The Tempest
9/30
Cesaire: A Tempest
10/2
Film: “Forbidden Planet” Fred M. Wilcox, 1956
Week
Six
The Golem
EXAM ONE
.
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EXAM ONE
10/7
Discuss paper requirements
10/9
Week
Seven
The Golem, Gustav Meyrink (first half of novel)
The Golem
.
The Golem, Gustav Meyrink (second half of novel)
10/14
Golem, David Wisniewski (all)
10/16
Week
Eight
Film: “The Golem” Paul Wegener, 1921
Frankenstein
10/21
Frankenstein, Mary Shelley, First half of novel
10/23
Frankenstein, Mary Shelley, Second half of novel
Frankenstein
Week
Nine
and
He, She, and It
10/28
Film: “Frankenstein” James Whale, 1931
10/30
He, She, and It, Marge Piercy, First half of novel
.
Week
Ten
He, She, and It
11/4
He, She, and It, Marge Piercy, : Second half of novel
11/6
EXAM TWO
.
EXAM TWO
.
Week
Eleven
Medea
11/11
Writing Workshop: Peer Review papers
11/13
Medea, Euripides, (the whole play)
Week
Twelve
Medea
11/18
Film: “Medea” Lars Von Trier, 1988, Denmark
11/20
Luigi Cherubini’s opera “Medea” (Médée)/ 1797
(Italian, with English translation)
Week
Thirteen
Work on Papers
11/25
Conferences on papers
11/27
NO CLASS
Happy Thanksgiving!
Paper: Draft One
Week
Fourteen
Dracula
12/2
Dracula, Bram Stoker, First half novel
12/4
Dracula, Bram Stoker, Second half novel
Nosferatu
Week
Fifteen
and
Review for Final
12/9
Film: Nosferatu: The Vampyre (Phantom Der Nacht) Werner Herzog,
1979
12/11
Review for final
FINAL EXAM
PERIOD
Dec 15-19
Final Exam
Thursday, December 18. 7:30 am – 9:30 am
Final Drafts of Paper
Due (with first draft
and peer review)