LIT 220H Intro to Fiction Spring 2006 Sheryl Lyn Bundy, Assistant Professor So much for endings. Beginnings are always more fun. True connoisseurs, however, are known to favor the stretch in between, since it’s the hardest to do anything with. That’s about all that can be said for plots, which anyway are just one thing after another, a what and a what and a what. Now try How and Why. Margaret Atwood, “Happy Endings” so what will this class be about, exactly? Intro to Fiction is an interesting class to plan and teach. It’s not a survey course per se, so its organization is not governed by literary periods or chronology; nor is it bound by a particular definition of “fiction.” If you think about it, fiction—storytelling—is everywhere around us, from the tales we tell our friends about our weekends or a bad date to stories we see on television and film. Of course in-print stories are varied too, from children’s books to sci fi and fantasy, to what we might call “literary” fiction. Plays are fiction; they allow us to watch a story unfold in real time. Even creative non-fiction, such as Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood uses techniques of fiction writing to tell a story (and more recently we’ve heard of James Frey’s A Million Little Pieces, which uses perhaps too many fiction techniques and thus seems to be more fiction than fact—but what of it?). Given the breadth of what we can cover in the class, let me outline here my goals for the course, which should convey something about my philosophy toward the subject and of teaching itself. In this course we’ll focus on three primary goals: ! ! ! The lens we’ll use for examining fiction will be wide. The bulk of our reading will be “literary,” but expect to delve into children’s literature a bit, as well as film, television (and anything else we can think of). Where ever possible, we will learn by doing. In a fiction class, therefore, we will try to learn about what fiction writers do by trying some fiction writing ourselves. Don’t think I’m expecting you to write full stories in this class. Rather, we’ll use creative means to explore a given writer’s choices. “Situating” a text in its time and place is important. So is situating this class in time and place, and thus thinking about the state of affairs today, with regard to those who write, those who read, and those who study fiction. faculty information My name: Where to find me: When to find me: My phone: My mailbox: My email address: My web site: Asst. Professor Sheryl Lyn Bundy D 115 M 5-6, T/R 2-3, W 10-11 and by appointment. (708) 974-5762 D 108 bundy@morainevalley.edu http://online.moraine.cc.il.us/websupported/SherylBundy (On the site I’ll post handouts, the syllabus, PowerPoint presentations, and any other materials used in class that I’m able to host there.) course identification Credit hours: Contact hours: 3 3 Course meets: Prerequisite: Catalog summary: LIT 220H-160: TR 12:30-1:45 COM 101 or permission of the instructor. “Plot structure, narrative technique, character depiction and theme, and fiction as a literary genre are examined.” texts & supplies You’ll need to purchase the following texts from the bookstore: ! ! ! Bohner and Grant’s Short Fiction: Classic and Contemporary, 6th edition. Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw. (At my last check, this one wasn’t in yet, but should be soon.) course end competencies By the end of the semester, you can expect to: • recognize the diversity of the various genres of fiction. • describe the components of fiction writing, such as plot structure, characterization, point of view, setting, theme, style, etc. and be able to analyze their effects upon a work of fiction. • demonstrate knowledge of a sampling of the various approaches to literary criticism, such as new criticism or formalist; reader response; feminist; gender; new historicism or pluralistic cultural; Marxist or materialist; psychoanalytic, structuralism or semiotic; deconstruction or post-structuralist; race, ethnicity, or post colonial analyses, etc. and the ability to apply that knowledge to literary analysis. • demonstrate an understanding of fiction from other cultures and ethnicities. • develop an aesthetic appreciation and understanding of the critical standards of fiction. classroom policies and procedures q&a ! ! ! ! What happens if I’m not doing well in the course, but it’s too late to drop? Be sure to read the College’s General Information Sheet, which is at the end of this syllabus. It provides you with withdrawal dates. Since your grade is calculated on a point system, you should (with a little math) know exactly where you stand. What happens if I do poorly in a class but don’t officially withdraw? If you don’t withdraw officially from a course you may receive an “F,” depending on course progress or course attendance, which will become a part of your permanent record. My advice is to be aware of where you stand, and make decisions accordingly. What happens if I plagiarize the work of others or cheat in some other way? In a course that is in part about making things up, it seems sort of silly to mention this at all. However, incidences of plagiarism do occur—even in this class. You ought to read up on what exactly constitutes plagiarism (refer to a writing handbook), and know that acts of plagiarism or cheating will result in at least failure of the assignment, and at most failure of the course. What else do I need to know? You’re responsible for adhering to the Code of Student Conduct as stated in the college catalog. grading policies q&a ! ! Do you accept late work? No projects or assignments will be accepted past the deadline—for a grade. Feedback will still be provided on such work, however. Also note that the formatting of your written work sends an impression to others about your level of professionalism. Handwritten drafts, drafts without a proper heading or drafts with careless proofreading will not earn full credit. How will my semester grade be computed? Here’s the general breakdown. There are 1,000 possible points: Fiction: A Writer’s View Fiction Writing Mini-Portfolio ............................................................................................................150 The Mini-Portfolio is a collection of writing exercises, “modifications,” and other experiments designed to help you learn about fiction by “doing” fiction. You’ll gather your writing pieces and submit them with a reflective essay that ties what you’ve figured out from your experimenting to what you’ve been reading. Fiction: A Reader’s View The Interpretation Project (Parts I and II).........................................................................................150 This project involves some group work, but ultimately the paper(s) you produce will be written solely by you. The goal is for you to see the act of reading (and writing, for that matter) as social acts. During the project you and a group will chose a story to work with. You’ll write an interpretive paper on your own, and then have the opportunity to read the views of your group members. You’ll then produce a revision of the first paper—one that draws upon some of the views of your classmates—either to illuminate or support a point you wish to make or to show a contrasting opinion. Fiction: A Filmmaker’s View Screenwriting Project .........................................................................................................................150 As we study how verbal texts are translated into visual ones, you’ll have the opportunity of trying some adaptation yourself. For the project you’ll choose a short story (I’ll provide you with a list of some very short pieces to keep the project manageable), then create a screenplay. You’ll submit the project with a cover sheet that explains the choices you made. Research-Based Writing Choose-Your-Own Research Adventure ...........................................................................................200 I want to make sure you have a chance to explore some topic related to the course that is of special interest to you. We’ll begin this project early in the term, so that you’ll have ample time to fully explore your chosen topic. The form and scope of the project will be designed by you (with some guidance by me). You’ll share the results of your research at semester’s end in the form of a short presentation. Examinations Midterm Exam ....................................................................................................................................100 The midterm will be a traditional short answer/essay exam based on concepts from class and readings. Final Exam..........................................................................................................................................150 The final will be a cumulative exam similar in format to the midterm. Miscellany Participation........................................................................................................................................100 Participation will be evaluated for a grade by the withdrawal date according to the following criteria: your overall engagement in course activities (including any assigned written responses to readings), your active participation in discussions and group work, the quality of your interactions with others, and your ability to keep up with deadlines. In-class writing will be collected or checked-in randomly and periodically throughout the semester. Attendance is obviously a factor in all of these elements, since if you’re not here, you can’t participate. Students who miss 5 or more classes won’t be able to earn higher than an F for overall participation; for 4 absences, the highest you can earn is a D; for 3, a C; for 2, a B; and for 1, an A. Please note that there are rarely distinctions between excused and unexcused absences, since you can’t really “make up” participating in class on a given day. course schedule Here is a guide to where we’re headed this semester, including the due dates for the major projects and a reading schedule. I’ll tell you the class before if I need you to produce writing in response to any of the readings. week date topic/readings 1 Introduction to the Course 1/17 reading location activity deadlines 2 3 4 1/19 People: Character, Conflict, Change; Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find”; T. C. Boyle’s “Greasy Lake” SF: pp. 904-914; also pp. 144-150 1/25 Places: Physical and Social Setting; Charlotte Perkins Gillman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper”; Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” SF: pp. 487-497; also pp. 267-268 1/27 Things: Images, Symbols, Tropes; Alice Walker’s “Roselily”; James Joyce’s “Araby” SF: pp. 1123-1126; also pp. 598-602 1/31 Vantage Points; Luisa Valenzuela’s “The Verb to Kill”; Ralph Ellison’s “A Party down at the Square” SF: pp. 1115-1117; also pp. 390-394 2/2 What is Interpretation? Filling “Gaps” in the Text; Ernest Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants”; Raymond Carver’s “Popular Mechanics” SF: pp. 552-555; also handout 2/7 Situating Texts in Time and Place; Margaret Atwood’s “Rape Fantasies”; Leslie Marmon Silko’s “Lullaby” SF: pp. 77-83; also pp. 1010-1016 2/9 Submit Fiction Writing Mini-Portfolio SF: pp. 355-368 Considering Genre; Philip K. Dick’s “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale”; Introduction to the Choose-Your-Own Research Adventure Project 5 6 7 8 9 2/14 Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time 2/16 Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, continued discussion 2/21 Class in the Library: Panel Discussion on Curious Incident 2/23 Midterm Review 2/28 Midterm Exam 3/2 Intro to Interpretation Project, Part I; Group Decisions 3/7 Developing an Interpretation; Susan Sontag, “Against Interpretation” 3/9 Creating a Body of Knowledge: Group Reading and Discussion 3/14 Spring Break—No Classes 3/16 Spring Break—No Classes Midterm Exam SF: pp. 1305-1307 Submit Interpretation Project, Part I, Plus Copies for Group 10 11 12 3/21 Labeling Perspectives; Jean de Brunhoff’s The Story of Babar; Herbert Kohl’s “Should We Burn Babar? Questioning Power in Children’s Literature Handouts 3/23 Not Choices, But Responses: A Sampling of Critical Perspectives; “Approaching Short Fiction Critically” SF: pp. 1326-1338 3/28 On Theory 3/30 Henry James’ Turn of the Screw 4/4 Henry James’ Turn of the Screw, continued discussion Submit Interpretation Project, Part II 4/6 Film Screening: Jack Clayton’s The Innocents 13 14 15 16 17 4/11 Film Screening: Jack Clayton’s The Innocents 4/13 More Thoughts on the Horror Film; Intro to Screenwriting Project 4/18 Sherman Alexie, “Because My Father . . .”; Film Screening: Chris Eyre’s Smoke Signals 4/20 Film Screening: Smoke Signals 4/25 Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis 4/27 Postmodern Adaptation; Film Screening: Peter Capaldi’s Franz Kafka’s “It’s a Wonderful Life” 5/2 Lab Day: Last-Minute Software/Project Help 5/4 Choose-Your-Own Research Adventure Presentations Research Presentations 5/9 Choose-Your-Own Research Adventure Presentations Research Presentations SF, pp. 50-55 SF, pp. 642-671 Submit Screenwriting Project 5/11 Final Exam Review & Party 18 5/16 Final Exam Period 12:00-1:50 Cumulative Final Exam evaluation criteria for written work Here is a general explanation of what constitutes a particular letter grade. I tend to begin the grading process with the assumption that everyone starts off with a “C”—so the extent to which the paper goes above and beyond the minimum requirements for a project dictate the final grade for the assignment. the A paper The assignment is addressed carefully and says something original. The work contains a thesis that is developed with engaging, specific, and thought-provoking support. The work is tightly unified, and ideas are arranged logically with creative transitions. The introduction engages the reader and provides necessary context; the conclusion resonates with the reader and leaves a strong final impression. The writer’s sense of style is reflected in a variety of sentence constructions and sophisticated word choices. Finally, if needed, MLA documentation rules have been followed with precision. The piece truly satisfies the reader. the B paper The assignment is addressed carefully, for the work presents a clear, unifying thesis that is well developed with specifics. The organization is effective, and transitions create bridges from one idea to the next. The introduction is fairly effective and provides needed context, but may miss the opportunity to engage the reader. The writer concludes effectively and thematically in a non-formulaic manner. The essay may contain a few grammatical errors (a few awkward spots), but nothing terribly distracting. Finally, if needed, MLA documentation rules have been attended to. The piece satisfies the reader. the C paper The assignment is addressed acceptably. The work uses a thesis, but it may be hampered by lack of specificity, assertion, or focus. The ideas are reasonably developed, but there’s room for more information. Organization is confusing because of sloppy transitions or digressions. The introduction is bland and provides little context for the reader, and the conclusion lacks voice. The sentences demonstrate little awareness of stylistic options, and the essay contains minimal grammatical errors. Finally, if needed, MLA documentation rules have been followed with only minor errors. The reader’s response to the piece is indifference. the D paper The assignment is addressed in a below average fashion. The thesis is less than clear or confused with a statement of purpose, and the reasoning is flawed or lacks relevant support. The organization is inconsistent, incoherent, or illogical, with virtually no transitions between ideas. The introduction is unoriginal and fails to provide the necessary context for the reader, and the conclusion is thin. Sentences tend to be monotonous, and grammatical errors are distracting to the reader. Finally, MLA documentation rules have been attempted, but the format is unacceptable. The piece gives the reader the impression of having been written in haste. the F paper The attempt at the assignment is unacceptable or superficial. The essay lacks focus, and the thesis is unclear. The work is seriously underdeveloped and reasoning may be flawed. The organization is confusing or chaotic, with no transitions between ideas, creating a total lack of unity among ideas. There has been no attempt to introduce or close the essay. Grammatical and mechanical problems distract the reader from the ideas of the essay. MLA documentation rules, when needed, have not been followed. The reader gains nothing from experiencing the piece. getting help: conferences I’m available for conferences (in my office in D115) during the term so that we may sit down together to discuss any questions you have, or to discuss a draft of any of the written assignments. My office hours are great for these—you don’t even need an appointment. If my listed hours are not convenient for you, however, I’m happy to come up with a time that will work for both of us. Think of conferences as a meeting you’ve called, so have an agenda and copies of any documents that will assist the session. even MORE help: the writing center The Writing Center gives you the opportunity to get feedback from someone outside of our class. Peer tutors are trained; Communications faculty also serve as tutors for the center. Be sure to bring a draft and the instructions for the project you’re working on, and have some specific questions you want answered. Just know that the tutors aren’t there to proofread, but to help you with concerns like thesis, support, development, transitions—in other words, higher order concerns. Note, too, that tutors are not there to provide commentary on your paper grades—so please don’t put them in a difficult position by asking them to. The center is located in our library; find out more at http://www.writingcenter .morainevalley.edu. formatting written work for submission Please follow MLA guidelines when submitting typed/computer-processed work, and MLA documentation standards for acknowledging any borrowed material (including quotations and paraphrases from any of the texts you write about this term). Below is my own quick guide to setting up the first page. Student 1 A. Nice Student Prof. Bundy COM 101 14 January 2003 Here’s the Title of My Paper And here’s the beginning of my paper. Everything so far is double spaced, and the page number at the top right is created by selecting “View—Header and Footer” in Word. If you’re not sure how to set this up, just ask—it’s easy to do! Your essay should also have 1” margins all around, and you ought to use 12 point type in a font style that’s easily readable, such as Times New Roman. A few other things worth noting: The title is not in bold or underlined, and it’s not in a BIG, flowery font. Too, I didn’t put extra space after my last paragraph. I simply hit “Enter” and moved on to the next one. Final Exam Schedule Spring 2006 Time Period During Which Class Begins Day/Evening Class Normally Meets* Date of Exam Time of Exam All Friday Only Saturday Only Sunday Only Friday, May 12 Saturday, May 13 Sunday, May 14 Class Meeting Time 7-7:55 a.m. MW; MWF Monday, May 15 Wednesday, May 17 7-7:55 a.m. 7:45-8:55 a.m. 10-10:55 a.m. Noon-12:55 p.m. 2-2:55 p.m. 4-4:55 p.m. 6-6:55 p.m. 8-8:55 p.m. MWF; MW; MF; WF Monday, May 15 8-9:50 a.m. 10-11:50 a.m. Noon-1:50 p.m. 2-3:50 p.m. 4-5:50 p.m. 6-7:50 p.m. 8-9:50 p.m. 7-7:55 a.m. TR Tuesday, May 16 Thursday, May 18 7-7:55 a.m. Tuesday, May 16 8-8:55 p.m. 8-9:50 a.m. 10-11:50 a.m. Noon-1:50 p.m. 2-3:50 p.m. 4-5:50 p.m. 6-7:50 p.m. 8-9:50 p.m. 9-9:55 a.m. 11-11:55 a.m. 1-1:55 p.m. 3-3:55 p.m. 5-5:55 p.m. 7-7:55 p.m. 9-9:55 p.m. Wednesday, May 17 8-9:50 a.m. 10-11:50 a.m. Noon-1:50 p.m. 2-3:50 p.m. 4-5:50 p.m. 6-7:50 p.m. 8-9:50 p.m. Thursday, May 18 8-9:50 a.m. 10-11:50 a.m. Noon-1:50 p.m. 2-3:50 p.m. 4-5:50 p.m. 6-7:50 p.m. 8-9:50 p.m. 7:45-8:55 a.m. 10-10:55 a.m. Noon-12:55 p.m. 2-2:55 p.m. 4-4:55 p.m. 6-6:55 p.m. 9-9:55 a.m. 11-11:55 a.m. 1-1:55 p.m. 3-3:55 p.m. 5-5:55 p.m. 7-7:55 p.m. 9-9:55 p.m. TR MWF; MW; MF; WF TR *Classes that meet one day per week will hold their final exam on the same day/time the class regularly meets. The length of the meeting for the final exam will be the first two hours of the class to prevent conflict with other classes. Final Exam Week Notes • When a nursing course has more than one time/day scheduled for lecture, the first lecture time listed on the schedule determines the exam time scheduled for the course. • Telecourse finals are in the Testing Center during final exam week. • When a course includes both lecture and lab, the final exam will be scheduled during the lecture component. If a lab final is required, it would be taken during the last lab meeting the week prior to the final exam week. • For those courses that meet for one hour, one day per week, the final exam will be one hour in length, during the regular meeting time.