English 300: Literature and Film
The Italian Experience
Dr. D.R. Ransdell
MT 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m., R 2:30-5
Orvieto Study Abroad Program
Summer May-June 2015
http://ransdell.faculty.arizona.edu
ransdell@email.arizona.edu
Course Description:
The purpose of this version of English 300 is to help you explore Italy through film and
literature and to reflect on your own experiences. Each week is roughly organized around
a theme, but you’ll notice other connections among the texts, and you’ll want to feel free
to explore those themes through your papers. More specifically, we’ll consider how
authors and directors use setting to create character as well as atmosphere. We’ll study
how the authors “write” Italy and how the characters grow, mature, or change with the
help of their Italian adventures. Central questions include: What does film/literature teach
us about Italy? What does Italy teach us about ourselves?
Note that since this is a college English course, you are naturally expected to submit
writing that is free or nearly free of grammatical and mechanical errors; otherwise you
will lose credit. (See Grammar Highlights below.)
Materials:
Forster, E.M. A Room with a View (Gutenberg.org—for reference; we’ll watch the film;
also free on Kindle)
Forster, E.M. Where Angels Fear to Tread (Gutenberg.org, Amazon, free on Kindle)
Grisham, John. The Broker (Amazon, Kindle, Bookman’s, etc.)
Hekmet, Nazim. Selected Poems (on my website)
James, Henry. At Isella (on my website)
Mazzantini, Margaret. Don’t Move. (Anchor Books, 2005) (Amazon, Kindle, used)
Prose, Francine. “Cauliflower Heads.” (on my website.)
Wharton, Edith. “Roman Fever.” (on my website)
Course Breakdown:
Scene Analyses: 10%
Weekly Essays (4): 10% each
Final Paper: 50%
Scene Analyses: Carefully consider the text(s) you read or watched the previous week.
Choose three scenes from each text, name them, provide a brief summary, and explain in
detail why these particular scenes are important. (500+ typed words) Submit to Dropbox
before class and bring with you to share with classmates.
Weekly Essays: Compare the week’s texts (the literary text and the film) in the form of
an academic essay composed in Standard Written English. (Note Grammar Highlights
below.) This means your essays should be composed and edited in a standard, organized
fashion. Present a controlling idea in your introductory paragraph and use topic sentences
to help readers move among your points, but use your papers largely as a vehicle to
explore your reactions to the texts and your evaluation of them. Use evidence from the
texts to back your points.
Analysis possibilities: 1) Thematic Analysis: Compare the two texts to show how they
explore the same theme in different/identical ways 2) Rhetorical Analysis: Analyze the
literary and cinematic strategies used by the author and director (symbolism, lighting,
etc.) 3) Reader-Response Analysis: Explain some personal connection you have to these
texts and the issues they cover. (Ie., how does the idea of escape and Italy relate to you as
well as to our class texts?)
For additional ideas about the texts, you might want to consult some literary criticism or
film reviews. You can find extra information about the films in a number of places, but
my first go-to’s are imdb.com and rogerebert.com.
Your papers should be at least 1500-2000 words each (4-6 pages). Optimally, they will
help you prepare your final paper.
Final Paper: Explain what you’ve learned this semester by studying and reflecting on our
course material. Your thesis might address some of the following: What do our texts
teach us about Italy? What does travel teach us about ourselves? What are some natural
effects of the travel experience? What are some of the benefits of travel? What are some
possible dangers?
Write an organized, edited academic paper making use of at least five of the texts we’ve
studied this semester. Show a sophisticated understanding of course materials and create
an in-depth analysis. Cite sources inside your paper according to MLA and write a Works
Cited page that accurately lists the texts you used. (8-12 pages, 2000-3000 words; more
thorough papers generally earn more credit). If applicable, you might want to integrate a
few paragraphs from your earlier essays, but you’ll want everything to fit together.
Technicalities: Double-space your papers using Times New Roman 12. Late essays will
be marked down 1/3 grade per class period late. Remember to back up all your work in a
couple of places in case of a computer snafu. Barring technical difficulties, I’ll ask you to
submit all your work via Dropbox (possibly d2l) in Word or rtf.
Classroom Etiquette: Come to class on time and don’t leave until class is over. To avoid
distracting classmates, use electronic devices only for course materials. (Use a laptop or a
tablet, not a cell phone.)
Attendance: You are allowed to miss one class; thereafter, each absence lowers your
overall grade by 1%.
Note: It’s important to write the right words, not just any words. However, special effort
usually leads to higher grades. Remember to edit your work; otherwise you’ll lose credit.
Important Note: Summer school goes fast, especially when you’re abroad. Skim if you
have to, but keep up. Look ahead and study the syllabus so that you can complete your
work on time without it interfering with travel plans and our excursions. You might or
might not have an Internet connection where you’re living; plan accordingly.
Daily Syllabus
Week 1: Escape
T 5/26 Introduction
R 5/28 For class: Read At Isella (text on my website). Film selection: Roman Holiday
==================
Week 2: Southern Exposure
M 6/1 For class, prepare your Scene Analyses. (500 words, submit electronically before
class but also bring to class) Also outline some ideas for your “Escape” Essay. (You
don’t have to write about escape; any other theme you discovered is fine.)
T 6/2 Read Where Angels Fear to Tread (Chs I-IV).
R 6/4 Submit “Escape” Essay (anytime today). Before class, finish reading Where
Angels Fear to Tread; film selection: A Room with a View
==================
Week 3: Crime and Passion
M 6/8 For class, prepare your Scene Analyses. (500 words, submit before class, bring
with you.) Also outline ideas for your essay.
T 6/9 Read 1-142 in Don’t Move.
R 6/11 Submit “Southern Exposure” Essay. Finish Don’t Move. Also read “Uncoupling,
Italian-Style.” Film selection: Divorce, Italian Style.
===================
Week 4: Identity
M 6/15 For class, prepare your Scene Analyses. (500 words) Also outline ideas for your
essay.
T 6/16 Read The Broker Chapters 1-14. (You can skim the first part until Joel gets to
Italy.)
R 6/18 Submit “Crime and Passion” Essay. Finish The Broker. Film selection: Pane e
Tulipane
===================
Week 5: Secrets
M 6/22 For class, prepare your Scene Analyses. (500 words) Also outline ideas for your
essay.
T 6/23 Read “Roman Fever” and “Cauliflower Heads.” (Texts on my website.) In
preparation for the film, take a quick look at the poems by Hikmet (on my website); one
of Hikmet’s books is a focal point in the film. Film selection: My Secret Life, time TBA.
R 6/25 Submit “Identity Essay.” Draft an outline for your final paper; we’ll spend some
time workshopping in class.
F 6/26 Final Paper “due,” but accepted through July 3rd without penalty.  Late
papers lose 1/3 grade per day but will be accepted through July 10.
D.R.’s Grammar Highlights
Note: following these simple guidelines might help you prevent common mistakes
that could lower your grade.
When you make grammar mistakes, your readers may have to reread your sentence in
order to understand it. That confuses them and makes them lose time. If you make
enough mistakes, they’ll start to disagree with your opinions automatically! Instead,
observe some simple rules to make your writing more effective.
1) Add a comma after a long introductory phrase: Even though it was long after midnight,
I wrote three more drafts of my English essay. This comma helps your readers find the
subject of your sentence.
2) Add a comma after a conjunction ONLY when the phrase that follows is an
independent clause (a complete sentence). I thought I had enough time to write my essay,
but I had to work until dawn to finish my work. (Note the difference: I thought I had
enough time to write my essay but had to work until dawn to finish my work. No subject=
no comma.)
3) Use commas around non-restrictive (unnecessary) clauses: My roommate, who never
turns off her alarm clock, drives me crazy. The sentence could simply read “My
roommate drives me crazy.” (If you have two roommates, the information becomes
necessary so that you can explain which roommate is the sleepyhead: My roommate who
never turns off her alarm clock drives me crazy. My other roommate never bothers to set
one.)
4) Divide sentences with a semi-colon; use a comma after words such as “however.” We
went to a terrific party last night; however, the food tasted awful.
5) Avoid run-ons. In other words, don’t run two sentences together your readers will be
irritated. See what I mean? Run-ons are frustrating for readers because they assume they
have misread and have to go back and reread your sentence only to find out that YOU are
the one who made the mistake. Instead write: Don’t run two sentences together. Your
readers will be irritated. If you want the sentences to work closely together, you might
use a semi-colon instead: Don’t run two sentences together; your readers will be
irritated.
6) Avoid fragments unless they are clearly used on purpose. A fragment is a word or
phrase masquerading as a sentence but that is incomplete in some way. Bad idea? Once
in a while it makes sense to use a fragment stylistically, but you have to be careful that it
doesn’t seem like a mistake. For example, “Bad idea” isn’t a full sentence, but it
demonstrates my example.
7) Avoid “number” mistakes. Grammatically, “everyone” is singular, but “their” is plural.
Therefore it’s awkward to write: Everyone should bring their syllabus. Instead make the
phrase plural: Students should bring their syllabi. (You can also use the singular form,
but it’s awkward too: Everyone should bring his or her syllabus.)
8) Use colons precisely. A colon means one of two things: a list is coming or an example
is coming. If you have an example or a direct quote coming, that example/quote might be
a full sentence. Johnny told me a lot of things that night: “I’m not sure why I decided to
kill Yiolanda, but once I did, the rest came easily.”