English 206 Autobiography
Instructor: Carol Acton
E-mail: cgacton@uwaterloo.ca
Tel 519 884 8111 x28238
Office SJ 3001
Office hours: Tuesday 1.30-2.30 or by appointment
Our memories tell us the stories of our lives, constantly reworking and reimagining
them. But how do we and others construct our ‘selves’ through language? In this course
we will read memoirs/autobiographies, letters and diaries (including blogs) to explore the
relationship between self and language, examining the way individuals create themselves
through language and in the context of available cultural narratives. Coursework will
include one 6 page essay; three short journal entries; a second essay or creative writing
option (8-10 pages) and an in-class test. (see below)
I will be happy to discuss your essays during office hours and to work through the
essay writing process with you on an individual basis. In addition, please drop in during
regular office hours or make an appointment if you can’t come during the scheduled time
to talk about your work and the course. Please remember to include the course number in
any e-mails you send (otherwise I tend to treat them as spam) and to give your full name
in the e-mail text. NB Please use cgacton@uwaterloo to contact me – not the LEARN
system
The following texts are required reading:
Critical readings:
Smith and Watson, Reading Autobiography: a Guide for Interpreting Life Narratives
Primary texts:
You may use any edition of these. All of the books will be available through the UW
bookstore. Note that Vera Brittain’s Chronicle of Youth and Forster’s Hidden Lives will
be available through the bookstore in a package that looks like course notes. However,
they may also be available in used bookstores (such as the UW used bookstore) or
through Amazon.
Tobias Wolff, This Boy’s Life
Vera Brittain, Chronicle of Youth (printed as course notes)
Margaret Forster, Hidden Lives (printed as course notes)
Brian Keenan, An Evil Cradling
English 206 Autobiography course notes
Week 1 (Reading: Reading Autobiography, chapt 1)
Jan 3/5 Introduction to Life Narratives
Extract from Helen Keller’s autobiography in course notes
Week 2 (Reading: Reading Autobiography, chapts 2&3)
Jan 10/12 This Boy’s Life
Week 3 (Reading: Reading Autobiography, (chapt 4) Journal entry 1 due
Jan 17/19 This Boy’s Life
Week 4 (Reading: Reading Autobiography, chapts 5&6)
Jan 24/26 Chronicle of Youth and letters in course notes First Essay due
Week 5 (Reading: Reading Autobiography, chapt 7)
Jan 31/Feb 2 Chronicle and letters in course notes
Week 6 (Reading: Reading Autobiography, Appendix A)
Feb 7/9 Hidden Lives
Week 7
Feb 14.16 Hidden Lives Journal entry 2 due
Reading week
Week 8 Revised first essay due in Thurs class
Feb 28/March 1 Rousseau/ bell hooks and the autobiographical essay, course notes/blogs
Week 9
March 6/8 Film TBA
Week 10
March 13/15 An Evil Cradling Journal entry 3 due
Week 11
March 20/22 An Evil Cradling
Week 12
March 27Course overview
March 29 In-class test
There may be minor changes to the timetable above
Final essay due Monday April 2nd
Assignments:
15% 3 journal entries - approx 3 pages each (each one worth 5%)
30% Critical/analytical essay 6 pages: This grade is broken down into 20% for the initial
submission and 10% for your revised version (if your initial essay submission is excellent
and doesn’t require revision it will be marked out of 30%) Jan 26/March 1
40% Critical/Analytical essay 8-10 pages or a creative autobiographical piece 8-10 pages
+ 2 page commentary: Due April 2nd
Further information on these assignments will be available on handouts given out in class
and/or posted on LEARN
15% In-class test: March 29th
Late assignments will have 2% deducted per day late. However, if you request an
extension at least 24hrs before the deadline, either in person or via e-mail, I can arrange a
new deadline with you without penalty. It is in your own best interest to hand work in on
time so you don’t become overwhelmed with overdue work. The final test comes under
the guidelines outlined below. Please let me know if ongoing illness or family or
personal issues may cause problems during the term as it makes it much easier for me
help you plan work accordingly if I know about such issues.
Please read the following UW policies carefully
UW POLICY REGARDING ILLNESS AND MISSED TESTS
The
University
of
Waterloo
Examination
(http://www.registrar.uwaterloo.ca/exams/ExamRegs.pdf) state that:
•
Regulations
A medical certificate presented in support of an official petition for relief from normal academic
requirements must provide all of the information requested on the “University of Waterloo
Verification of Illness” form or it will not be accepted. This form can be obtained from Health
Services or at
http://www.healthservices.uwaterloo.ca/Health_Services/VERIFICATION%20OF%20ILLNESS.html
•
If a student has a test/examination deferred due to acceptable medical evidence, he/she
normally will write the test/examination at a mutually convenient time, to be determined
by the course instructor.
•
The University acknowledges that, due to the pluralistic nature of the University
community, some students may on religious grounds require alternative times to write
tests and examinations.
•
Student travel plans are not acceptable grounds for granting an alternative final
examination period.
AVOIDANCE OF ACADEMIC OFFENCES
All students registered in the courses of the Faculty of Arts and its colleges are expected to know what
constitutes academic integrity, to avoid committing academic offences, and to take responsibility for their
academic actions. Students who are unsure whether an action constitutes an offence, or who need help in
learning how to avoid offences (e.g., plagiarism, cheating), or about “rules” for group work/collaboration
should seek guidance from the course professor, TA, academic advisor, the appropriate ST. Jerome’s
departmental Chair, or the Associate Dean for St. Jerome’s University. For information on categories of
offences and types of penalties, students should refer to Policy #71, Student Academic Discipline,
http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy71.htm
If you need help in learning how to avoid offenses such as plagiarism, cheating and double submission, or
if you need clarification of aspects of the discipline policy, ask your course instructor for guidance. Other
resources regarding the discipline policy are your academic advisor; the appropriate St. Jerome’s
departmental chair and ultimately the Appeals Officer (currently the Associate Dean) for St. Jerome’s
University. Further information on “How to Avoid Plagiarism and Other Written Offences: A Guide for
Students and Instructors” can be found at
http://www.arts.uwaterloo.ca/arts/ugrad/academic_responsibility.html
Students who believe that they have been wrongfully or unjustly penalized have the right to grieve in
accordance with Policy #70, Student Grievance, www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy70.htm.
OTHER INFORMATION
Students with documented or suspected disabilities (i.e., physical, learning, or sensory disabilities or
chronic medical conditions) are encouraged to contact the Office for Persons with Disabilities (OPD) to
determine eligibility for their services. OPD is located in Needles Hall 1132, 519-888-4567 ext. 35082