Instructor: Gabrielle Civil, Ph.D.
(651) 690-8797 (St. Kate’s office)
E-mail: gfcivil@stkate.edu
Office: Whitby 206
Office Hrs: TBD+by appt
Fall 2011 M 6-9:15 (4 credits)
The most well-known Haitian writer in the US—and arguably the world—Edwidge Danticat represents an important nexus of Haitian, Caribbean, Canadian, European, African-American and US multi-cultural/immigrant literature. To read her work is to engage key questions of representation, gender, genre, nation, race, class, religion, sexuality, literary audience, circulation and advocacy. It also means reading a lot of very good books! Enjoy!
Required Texts (available in SCU bookstore)
The Dew Breaker-Edwidge Danticat
Brother, I Am Dying--Edwidge Danticat
Edwidge Danticat: A Reader’s Guide- Martin Munro
Masters of the Dew-Jacques Roumain
The Farming of the Bones-Edwidge Danticat
Behind the Mountains--Edwidge Danticat
Spells of a Voodoo Doll-Assotto Saint
Heading South-Dany Laferrière
Breath, Eyes, Memory--Edwidge Danticat Open Gate-ed. Paul Laraque & Jack Hirschman
Recommended Texts (general information about Haiti)
Culture and Customs of Haiti-J. Michael Dash
Haiti In Focus: A Guide to the People, Politics, and Culture-Charles Arthur
A Haiti Anthology: Libete-ed. Charles Arthur and J. Michael Dash
Create Dangerously-Edwidge Danticat
Related Texts by Edwidge Danticat (for Class Presentations or Final Essays)
Create Dangerously-Edwidge Danticat
8 Days-Edwidge Danticat
Krik! Krak! –Edwidge Danticat
After the Dance-Edwidge Danticat
Anacaona:Golden Flower . . . –Edwidge Danticat Haiti Noir-ed. by Edwidge Danticat
Other Related Texts (for Class Presentations or Final Essays)
Maroon-Danielle Georges Drown-Junot Diaz*
How to Make Love to a Negro… -Dany Laferrière Dining with the Dictator-Dany Laferrière
Love, Anger, Madness- Marie Chauvet-Vieux *** The Vortex Family-Jean Métellus
Haiti After the Earthquake-Paul Farmer**
Thus Spoke the Uncle-Jean Price Mars
Vale of Tears-Paulette Poujol-Oriol**
Walking on Fire –Beverly Bell***
Tell My Horse-Zora Neale Hurston
The Comedians-Graham Greene*
Street of Lost Footsteps-Lyonel Trouillot*
Memoirs of an Amnesiac-J.J. Dominique***
In the Flicker of an Eyelid -Jacques-Stephen Alexis*
Reflections of Loko-Miwa-Lilas Desquiron
Massacre River-René Philoctete**
The Book of Emma-Marie Celie Agnant
Caligula + “Jonah . . .”-Albert Camus*
Festival of the Greasy Pole-René Depestre
T he Kingdom of this World-Alejo Carpentier*** Anthologie Personelle-René Depestre
Divine Horesemen- Maya Deren Les Affres d d’un Défi/Dezafi-Frankétienne
*mentioned and/ or quoted in Danticat’s Create Dangerously
** preface/ foreword or introduction written by Edwidge Danticat
1

C O U R S E R E Q U I R E M E N T S
20% Formal Critical Presentations
You will do two 10-15 minute timed presentations (at 10% each)
on a required and a related course text.
20% Critical Analyses
You will write two 1-3 page critical analyses (5% and 10%)
integrating theoretical approaches and close textual analysis of course texts.
10% Seminar Paper Developmental Assignments
You will generate a statement of research interest, an abstract, bibliography
and a timely rough draft of your final seminar paper.
40% **Final Seminar Paper (18-24 pp.)**
You will emerge from this course with a graduate level critical essay on the work of Edwidge Danticat or another writer from her literary, cultural world.
10% Graduate School Application Essay
You will write a short, mock application essay to graduate school outlining your critical project and describing the critical skills gained and employed in this course.
Attendance + Participation
The heart of a Senior Seminar is discussion and participation.
Seminar members will arrive each class, ready and eager to discuss,
debate & share fire. Standard participation will receive no additional credit.
Subpar preparation and participation over the course of the term will result in a half grade deduction of the final grade. Excellent preparation and participation over the course of the term will result in a half grade increase of the final grade.
(If only St. Kate’s allowed grades of A+ . . . .)
N O T E
The literature in this course is scintillating and demanding.
The reading is copious and the standards are high.
We will discuss effective strategies for class preparation.
We will also target passages for close analysis and class discussion.
Take a deep breath and take the plunge!
Plan ahead. Strategize and manage your time well.
This is your chance to read and write at the highest level of your academic career. . .
It is an honor for me to be your professor this semester.
Enjoy!
2

C O U R S E P O L I C I E S
Attendance Policy
The Formula: Three times late = one absence.
Four absences = 1 final grade deduction. More than four = F
Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarism will not be tolerated. If caught plagiarizing, no credit will be received for the assignment and appropriate action will be taken in accordance with college-wide policy.
In case of repeated class plagiarism, a student will be unable to pass the course. Please feel free to consult me, the MLA handbook or the O’Neill Center for clarification about proper citation.
Assignment Policy
Everyone can turn in one assignment 24 hours late without penalty. Students are also encouraged to ask for extensions if necessary before assignments are due. Extensions aren’t guaranteed but would allow students to negotiate modified due dates without penalty. If you are using your grace period, make sure to note this on the assignment when submitted.
E-mailed Assignments are satisfactory pending instructor approval. (Ask me first!) If you do send an e-mail, make sure to receive a confirmation of receipt from me. If you don’t receive this, there’s a good chance, your e-mail didn’t come through, so resend it.
Incomplete Policy
Incompletes will be allowed only in the most extreme circumstances of emergency. Make sure to assess your capacity to complete this course before the withdrawal deadline—and please feel free to come discuss any course concerns as soon as possible.
3

Sept 12 What do we know about Edwidge Danticat, Haiti & Her World?
“Create Dangerously”-Edwidge Danticat in-class work with Open Gate-ed. Paul Laraque & Jack Hirschman
Sept 19 Masters of the Dew –Jacques Roumain + Mock Presentation (G. Civil) possible film (excerpt): The Agronomist
CRITICAL ANALYSIS #1 DUE
+ Be Prepared To Sign Up For Your Presentations
Sept 26 Edwidge Danticat: A Reader’s Guide-Martin Munro read introduction and peruse one critical essay of your choice bring to class Brother, I Am Dying
+ s p o t l i g h t r e a d i n g :
**Read a book of your choice—either what you think will be the topic of your final seminar paper or your related text in Danticat’s world**
STATEMENT OF RESEARCH INTEREST DUE
Possible Presentations:
Create Dangerously-Edwidge Danticat
Thus Spoke the Uncle-Jean Price Mars
Haiti After the Earthquake-Paul Farmer
Walking on Fire –Beverly Bell
Oct 3
Oct 17
Brother, I Am Dying- Edwidge Danticat
Possible Presentations:
Brother, I Am Dying-Edwidge Danticat
The Vortex Family-Jean Métellus
Oct 10 finish Brother, I Am Dying discussion film: “Edwidge Danticat Visits her Haitian Roots” bring The Dew Breaker to class
CRITICAL ANALYSIS #2 DUE
Possible Presentations:
Brother, I Am Dying-Edwidge Danticat
The Vortex Family-Jean Métellus
Street of Lost Footsteps-Lyonel Trouillot
The Dew Breaker-Edwidge Danticat
Possible Presentations:
The Dew Breaker-Edwidge Danticat
Festival of the Greasy Pole-René Depestre
The Comedians-Graham Greene
4

Oct 31
Nov 14
5

Nov 21 Spells of a Voodoo Doll-Assotto Saint film: Of Men & Gods
Nov 28
Dec 5
Heading South-Dany Laferrière
film: Heading South or
film: How to Conquer America in One Night
Possible Presentations:
How to Make Love to a Negro without Getting Tired -Dany Laferrière
Dining with the Dictator-Dany Laferrière
At Shadow Flight-Jacqueline Beaugé-Rosier (translated by Gabrielle Civil)
G. Civil Presentation: “Reconstructing Silence: Jacqueline Beaugé-Rosier’s
A vol d’ombre as Poetry, Translation, Performance”
Final Questions about Seminar Papers
Dec 7
Dec 12
Possible Presentations:
In the Flicker of an Eyelid-Jacques-Stephen Alexis
Love, Anger, Madness-Marie Chauvet-Vieux
Possible Presentations:
Amour, colère, folie-Marie Chauvet-Vieux
La mémoire aux abois-Evelyne Trouillot
Les Affres d’un Défi-Frankétienne
Dezafi-Frankétienne
Any Outstanding Presentations
SEMINAR PAPERS FINAL DRAFT DUE
(printed out in the box on my door at Whitby 206 by 9:00 PM)
“Our Guernica”-Edwidge Danticat
Class Wrap Up & Evaluations
Final Class Celebration (Caribe Caribbean Restaurant?)
Graduate School Application Essays Due
6