HON 373: HEROES, HEROINES AND VILLAINS
FALL 2003
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Diane Facinelli
OFFICE:
PHONE:
E-MAIL:
FAX:
Irish A 214
480-965-8337
Facinelli@asu.edu
480-965-0760 (The Barrett Honors College)
OFFICE HOURS: 12:00—1:30 TUESDAY & THURSDAY
3:00—3:30 TUESDAY
Other times can be arranged by appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course examines the concepts of heroic and villainous characteristics as
expressed in various cultures throughout history. While focusing primarily on literature, the course includes
the study of works from religion, psychology, philosophy, the visual arts, and film. Students are required to
actively participate in discussions of the material and to write essays that help develop their critical thinking
and writing skills. Grades are based primarily on written work and class participation.
REQUIREMENTS: (All grades are based on a standard 100-point scale.)
Essays
60% (20% each)
Quizzes on assigned readings
20%
Class participation
20%
QUIZZES: Assigned readings are subject to unannounced quizzes at the beginning of each class.
Approximately 9-13 quizzes can be expected during the semester. Quizzes cannot be made up if missed.
Students who are late to class will not be allowed to take the quiz. Each student's lowest quiz score will be
dropped before computing the final grade. Any evidence of "helping" another student or being "helped" on
a quiz will result in an "E" for the person receiving the information and the one providing it. Quizzes will be
multiple choice, fill in the blank, short answer, or brief essays and will be graded on the following scale:
A=100% (-0)
B=85% (-1)
C=75% (-2)
D=60% (-3)
E=25% (-4)
ATTENDANCE: Since this course depends on the students' active participation in discussions,
attendance is required and roll is taken. More than two absences will result in an "E" (no credit) for the
class-participation grade (20% of overall grade). If a serious problem will keep you away from class, notify
the instructor as soon as possible. Please arrive on time for class; late arrivals interrupt discussions.
CLASS DISCUSSIONS: Except for background material presented by the instructor, class time is devoted to
discussing the assigned readings. You should expect to be challenged by the instructor or fellow students
no matter what view you take. Such confrontations help you clarify your position and evaluate your
reasoning and that of your challenger(s). Your class participation will be evaluated not on the "correctness"
of your interpretation but on whether or not your comments reflect a detailed study of the work and a
serious effort to evaluate it. Grading standards are:
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A (90-99%) This student participates in every class, arrives on time with prepared comments and/or
questions about the readings, at least occasionally initiates the discussion, does not try to dominate
class, listens carefully to other students’ remarks and readily responds to these as well as the
instructor’s comments and questions, does not talk to the person(s) around him/her rather than
participating in the discussion.
B (80-89%) This student participates in most discussions, gives evidence of having read the
assignment, does not disrupt class by making comments to those around him/her, pays close
attention to what others say during the discussion.
C (70-79%) This student is overly quiet, rarely participating, and is sometimes unprepared and/or
seems uninterested in the ideas of other class members.
D-E (50-69%) This student seldom or never participates, sleeps during class, seems inattentive,
disrupts class by talking to the person(s) around him/her rather than participating in the discussion,
or has more than two unexcused absences.
ESSAYS: Three out-of-class essays are required. Assignments will be handed out at least two weeks
before the essay is due. Your essay must develop a clear thesis that is in response to the issue you are
examining. Your essay needs to offer a coherent, logically presented argument, each paragraph adding a
relevant contribution or qualification to your thesis. Preparing a preliminary outline, complete with thesis
statement, can be an enormous help in ensuring the logical consistency of your essays. Note that this is
not a research assignment; it is an exercise in critical thinking and effective writing. You are not to consult
outside works in preparing the essay. (If you wish to do further library study on the topic, please wait until
after finishing the essay.) In proving your thesis, you should rely on reasoned argument and the internal
evidence of the material you are considering. Be careful not to turn your essay into a mere summary of the
author's views. Plot summaries, character sketches, and biographies of the author are also incorrect and
fail to fulfill the assignment. You will be graded not on the "correctness" of your thesis, but on the quality of
your writing, the clarity and rationality of your arguments, and the coherence and originality of your essay
as a whole. If you have any questions about the nature of the assignment or have trouble getting started
with it, please see the instructor as soon as possible.
ESSAY REQUIREMENTS: All essays must be typed (double-spaced). Use one-inch margins on the sides.
Put the title of your essay, your name, and the instructor's name on a title page. All quotations must be
cited. Use parenthetical documentation, not endnotes or footnotes. For quotations longer than three lines,
indent and single-space the quotation. Make sure quotations are exact and from the assigned text. For
quotations longer than three lines, indent and single-space the quotation. Remember that this is an essay,
not a research paper. Essays should be between 1400 and 1800 words. Essays of fewer than 1250 words
of text will receive a reduced grade.
LATE ESSAYS & SUBMITTING ESSAYS: Late papers lose 5 points per day (not per class). You must submit
BOTH a hard copy and an electronic copy of all three papers. Send your paper (Word file preferred) to me
at Facinelli@asu.edu before the due date/time specified, and submit a printed copy as well. Keep a copy of
all the papers you submit.
PLAGIARISM: Plagiarism is the borrowing of the words or ideas of another author and presenting them as
your own. In short, do not try to pass off someone else’s work or ideas as your own. Since the writing in
this course consists of essays based on the required readings rather than research papers, I assume that
materials taken from secondary sources will not be used. If such material should appear, it must be fully
cited in an endnote. ASU considers plagiarism an extremely serious act of academic dishonesty. It is
similarly dishonest to have a paper ghostwritten or to turn in a paper that you previously used in another
class. Your writing must be your own and must be an original effort. Any student guilty of plagiarism will
fail the paper and the course. FYI: All instructor has up to two years to change a grade because of
academic dishonesty, starting from the end of the semester in which the paper was submitted.
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THE HUMAN EVENT WRITING CENTER: The Barrett Honors College now offers its own writing center to assist
all students with papers for HON classes only. Directed by BHC faculty and staffed by BHC writing tutors
who themselves have successfully completed both HON 171 and 172, the Human Event Writing Center
offers small group workshops and individual tutoring on writing academic essays for your HON courses. Its
goal is to help you improve your lifelong writing and critical thinking skills, so please take advantage of its
services. Go to the HEWC web site at http://jmlynch.myftp.org/hewc/ for updated tutoring and workshop
schedules, appointment information, academic background on the staff, and internet links related to
academic essay writing.
FURTHER Notes Concerning Essays: This is a formal essay. Traditional rules of grammar and sentence
structure apply. Write concisely. Avoid contractions, abbreviations, colloquialisms, slang, etc.
Avoid the first person singular if possible ("I think that . . . ," "I believe that . . . ," etc.). In a well-written
essay, the reader can tell what is your judgment and what is not.
Use the active rather than the passive voice ("The Book of Job states . . ." versus "It is stated in the Book of
Job . . . ").
Be cautious about trying to prove a point merely by citing some "authority." In critical thinking, a statement
is not considered true simply because the Bible, or Karl Marx, or Bill Clinton says it is. Back up claims with
evidence and reasoned argument.
Underline or italicize titles of books, long poems (Odyssey, etc.), and plays.
Write concretely, concisely, and economically. Say as much as possible in as few words as possible. This
does not mean you should write mostly in shorter sentences; look for ways to combine sentences if you
have many short ones.
INTRODUCTION
Your introduction needs to indicate the topic under discussion (include the title of work(s) you are focusing
on), the issue involved, and your thesis. Every essay you write for this class must have a clear thesis,
stated in the introduction that sets forth your argument. A thesis is in answer to a question. Beware of
questions that seem easy to answer. Maybe there are possibilities you have not explored. You should be
able to state your thesis in one or two sentences.
BODY
The main portion of your essay is then devoted to arguments defending your thesis. Each paragraph
should be organized around a single idea relating to your thesis, and everything in the paragraph needs to
bear on that idea (expressed in topic sentence). The number of these paragraphs and their organization
will depend on the type of case you are developing and may vary greatly with each student. The principle
of paragraph development here is an argument, never a description. When you finish each paragraph, ask
yourself: Is it clear how this paragraph is an argument in support of my thesis statement? Remember to
raise potential objections to your own thesis and then refute the objections. This shows the reader that you
have anticipated these objections to your position and have solid reasons for rejecting them.
There is no set length for paragraphs. As a general rule, however, aim for 1-2 paragraphs per page. If
you notice a tendency to have more than 2 paragraphs on a page, you are probably not adequately
developing (explaining, justifying, citing evidence for) the main idea in each paragraph. Also be careful with
long paragraphs. A paragraph of more than one page may indicate that you drifted away from the main
idea.
CONCLUSION
A good conclusion should not merely summarize your paper's position, but should add something not yet
said, something which follows logically from the preceding paragraphs. What this will generally involve is a
refinement of your original thesis statement. You should be able to reaffirm it but with greater qualification
and new insights that would have been premature had they been stated at the beginning of your paper.
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PARENTHETICAL DOCUMENTATION
When citing a prose work, give the page number on which the quotation or paraphrased material can be
found. For plays, cite the act, scene, and line number(s). Cite line numbers for poems:
The speaker in "A Modest Proposal" says that his ideas "will not be liable to the least objection" (273).
In Tartuffe, Madame Pernelle berates Elmire:
And as for you, child, let me add
That your behavior is extremely bad,
And a poor example for these children, too.
Their dear, dead mother did far better than you.
(1.1.25-28)
J. Alfred Prufrock declares in a moment of apparent strength, "'I am Lazarus, come from the dead, / Come
back to tell you all, I shall tell you all'" (94-95).
GRADING STANDARDS FOR ESSAYS: The Barrett Honors College is committed to high standards of writing
and critical inquiry in all honors courses, and the faculty attempt to provide thorough critical evaluations of
all student essays. You should, therefore, expect a considerable amount of writing on your papers when
they are returned. Please keep in mind that this criticism is intended to be constructive rather than
disparaging.
A (93 and above)=extraordinary An A paper is outstanding in every way: in the originality of its
thought, in the persuasiveness of its argument, and in the clarity and power of its writing.
A- to B+ (87-92)=excellent to very good An essay in this range, while not as notable as an A
paper, is nevertheless a fine piece of work. Such an essay has a thesis that goes beyond what has
been discussed in class. Everything in the essay relates to that thesis. The paper is tightly
organized, with each paragraph focused on a single main idea (expressed in a topic sentence).
Like its content, the style of the essay is above average. The writing is clear and free of
grammatical and sentence-structure errors.
B (83-86)=good A B grade on an essay indicates that the student’s writing is approximately on the
level to be expected of a student in an upper-division honors course. The prose is generally clear
and readable, though some sentences may be awkward and there may be a very few errors in
grammar and punctuation. The essay shows serious thought, though some of its arguments may
be less than original. For the most part, it is well organized.
B- to C+ (77-82)=fair An essay in this range is neither especially bad nor distinctively good. It may
have a promising thesis but argue that thesis in a confusing or unconvincing way. Conversely, it
may be clearly written but show little evidence of original thought.
C to D+=below expectations An essay earning a grade of C or below has serious weaknesses in
both style and content.
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Guide to Essay Comments: Please refer to this information when reviewing your evaluated papers.
thesis
need a clearly stated, sharply focused thesis statement
intro
introductory paragraph needs further development
¶
start new paragraph
¶ trans
need transition between paragraphs
¶ coh
paragraph does not cohere, "hang together"
¶ dev
add supporting details to develop paragraph
topic sent
paragraph needs topic sentence to indicate focus
agree p/a
disagreement between pronoun and antecedent
agree s/v
disagreement between subject and verb
awk
awkward
cap / l c
capital letter(s) needed / lower case needed
comb sent
combine sentences
run-on
run-on sentence
frag
sentence fragment
gen
generalization — Usually, avoid generalizations, superlatives, exaggerations.
logic
faulty logic
wordy
express ideas more concisely
mm
misplaced modifier
ss
sentence structure (faulty structure)
person
person — Do not switch person; usually stay in third person and avoid
rep / red
awkward or ineffective repetition / redundant
sent var
sentence variety needed
sp
spelling
tense
verb tense (be consistent)
trans
transition needed
passive
usually, avoid passive voice
wc / ww
word choice (Choose the correct, specific word.) / wrong word used
col
colloquial word; use more formal language
pos
possessive form; usually, add apostrophe
//
use parallel structure
^
insert a word or words
connect
delete
add a space
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Some Advice Concerning Run-On Sentences:
DO NOT JOIN SENTENCES (INDEPENDENT CLAUSES) TOGETHER WITH A COMMA OR WITH NO PUNCTUATION MARK
BETWEEN THEM:
unacceptable We will take flight 217 to New York, it is the quickest flight.
acceptable
We will take flight 217 to New York. It is the quickest flight.
unacceptable It was late in the fourth quarter the score was six to nothing.
acceptable
It was late in the fourth quarter. The score was six to nothing.
YOU CAN CORRECT RUN-ON SENTENCES IN A NUMBER OF WAYS. YOU CAN USE A PERIOD TO SEPARATE THE
SENTENCES:
unacceptable Lori always has been interested in sports, give her a ball, a bat, or a tennis racket and
she is perfectly happy.
acceptable
Lori always has been interested in sports. Give her a ball, a bat, or a tennis racket and
she is perfectly happy.
YOU CAN USE A SEMICOLON IN PLACE OF A COMMA, IF THE SENTENCES ARE CLOSE IN THOUGHT:
unacceptable The process is not hard, it just takes patience.
acceptable
The process is not hard; it just takes patience.
YOU CAN INSERT A COORDINATE CONJUNCTION, WITH A COMMA, BETWEEN THE TWO SENTENCES.
unacceptable The bus stops just long enough for tourists to get one photograph then it takes them
someplace else.
acceptable
The bus stops just long enough for tourists to get one photograph, and then it takes
them someplace else.
OR YOU CAN MAKE ONE SENTENCE INTO A SUBORDINATE CLAUSE AND EMBED IT IN THE OTHER SENTENCE:
unacceptable Sharon did not take that part-time job, she needed time for her studies.
acceptable
Sharon did not take that part-time job because she needed time for her studies.
**MANY RUN-ON SENTENCES ARE CAUSED BY ADVERBS SUCH AS THEN, THEREFORE, HOWEVER, CONSEQUENTLY,
NEVERTHELESS, FURTHERMORE, HENCE, THUS, BESIDES, INDEED, AND RATHER WHICH THE WRITER MISTAKES FOR
CONJUNCTIONS. W HEN THESE WORDS ARE USED BETWEEN INDEPENDENT CLAUSES, THEY SHOULD COME AFTER A
SEMICOLON, AFTER A CONJUNCTION, OR THEY SHOULD BE CAPITALIZED TO START A NEW SENTENCE:
unacceptable
acceptable
acceptable
acceptable
unacceptable
acceptable
It rained for most of the day, then it began to sleet.
It rained for most of the day; then it began to sleet.
It rained for most of the day, and then it began to sleet.
It rained for most of the day. Then it began to sleet.
He ran to the door, however, she had already gone.
He ran to the door. However, she had already gone.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
► If your cell phone rings, I get to answer it.
► If you need to leave class early for any reason, you need to consult with me before class begins.
► A class syllabus is a binding contract between the instructor and student.
► Students must conduct themselves according to the ASU policies posted online at
http://www.asu.edu/studentlife/judicial
► See http://asu.edu/honors/forms.html for information on student academic grievance procedures.
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READING ASSIGNMENTS FOR FALL 2003:
Required Texts:
Homer, The Odyssey, trans. Robert Fitzgerald (Noonday Press)
Shakespeare, King Lear (Washington Square)
Webster, The Duchess of Malfi (Dover Thrift Edition)
Austen, Pride and Prejudice (Dover Thrift Edition)
Goethe, The Sorrows of Young Werther, trans. Elizabeth Mayer & Louise Bogan (Vintage).
Flaubert, Madame Bovary, trans. Lowell Bair (Bantam)
Wright, Native Son (Harper Perennial)
"Additional Readings" (AR)—available at Alternative Copy Shop, Forest & University.
Tues. 8/26:
Introduction
Thurs. 8/28:
The Exodus Saga (The Escape from Egypt--The Destruction of Jericho) (xerox)
Tues. 9/2:
Campbell, “Prologue” from The Hero With a Thousand Faces (AR, 1-23); Homer, The
Odyssey, Books I — VII
Thurs. 9/4:
The Odyssey, Books VIII—XVI
Tues. 9/9:
The Odyssey, Books XVII—end
Thurs. 9/11:
Virgil, The Aeneid, Bks 1, 2 & 4; Dante, from The Inferno; Tennyson, “Ulysses” (AR, 25-59)
Tues. 9/16:
Plato, selections from The Apology, Crito, and Phaedo (AR, 61-72)
Thurs. 9/18:
The Gospel According to St. Luke (AR, 73-89); The Buddha's Life (AR, 89-92 & xerox)
Mon.
Paper #1 due, before noon
9/22:
Tues. 9/23:
Campbell, “The Hero's Adventure” selections from The Power of Myth (AR, 93-101)
Thurs.9/25:
Medieval Images of Mary; Malory, “Merlin” from Le Morte D'Arthur (AR, 103-125)
Tues. 9/30:
“Slander and Strife”-- “The Dolorous Deaths . . . ” (end) from Le Morte D'Arthur;
Tennyson, “Guivevere”; Morris, “The Defence of Guenevere” (AR, 127-160)
Thurs. 10/2:
Machiavelli, from The Prince (AR, 161-166); Shakespeare, King Lear, Act 1
Tues. 10/7:
Shakespeare, King Lear, Acts 2— 3
Thurs. 10/9:
Shakespeare, King Lear, Acts 4— 5
Tues. 10/14: Webster, The Duchess of Malfi, Acts I—III
Thurs. 10/16: Webster, The Duchess of Malfi, Acts IV—V
Tues. 10/21: Moliere, Tartuffe (AR, 167-192)
Thurs. 10/23: Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Chs. 1—20
Mon.
10/27: Paper #2 due, before 5pm
Tues. 10/28: Pride and Prejudice, Chs. 21—40
Thurs. 10/30: Pride and Prejudice, Chs. 41—end
Tues. 11/4:
Rousseau, from Confessions (AR, 193-196); Goethe,The Sorrows of Young Werther, Part I
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Thurs. 11/6:
Goethe, The Sorrows of Young Werther, Part II
Tues. 11/11: No Class
Thurs. 11/13: Flaubert, Madame Bovary, Part 1--Part 2, Ch. 4
Tues. 11/18: Flaubert, Madame Bovary, Part 2, Ch. 5--end of Part 2
Thurs. 11/20: Flaubert, Madame Bovary, Part 3; Woolf, from A Room of One’s Own (AR, 197-198)
Tues. 11/25: Camus, “The Myth of Sisyphus” (AR, 199-200); Wright, Native Son, “Fear”
Thurs. 11/27: No Class
Tues. 12/2:
Native Son, “Flight”
Thurs. 12/4:
Native Son, “Fate”;
Tues. 12/9:
The super hero; Evaluation
Wed. 12/17: Paper #3 due (before 5pm); No late papers accepted