Monsters: What Are You Afraid Of? 11/12 Honors Seminar: Fall Trimester Ms. Nardi 617-361-0050 x135 tnardi@pacrim.org Essential Questions: Where do monsters come from? How do writers use language to construct monsters? What does the production and consumption of monsters (in text and film) reveal about humans? Course Overview: Throughout history, human beings have created stories about the creatures they fear most. We see them in our novels, our movies and even our dreams. This course will explore why people create fictional monsters. We will answer the question: are these characters really dangerous? To answer this question, we will read about some of the most famous monsters of literature: Dracula, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Frankenstein’s monster. We will try to decide: Do actual monsters exist? What do our fears reveal about us as humans? What would the “monsters” say if they had a voice? Finally, we will explore the question: Are we the creepy monsters in the attic? Beware! This course is not for the faint of heart. Texts: Dracula by Bram Stoker Frankenstein by Mary Shelley The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson Godzilla (film clips) Jurassic Park (film) Excerpts from: On Monsters: “Torturers, Terrorists and Zombies” p. 231-249 Due 8/28 “Medicalization of Monsters” p. 151-153 Due 10/3 “Future Monsters” p. 255-257 Due 10/6 “Criminal Monsters” p. 203-218 Due 10/29 Literary Criticism: “Suddenly Sexual Women in Bram Stoker’s Dracula” by Phyllis A. Roth (p. 411-421 of Norton Critical Edition): Due 9/24 “Dracula’s Backlash” by Bram Dijkstra (p. 460-462): Due 9/24 “Possessing Nature” by Anne K. Mellor: Due 10/14 Major Assessments: Assessment Dracula Essay/Self As Reader Personal Essay Dracula Literary Criticism Dracula/Frankenstein Essay Monsters Final Essay Oral Presentation: The Missing Monologue Length 4-5 pages 250 words 5-7 pages 5-7 pages 2 minutes Due Date 9/17 Draft 1 9/23 Draft 2 9/26 at 2:30pm Points 100 points 100 points 100 points 10/21 (Class)Draft 1 10/28 (2:30) Draft 2 11/19 at 2:45pm 150 points 150 points 300 points 11/19 50 points 1.) Dracula Essay/Self As Reader Personal Essay (4-5 pages) (150 points) This is a metacognitive assignment. You should be observing yourself read the text and describing your experience. Your essay will be in first person, but it will include details from the text, including quotes. It may include: areas of the text where you struggled, and areas that caught your attention, reflections on the pace or place of your reading. It might include thoughts you had about the book as you were reading, connections that you made to the text as you went about your daily routine, and/or connections between this course and another course you are taking. 2.) Dracula Literary Criticism Analysis (250 words) (100 points) For this paper, you are essentially writing an argument about an argument. Choose one of the two pieces of literary criticism. Evaluate the validity of its argument. Answer the question: What is the value of this piece of literary criticism in helping the reader to better understand or appreciate the text? Where does it make strong points? Where does it make weak points? What evidence supports your viewpoint? You should take a clear position in your essay, just like you would in any other analytical essay. Also, please write in third person and use evidence from the Dracula and the article. *Note: For full credit, use Dracula quotes that have not already been used in the critical essay. 3.) Dracula/Frankenstein Essay: Texts in Conversation (5-7 pages) (300 points) What is the relationship between the two texts? What does one reveal about the other or what do both reveal when read together? Choose one point of comparison between the two texts. Examine that point of comparison from all angles. *Note: Be sure that you have chosen ONE point of comparison, and that you have not set yourself up for a three-part thesis/argument. Balance quotes and evidence from both texts. Sample topics: -xenophobia/exploration of outcasts in society (explored in Ch. 14 of On Monsters) -human vulnerability (explored in Ch. 12 of On Monsters) -ambivalence/concern about women’s shifting roles in society -fear of reproduction/expressions of fear over sexuality/sexual desire -books as moral messages about how to function in society -exploring the hybridity (two sides/personality types) inherent in every human/fear of our own worst qualities -explorations of family/ambivalence about parent figures (our creators) -religion/exploration of how these characters challenge faith -celebration of “the hunt” as a form of self-cleansing (if we cleanse society of these monsters, we cleanse ourselves.) 4.) Final Essay (5-7 pages) (300 points) Focus on Essential Question #3 Self-Selected Thesis Question—Final essay must include all three major texts and one of the films we discussed in class. You are strongly encouraged to use the secondary sources that we study (On Monsters, literary criticism). (Note: You may use Essential Question #3 to inspire your own question, but it is much too broad for the scope of this essay.) 5.) Oral Presentation: Missing Monologue (2 minutes) (50 points) This is a creative writing assignment. You will get inside the head of a character from one text or film and speak from their perspective. Please be prepared to hand in a typed copy of your script. Half of your score will be on content and half will be on presentation skills. Printing Policy: All submitted work must be printed and placed directly into Ms. Nardi’s hands. Emailed papers will not be accepted. Seminar Preparation: Please come to seminar with your book annotated. You should bring preliminary assertions/arguments about the text, questions for discussion, areas of confusion and selected passages/quotes to support your thinking. You should also look at the upcoming paper questions and use your notes to help you prepare ideas and evidence for these assignments. Seminar will be graded using the text-based discussion rubric (included in syllabus). Please note: If you are absent, please return the following day with your missing notes and a note from a doctor or parent explaining your absence. Unexcused absences will earn a zero. Late Work Policy: Please get in the habit of turning in your work on time. If you turn in a major assignment late, 10% of the total point value will be deducted for each day late. If a paper is more than 5 days late, no credit will be awarded. Office Hours: Writing assistance will be available every Tuesday in Room 3 from 2:30-3:40. If you need additional assistance you should set up an appointment at a separate time. Book Money: Book money is due at the start of each trimester. Books cost $10/trimester if you have turned in an approved free/reduced lunch form. Books cost $20 if you do not qualify for free/reduced lunch. Formatting: All typed work must be: MLA format 12 point font 1” margins Times New Roman Double-spaced Also: No extra spaces between paragraphs Please include a heading with your name, date, course and assignment Monsters Calendar August 27 August 28 August 29 CW: Intro to Monsters & Notetaking CW: -Pre-writing: What did you notice about the text as you read? What did you notice about yourself as you read? (15 min) College Fair When is someone (or something) called a monster? HW: Dracula Ch. 1 & 2 (Mod. Ch. 2) Due Tomorrow September 1 September 2 September 3 Labor Day Vocab (15 min) What connections do you see between Dracula and “Torturers, Terrorists and Zombies?” (40 min. timed writing) Seminar (45 min) HW: Dracula Ch. p. 7377, 88-93, Ch. 10 & p. 169-173 Due Thursday CW: Seminar on “Torturers, Terrorists, and Zombies” -Seminar (45 min) HW: Dracula Ch. 3&4 due Tuesday HW: Read “Torturers, Terrorists and Zombies” p. 231-249 September 4 September 5 Vocab (15 min) Self As Reader Essay Drafting Seminar (45 min) HW: Dracula Ch. 13-16 (Mod: Ch. 14 & 16 only) Due Monday Computer Lab Reserved on this day. September 8 September 9 September 10 September 11 September 12 CW: Seminar Vocab (15 min) HW: Dracula Ch. 21-24 (Mod: Ch. 22 & Ch. 24) Vocab (15 min) CW: Seminar HW: Dracula Ch. 17-20 (Mod: Ch. 18 & 20 only) Due Wednesday September 15 Vocab (15 min) Self As Reader Essay (45 min) Due Tuesday September 16 Final Seminar Adding on/Revising Self As Reader Essay (45 min) HW: Dracula Ch. 25-27 (p. 374-411) Due Tomorrow Computer Lab Reserved for in-class use Due Friday Peer Response Groups (45 min) HW: Dracula Ch. 25-27 (p. 374-411) HW: Complete first typed draft September 17 September 18 September 19 CW: Typed draft must be turned in by 2:45. It will be graded on the rubric out of 100 points and returned to you Monday in class. The second draft (also graded out of 100 points) is due Tuesday at 3:40. CW: Peer Editing Group CW: Vocab Quiz Unit 21 (15 min) Writing Time (45 min) Self As Reader Essay Due Tuesday At 3:40. HW: Print 3 HW: Revise copies of first and Study for typed draft Vocab Quiz 21 Computer Lab Reserved for in-class use Computer Lab Reserved for inclass use. September 22 CW: -Vocab (15 min) -Final Work on Essay Essay Due at 2:45 tomorrow. Computer Lab Reserved for in-class use September 29 CW: -Vocab (15 min) September 23 CW: Dracula Literary Criticism: “Suddenly Sexual Women” HW: Dracula Literary Criticism 2: “Dracula’s Backlash” September 24 September 25 September 26 CW:In-Class Seminar on Literary Criticism CW: Peer Response Groups on Dracula Literary Criticism CW: -Vocab (15 min) HW: 250 word typed response due tomorrow in class HW: Revise Dracula Literary Criticism Due 9/26 at 2:30pm HW: p. 17-42 Due Monday September 30 HW: Frankenstein 68-89 Due Tomorrow October 1 October 2 October 3 CW: “Medicalizati on of Monsters” p. 151-153 CW: Vocab (15 min) Note: If the college fair is scheduled during class time, then we will discuss p. 90-146 on 10/7. -Seminar Examining Exemplars: Seminar HW: p. 43-67 Due Tomorrow -Start Frankenstein (Ch. 1-4 p. 17-42) (45 min) Reviewing Student Work: HW: Dracula Frankenstein Literary p. 90-115 Due Criticism Friday HW: Frankenstein p. 116-146 Due Tuesday October 6 October 7 October 8 October 9 October 10 CW: Godzilla CW: Vocab (15 min) CW: Pre-Writing: What relationships do you between Frankenstein and Dracula? CW: Vocab (15 min) CW: Drafting Essay Topics and outlining for Frankenstin/ Dracula essay CW: p. 255257 of “Future Monsters” chapter Seminar on Frankenstein and Godzilla (45 min) Seminar (45 min) and/or Drafting Essay Topics for Final Essay HW: Frankenstein p. 147-184 Due Thursday HW: Frankenstein p. 185-213 Due Tuesday -HW: Frankenstein Lit. Criticism (by Anne Mellor) due Thursday and Study for Vocab Quiz 22 Due Thursday 10/16 October 13 October 14 October 15 October 16 October 17 Columbus Day—No School 11th Grade: Only th (12 Grade Field Trip) PSAT Please Note: CW: Vocab Quiz Unit 22 Vocab Final Frankenstein Seminar 12th Grade will do Tuesday’s lesson on this day. Also, if the 11th grade trip is scheduled for Friday, the Anne Mellor seminar will be on this day. CW: Seminar on Frankenstein Literary Criticism (by Anne Mellor) HW: 5-7 page draft of essay due in class on Tuesday (150 points)— deductions if you come to class without printing. October 20 October 21 October 22 October 23 October 24 CW: Dracula/ Frankenstein Essay CW: CW: Vocab (15 min) Vocab (15 min) CW: Dracula / Frankenstein Essay CW: Dracula / Frankenstein Essay Peer-Editing of Essays Peer Editing of Essays HW: Paper Due Tuesday 10/28 at 2:30 HW: Paper Due Tuesday 10/28 at 2:30 October 28 October 29 October 30 October 31 HW: Begin Monster Monologues CW: Vocab (15 min) CW: CW: Vocab (15 min) HW: Drafting— Complete 57 page draft due at the start of CLASS Tuesday— This draft will be assessed on the rubric, scored out of 150 points, and returned to you by 10/27. Computer Lab Reserved for in-class use October 27 CW: Dracula/ Frankenstein Essay Seminar (45 min) HW: Paper Due Tuesday at 2:30pm HW: Start reading Jekyll and Hyde p. 1-21 Due Tomorrow HW: “Criminal Monsters” Essay p. 203-218 Seminar on Criminal Monsters Essay Partner Peer Edit Monster Monologues HW: Complete a 2-page Monster Monologue Peer-Edit Monster Monologues Happy Monsters Day! HW: p. 22-41 Due Tuesday November 3 November 4 November 5 November 6 November 7 Jurassic Park film CW: Vocab (15 min) Jurassic Park Film CW: Vocab (15 min) Review: Outlining Your Argument Jekyll and Hyde Seminar & Post-Writing Drafting Final Essay Questions HW: 2 typed or 3 handwritten pages of prewriting due Tomorrow HW: p. 4164 Due Thursday November 10 No School November 11 No School HW: Bring 3 copies of a typed version of your outline with you on Wednesday Computer Lab Reserved for in-class use Computer Lab Reserved for inclass use November 12 November 13 November 14 Do Now: Vocab (15 min) CW: Continue to draft final essay CW: Vocab Quiz 23 First Draft of Final Essay Draft due Today at 3:40 for teacher feedback Peer Response Groups HW: Draft Essay HW: Study for Vocab Quiz 23 Computer Lab Reserved for in-class use Computer Lab Reserved for inclass use November 17 CW: Vocab (15 min) Final Essay Computer Lab Reserved for in-class use November 18 CW: Final Essay November 19 CW: Vocab (15 min) HW: Final Paper Due Wednesday at 2:45 Final Essay Computer Lab Reserved for in-class use Computer Lab Reserved for in-class use November 20 CW: Monster Monologues November 21 Course Evaluation