CHL 137: Harry Potter:
Literary Allusion, Children’s Literature, and Popular Culture
General Education Knowledge of the Disciplines Humanities Course
Instructor: Aleesa Millet
Email: amillet1@emich.edu
Office: 617B Pray-Harrold
Office Hours: Tues/Thurs: 9:30-10:30AM and by appointment
Course Description and Rationale: What is the purpose of this course?
Since the books in the Harry Potter series are children’s texts and a cultural phenomenon, they also
have become symbols in larger cultural battles over religious values, literacy, and the role of
children’s literature in shaping the next generation’s beliefs about gender, social class, race,
imperialism, capitalism, and spirituality. This makes these books an ideal model to use in a classroom
to illustrate the relevance of literature and literary studies to society. A close study of these novels as
complex literary works that have roots in classic literature, as cultural phenomena, and as the objects
of public debates can highlight for students all that is at stake in literary interpretation and cultural
production. Therefore, students in this course will explore questions such as: Do the books have
literary value, or are they just commercial products? Are the books dangerous for children to read, or
do they benefit children? Where is the line between literature, media, and mass-produced products,
and should there/can there be a line? Why are these books so popular, and what does their
popularity tell us about who we are and what we, as a culture, believe ourselves to be?
Course Outcomes:
In order to think critically about these, and other questions, the class will read some of the novels in
the series; classic literature, myths, folk tales, and legends alluded to in the novels; and articles
covering some of the public and academic debates about the novels. Students will post regularly in a
reading discussion forum, will take two exams, and will complete five mini assignments that will
require them to synthesize various ideas and to apply what they have learned to their own
interpretations of the books. Ideally, by the end of the course, students will have a better
understanding of literary terms and concepts; of the significance of literary allusion; of the role of
literature in contemporary culture; of the debates that experts have about such issues as literary
merit or ideology in literature; and of the ways that both the form and the role of literature are
evolving within the context of Twenty-first Century global capitalism.
Students must demonstrate competence in each of the following outcomes to successfully complete
the course:
 Students will discuss and write about current public debates about the novels, which can lead
to an empathic understanding of other points of view and can demonstrate for students the
role of literature in society
 Students will learn basic literary terms and concepts and learn to apply these to written
literary analysis
 Students will discuss and write about current debates in the field of children’s literary studies
 Students will learn to develop their own interpretations of various literary texts in discussion
and through informal and formal writing assignments
2



Students will engage with a study of literature within a specific cultural context and the ways
that context affects and reflects the meaning of a text
Students will learn to understand and analyze the books in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series
as complex, inter-textual works of literature that borrow heavily from classical texts,
mythology, legend, and folktales
Students will learn about and engage in current public debates about the role of the
humanities in contemporary culture, and by writing about these issues in a variety of formats,
students will complete the course having gained a better understanding of the roles of
literature in society, of what is at stake in the interpretation of a literary work, and of the
ways that literary texts function as cultural artifacts.
Required Texts and Materials:
Books:

Colbert, David. The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter (second edition, “revised and updated”)
Wrightsville, N.C.: Lumina Press, 2004.

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Book 1)

-----. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Book 3)

-----. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5)
Additional readings will be available electronically
A note about “spoilers”:
Because the Harry Potter books are part of a series, which together create one long narrative, we will
at times make references to books in the series that we are not reading. If you haven’t read all the
books in the series and don’t want the plot “spoiled” for you by hearing what happens in the books we
are not reading the first week of class, then please finish all the books before class begins. This is a
course concerned with literary and cultural analysis, which means we can’t curtail academic
discussions simply because some students don’t want their reading experiences “spoiled.” On the
other hand, because I expect students to engage in close readings of texts, we will try to focus our
discussion and analysis on whichever book in the series currently is under discussion.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING:
Participation and In-Class Activities:
Literary Autobiography:
Reading Discussions
Mini Assignments:
Midterm Exam:
Final:
Presentation:
15%
5%
10%
30% TOTAL (6% EACH)
15%
15%
10%
100-94%=A; 93.9-90%=A-; 89.9-87%=B+; 86.9-84%=B; 83.9-80%=B-; 79.9-77%=C+; 76.974%=C; 73.9-70%=C-; 69.9-67%=D+; 66.9-64%=D; 63.9-60%=D-; 59.9% and below=F
3
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE (SUBJECT TO CHANGE):
- Please read all readings listed by the date which they are listed for Sept 8:
Introductions
Question 1: Why would anyone read Harry Potter in College? What is Children’s Literature?
Sept 10:
Syllabus questions/overview. Read Zipes article
Sept 15:
Read the essays: Borah, Rebecca Sutherland, “Apprentice Wizards Welcome: Fan
Communities and the Culture of Harry Potter” and Bloom, “Can 35 Million Book
Buyers Be Wrong? Yes.”
- Literary Autobiography due
Sept 17:
Read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (chapters 1-5).
Sept 22:
Read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (chapters 6-11).
- Mini Assignment 1 due
Sept 24:
Read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (chapter 12-end).
Sept 29:
Continue discussing Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
- Mini Assignment 2 due
Question 2: Is Harry Potter Satanic?
Oct 1:
Read the essays Taub & Servaty - “Controversial Content in Children’s Literature,”
and Gaiman - “What the [Very Bad Swearword] Is a Children’s Book Anyway?”
Oct 6:
Read Magical Worlds: 249-252 & 297-306
- Mini Assignment 3 due
Questions 3: Is Harry Potter Literature?
Oct 8:
Read Cinderella, and Magical Worlds: 15-17, 19-22, &165-184
Oct 13:
Read chapters 1-10 in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and “Generic Fusion
and the Mosaic of Harry Potter.”
- Mini Assignment 4 due
Oct 15:
Finish reading Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Oct 20:
Midterm Review
- Mini Assignment 5 due
Oct 22:
Midterm Exam
4
Oct 27 and 29:
Film adaptations: Viewing “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” in class.
Nov 3:
Read Action Philosophers-Joseph Campbell, and Magical Worlds: 99-100, 153-154, 159162, & 205-218.
Nov 5:
Read chapters 1-10 in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix; “Theseus,” and
“Hercules”
Nov 10:
Read chapters 11-20 in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and book 10 of The
Odyssey
- Mini Assignment 6 due
Nov 12:
Read chapter 21-30 of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and chapter 23 of The
Once and Future King
Nov 17:
Read chapter 31-end of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Magical Worlds:
111-112 & 255-264
- Mini Assignment 7 due
Question 4: What do the Harry Potter novels reveal about us?
Nov 19:
Read the essay: Trites, Roberta. “The Harry Potter Novels as a Test Case for
Adolescent Literature.”
Nov 24:
Read “Oh My God! The Fan Fiction”
- Mini Assignment 8 due
Nov 26:
No Class—Happy Thanksgiving!
Dec 1:
Read Gender article 1 – TBA
- Mini Assignment 9 due
Dec 3:
Read Gender article 2 – TBA
Dec 8:
Read “Accepting Mudbloods”
*Take-home final exam assigned
- Mini Assignment 10 due
Dec 10:
Final Presentations
Dec 15:
FOR CRN 14075 (12:30-1:45)—Final Exam period:
Dec 17:
Final presentations
FOR CRN 12019 (11-12:15)—Final Exam period:
-
11:30am – 1:00pm
Final presentations
9:30am – 11am
5
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING:
Participation and In-Class Activities:
Literary Autobiography:
Reading Discussions
Mini Assignments:
Midterm Exam:
Final Exam:
Final Presentation:
15%
5%
10%
30% TOTAL (6% EACH)
15%
15%
10%
100-94%=A; 93.9-90%=A-; 89.9-87%=B+; 86.9-84%=B; 83.9-80%=B-; 79.9-77%=C+; 76.974%=C; 73.9-70%=C-; 69.9-67%=D+; 66.9-64%=D; 63.9-60%=D-; 59.9% and below=E
CLASS PARTICIPATION AND IN-CLASS ASSIGNMENTS AND ACTIVITIES (15%): Active
participation is crucial to your success in this class. Active participation means you must be in
class on time and prepared for every single class period. You must come with readings done for
the class period they are assigned, engage in class activities, ask questions, and take notes. It is
important to come prepared with reading complete, to contribute fully in group discussion, and to
engage fully with the materials at hand.
LITERARY AUTOBIOGRAPHY (5%): This assignment asks you to reflect on the school, family, and
cultural experiences that have shaped your development as a reader. You will write about how
you see yourself as a reader and what pieces of your life have influenced these beliefs. You will
also explore your previous experiences with the Harry Potter series.
READING DISCUSSIONS (10%): This project will give students the chance to read and discuss
beyond the classroom and develop some expertise in analyzing allusions while comparing and
contrasting pieces of literature. Students will be required to complete ten (10) postings
throughout the semester. Detailed assignment sheet will be available online and discussed in
class.
MINI ASSIGNMENTS (6% EACH): There will be an assignment prompt provided (roughly) each
week during the semester. Students will choose five (5) to complete. The assignments will vary
from week to week, but will typically be responses to weekly readings, class discussions, or ideas
that arise during class. Detailed assignment sheets will be available online for each prompt
(along with relevant due dates) and discussed in class.
EXAMS (15% EACH): There will be two (2) exams in this course. The exams will each be mostly
comprised of short-answer questions. Questions will focus on the readings and major
terms/questions that arise during class time. These exams are NOT cumulative.
NOTE ON PROJECTS: I will provide detailed assignment sheets for each project and will take
time to go over these in class (see schedule). Assignments are due by class, on the date scheduled.
For each day an assignment is late, I will deduct 10% from the grade for that assignment.
FINAL PRESENTATION (10%): Students will be required to give a 3-4 minute presentation at the
end of the semester. Students will be able to choose his/her topic to present on, which can be
focused on one of the completed mini assignments completed during the semester. Detailed
assignment sheet will be available online and discussed in class.
6
CLASS POLICIES:
Part of my job as an instructor is to create a learning environment where all students feel safe,
respected, and able to get the most out of their learning experiences. I promise to treat you with
respect, but also vow to maintain a structured learning environment where student learning is the
top priority. Please keep the following policies in mind to help foster a positive atmosphere in our
class.
BE ON TIME. When you come to class late, it is disruptive to everyone around you. If you cannot
make it to this class on time please drop the course.
ELECTRONIC DEVICES: We will rely heavily on the use of electronic devices in the class. However,
the abuse of said technology will result in you being marked absent for that class period. If
you do not have access to a laptop, net book, tablet, or smart phone you will be grouped with
students who do have access to personal electronic devices. Alternatively, you can now check-out
personal electronic devices (netbooks, etc.) from Halle Library
http://www.emich.edu/library/services/avborrowing.php
BE RESPECTFUL OF THE INSTRUCTOR AND YOUR FELLOW STUDENTS. We will be working
together both in the classroom and on assignments to help develop ideas in a safe and
comfortable learning environment. Respect is, therefore, an incredibly important issue in
developing a sense of community. Refrain from using derogatory terms in ANY manner toward
anyone in the class. Talking out of turn, packing up early, doing work for another class in this
class, frequently exiting/entering the classroom, and/or any other activity that distracts your
instructor and class colleagues also demonstrates a lack of respect. When students exhibit
disrespectful behaviors, I assume they do not want to be in this class and may ask them to leave.
ATTENDANCE POLICY: The official EMU English Department policy states that students who
miss two weeks worth of class (4 classes) should expect to fail that course and should probably
drop (http://www.emich.edu/english/dept-advising-facts.html). Students are expected to attend
class regularly. Participation and discussion take up a large part of class time, so it’s important
you come to class. For each class, you receive credit for positive participation. Therefore, first,
you must be in class to participate, and second, you must also contribute in a positive way (i.e.,
texting, excessive talking, playing on your laptop, or sleeping will result in 0 credit for that day).
Also, if you are absent or late, it is your responsibility to get any notes or information
from a classmate. Please do not email me for notes or topics covered. Please make every
effort to be on time. Do not ask me to repeat information that you missed because you arrived
late. (Likewise, do not email me asking what you missed in class; ask a classmate.) Habitual
tardiness (more than 5 minutes late to two or more classes) will result in a zero participation
grade for each subsequent day you are tardy. Again: If you miss two weeks or more of class,
you should drop rather than earn a poor or failing grade.
DROPPING THE COURSE: If you are no longer able to attend class, please take the time to withdraw
from the course. If you do not drop the course officially by the university drop date, I will assume
that you are still in this class. I will grade you on whatever work you have turned in and all work
not turned in will receive zero points. Please take the few minutes necessary to drop so that you
do not earn a failing grade. Also, it is your responsibility to know the drop dates.
EMAIL ETIQUETTE: I teach a number of classes on campus, many of them duplicates. Therefore, it
is necessary that you let me know either in the subject heading or the body of the email who you
7
are AND which class you are enrolled in with me (indicating the time your class meets is
helpful).
AVAILABILITY/CONFERENCING: If you have ANY concerns about the class, your grade, or an
assignment, please come see me during office hours listed at the front of this syllabus. Please DO
NOT wait until the end of the semester to come see me about your grade. After the first
exam is a GREAT time to meet with me about your grade. You can email me anytime or we can
set up a conference if necessary. You are also welcome to drop by during my office hours. Grades
will ALWAYS be available online so please do NOT email simply to inquire about a score.
PLAGIARISM POLICY:
Plagiarism is a complicated issue: sometimes students plagiarize material because they simply do not
know they are doing so (forgetting to cite paraphrased ideas, for example). Other times, students
consciously plagiarize by downloading an entire paper from the Internet, “borrowing” a paper from a
friend, or by copying from a book or cutting and pasting text from the Internet. Plagiarism will be
handled on a case-by-case basis. I can usually tell if it is accidental or purposeful. If it is an accident,
the student will be allowed to rewrite the paper, if it is done on purpose, the student will receive a 0
on the plagiarized assignment and/or receive a failing grade for this course. Additionally, it may be
necessary to pass the case along to the university for additional disciplinary action.
SUPPORT SERVICES:
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: If you have a documented disability that affects your work in this
(or any other) class, Access Services can provide support for you. Call them, or let me know and I
can help you to call them at 734-487-2470 to make the necessary arrangements to ensure your
success in this course.
THE UNIVERSITY WRITING CENTER (UWC) AND THE ACADEMIC PROJECT CENTER: The
University Writing Center (115 Halle Library; 487-0694) offers one-to-one writing consulting
for both undergraduate and graduate students. Students can make appointments or drop in
between the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
on Fridays. Students should bring a draft of what they’re working on and their assignment sheet.
The UWC opens for the second week of each semester and will be closed during finals week.
The UWC also offers small group workshops on various topics related to writing (e.g.,
Organizing Your Writing; Incorporating Evidence; Revising Your Writing; Conquering
Commas; Using APA or MLA). Workshops are offered at different times in the UWC. Visit the
UWC page (http://www.emich.edu/uwc) to see our workshop calendar. To register for a
workshop, click the link from the UWC page for the type of workshop you wish to attend.
The UWC also has several satellite sites across campus. These satellites provide writing support
to students within the various colleges. For more information about our satellite locations and
hours, visit the UWC web site: http://www.emich.edu/uwc.
The Academic Projects Center (116 Halle Library) also offers one-to-one writing consulting for
students, in addition to consulting on research and technology-related issues. The APC is open
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays for drop-in consultations. Additional information
about the APC can be found at http://www.emich.edu/apc. Students visiting the Academic
Projects Center or any of the satellites of the University Writing Center should also bring with
them a draft of what they’re working on and their assignment sheet.