ENGLISH 4W
Fantastic Worlds, Identity, and Children in Literature
Instructor: Alethia Shih
Class Time: TR 10 – 11:50 AM
Email: alethiahshih@ucla.edu
Location: MS 7608
Office: Humanities A94
Office Hours: Tuesdays 9 AM – 10 AM, 12 - 1 PM, and by appointment
“With the right words, you can change the world.”
–Charlotte, from E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Before we weave our way through the 100 Acre Woods and wander through Wonderland, we’ll need a
road map. Welcome to English 4W: Fantastic Worlds, Identity, and Children in Literature! This course
will introduce you to new methods of literary analysis designed to strengthen your critical reading and
writing skills. This quarter, we will study texts that come from all over the world, out of this world, across
the eras, and in all types of media (including poetry, prose, drama, and film). Our goal in this class will be
to help you develop the know-how and analytic resources to write successfully at the university level.
Fantasy and Children in Literature
Many works of children’s and young adult literature tell simple stories—but this does not mean they are
simplistic in nature. What seems to be a straightforward narrative often requires plenty of puzzling out
and pauses. In addition to your personal interests as a class, we will critically explore, interrogate, and
analyze some of the following questions this quarter:
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How do the works we read fit into or complicate our ideas about children and children’s literature?
What is the function of fantasy and the fantastic in the worlds we encounter?
What systems of logic, language, and imagination do these texts create? How do they challenge
our existing notions of identity and reason?
In what ways do various adaptations revise or reenvision the meanings of the original texts we
read?
For now, in answer to these questions, we will adopt the wise words of Albus Dumbledore and simply
say…
“Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!”
Or, to put it more plainly, that’s what we’re here to find out.
COURSE POLICIES
Office Hours: You can reach me by email to set up an appointment or with general questions about our
section. Come see me during office hours or a pre-scheduled appointment (made at least 48 hours in
advance) if you would like to discuss paper topics, assignments, or other course-related concerns—I find
that email can be a hassle in these cases, so I’ll ask that we meet in person to make sure we’re both on the
same page. I will respond to all emails within 24 hours (excluding weekends), but be advised that I will
not respond to emails about papers 48 hours before a paper deadline.
While office hours are not mandatory, I highly recommend you try to meet with me at least twice during
the course of the quarter. I also encourage you to come see me well in advance of your assignment
deadlines, especially during paper proposal weeks (Weeks 5 and 8). If office hours get too crowded, I will
limit sessions to 15 minutes per student, so make sure you come in with a clear idea of what you want to
discuss and what you would like to get out of the discussion.
Class Website: You can access the class website at www.ccle.ucla.edu. I will update the website with
secondary readings and other helpful information that will hopefully make your journey through this class
an accessible one. Make sure you check your email regularly for updates about assignments and classrelated announcements in general.
Class Blog: While the CCLE website will be useful for class updates, you will do your majority of online
interaction on our class blog: www.crustimoneyproseedcake.wordpress.com. Your six replies throughout
the quarter will make up 10% of your overall grade. See “Blog Posts” under the Grade Breakdown section
of this syllabus for details.
Classroom Etiquette: Section should be an interactive but respectful space. On this note, make sure you:
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Are on time for class.
Attend every class, and/or notify me at least 24 hours in advance if you must be absent.
Keep your phones on silent or turned off, and tucked away during section.
Do not open unrelated browsers or programs if you plan on using your laptop to take notes.
Plagiarism Policy: Don’t do it! Cheating, copying, and any form of academic dishonesty will not be
tolerated, and will be reported immediately to the Dean’s office. This includes but is not limited to:
copying parts or all of someone else’s content (including Wikipedia, blogs, and other online sources) and
failure to properly cite outside sources, even if you’re only using a small idea from them.
If you have further questions about what plagiarism entails, please feel free to ask me or refer to the
UCLA Student Guide to Academic Integrity (available online).
READING LIST (BIBLIOGRAPHY)
For editions with specified publishers and ISBN’s, please make sure you purchase the indicated version.
All online sources (or links to them) will be posted on the course CCLE site.
1. Barrie, J.M. Peter Pan and Other Plays. Edited by Peter Hollindale. Oxford: Oxford University
Press, 1995. Course Reader Available in UCLA Student Store (if you cannot purchase this
copy).
2. Carroll, Lewis. Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. New York: Penguin
Classics, 2003. (ISBN: 0141439769)
3. Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games (Book 1). New York: Scholastic, 2010. (ISBN:
9780439023528)
4. Dahl, Roald. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. New York: Puffin Books, 2007. (ISBN:
0142410314)
5. Lowry, Lois. The Giver. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014. (ISBN: 0544336267)
6. Milne, A.A. Winnie-the-Pooh. New York: Puffin Modern Classics, 2005. (ISBN: 0142404675)
7. White, E.B. Stuart Little. New York: Harper, 2006. (ISBN: 0064400565)
Short stories and poems available online or through CCLE (subject to change):
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Hans Christen Anderson (select stories).
Lear, Edward. “The Owl and the Pussycat.”
Milne, A.A. “Teddy Bear.”
Sandburg, Carl. The Rootabaga Stories.
Silverstein, Shel (select poems from Where the Sidewalk Ends, Falling Up, A Light in the Attic).
The Tenth Rasa: An Anthology of Indian Nonsense. ed. Michael Heyman.
Wilde, Oscar. The Happy Prince and Other Fairy Tales
Other miscellaneous secondary works
GRADE BREAKDOWN AND ASSIGNMENTS
“You can't stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them
sometimes.” - Winnie the Pooh, a.k.a. Edward Bear
In-Class Participation and Presentation: 25%
Blog Posts: 10%
Annotated Text Assignment: 5%
Paper 1: Close Reading Assignment: 10%
Paper 2: 20%
Final Paper: 30%
In-Class Participation & Presentation (25%):
Participation in both small groups and as an entire class will make up a substantial portion of your class
grade (about 15%). Come prepared with thoughts and concerns—mark up your books, take notes—but
also be ready to jump into a discussion topic that you may not have thought about before entering the
classroom. Most importantly, though, this class is yours—ask questions, puzzle out problems aloud, and
make it a welcoming space by always respecting others. Remember that we are all in the same boat for
the next ten weeks and that a good section requires meeting each other halfway.
Class Presentation: As the remaining ~10% of your in-class grade, you will be required to sign up
(during our first class) to lead a 20 to 25-minute group presentation on one of the texts/authors we will
read. Your presentation should include useful biographical, historical, publication, and/or other relevant
information that will help guide class discussion about the text. The format of your presentation is very
open-ended. You will be graded on your ability to present thoughtful research as a group and
engage the class in a discussion/activity related to your presentation/text. In addition, you will also
need to submit a group copy of your presentation outline to me 24 hours before your presentation
day. Please come see me during office hours with any questions or ideas about your presentation!
Blog Posts (10%):
Every Friday, I will post an article, link, passage, or other media relevant to our course themes on our
class blog (www.crustimoneyproseedcake.wordpress.com). You must respond to, engage with, or ask
questions of at least six blog posts (250-300 words per response). The post to which you respond must
also be the most recent one on the blog—once a new post has been published, the older posts will no
longer be open for credit. (You can still respond to them for fun, though!) To make sure you receive full
credit, try to space out your responses and check the class blog frequently for updates. You can also sign
up for email updates so you don’t miss any blog posts.
{Thursday, April 9} Annotated Text Assignment (5%)
For this assignment, you will need a printed copy of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass.
In your text, make a minimum of 50 annotations per book (for a total of 100) as you read. Acceptable
annotations may include: critical questions you wish to explore; recurring themes/images; significant
moments for close reading; and other literary observations about the text. You will be graded on the
thoroughness of your annotations. You must have at least one annotation per chapter.
You may write directly in your book (using pen or pencil) or on post-it notes. You will turn in your copy
of the text in class on Thursday (4/9). I will grade all annotations immediately after class so that you can
pick up your books between 12:30-2 PM on the same day.
{Thursday, April 16} Paper 1: Close Reading Assignment (10%)
Using one of the short texts we have already read, develop an argumentative close reading (650 to 950
words in length) that focuses on specific literary elements or techniques in the work. You may use an
entire poem for your close reading. If you are focusing on a prose story, analyze no more than two
passages (come see me if you have questions about your selection length). Remember, this essay is about
being specific rather than overly general in your analysis. More information about this assignment will be
distributed in class.
Suggested time to visit office hours with ideas for this assignment: Week 2
{Thursday, May 7} Paper 2 (20%)
This assignment will be an analytic paper (1625 to 1950 words in length) on one of the following
authors: Carroll, Barrie, Milne, or White. There will be no assigned topic for this paper. Instead, you will
be responsible for creating your own topic, thesis, and argument, to be submitted during Week 5 in class
(Thursday, 4/30) as a paper proposal. (I will pass out a paper proposal handout during Week 4 to help
guide your ideas before you turn them in.) You must receive instructor approval for your topic before you
begin writing, so please come see me during office hours. We will spend some class time workshopping
proposals in groups. You will also be given the option to turn in a revised version of your paper on
Tuesday, May 19 for the opportunity to improve your original paper grade.
Suggested time to visit office hours with ideas for this paper: Weeks 3 and 4
{Thursday, June 4} Final Paper (30%)
This assignment will be an analytic paper (2275 to 2600 words in length) on any single novel or story we
have studied this quarter, and on which you have not already written a paper. Again, there will be no
assigned topic for this paper: you will be responsible for creating your own topic and thesis, and you must
receive instructor approval for your topic before you begin writing. For this paper, you will need to
submit a paper proposal (Thursday, May 21) as well as a paper outline (Thursday, May 28). I will
pass out a paper proposal handout and paper outline instructions during Week 6 and 7 to help guide your
ideas before you turn them in. We will spend some class time workshopping proposals/outlines in groups.
Suggested time to visit office hours with ideas for this paper: Weeks 6, 7, and 8
About Your Papers:
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All papers must be submitted in hard copy at the beginning of the class.
In addition, all papers must be submitted on the same due date by 11:59 PM to Turnitin.com.
You can access Turnitin.com for this class through your MyUCLA account.
If you submit your paper late, one-third of a letter grade will be deducted for each late day. Papers
will not be accepted more than four working days after the deadline.
Extensions: In cases of sudden family emergencies or extreme illness, you may request a paper
extension. Extensions will not be granted to accommodate other classwork or extracurriculars, so
please plan your time accordingly. Be advised that extensions due to illness will require a signed
doctor’s note upon student’s return to class.
Paper Format:
1. Papers must be typed, double-spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman font, with 1-inch margins.
2. Include your name, student ID, instructor name, class, and the date on the first page. Also label
the upper right-hand corner with your last name and page number (e.g. Name 1, Name 2, etc.).
3. Provide a list of “Works Cited” on a new page stapled at the end of your essay. Don’t forget to
correctly cite the texts you are using with the page numbers in parentheses. (For MLA citation
guidelines and examples, visit http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/.)
A Few Tips for Paper-Writing Success:
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We want you to argue. Establish a thesis statement that addresses what you will argue, how you
will argue it (i.e. the evidence you will analyze), and why your argument reveals something
unexpected or significant to our understanding of the passage/text.
Be specific. Concision counts. Make sure you ground all of your observations or analysis in the
literary text. Avoid general statements about “all of mankind” or claims about how an author
“uses diction.” Make sure your vocabulary precisely reflects the ideas you want to express.
Read it over and revise once. Twice. Maybe three or forty times, if you like. Although this
class is pretty fast-paced, it is important to start thinking about ideas early on so you can start
outlining or discussing ideas during office hours. Give yourself room to check your writing for
clarity, a well-developed argument, and ideas supported by an analysis of evidence from the text.
Organize your thoughts. Make sure to include framing statements at the beginning of each
paragraph that offer your reader a preview of your argument/analysis. Also double-check that the
ideas in each paragraph clearly develop the claim you make in your thesis statement.
Finally, an inspirational word from a familiar children’s writer, Dr. Seuss:
And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)
KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!
So...be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,
You're off the Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So...get on your way!
WEEKLY READING SCHEDULE
Readings and assignments are listed under the week in which they will be discussed/due in class (e.g. you
will be expected to have read the assignments under week 1 in preparation for week 1).
WEEK 1: “Not So Happily Ever After”—Fairy Tales and Fantasy
Tuesday, March 31:
Introduction to 4W
Thursday, April 2:
“The Happy Prince” and other fairy tales, Oscar Wilde (online)
Select stories from Hans Christen Anderson (online) (continued)
WEEK 2: “We’re All Mad Here”—The Victorian Literary Nonsense Tradition
Tuesday, April 7:
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll
Thursday, April 9:
Through the Looking-Glass, Lewis Carroll
Assignment: Turn in your annotated text for Alice in Wonderland
WEEK 3: “The Second Star to the Right”—Adapted for the Script, Stage, and Screen
Tuesday, April 14:
Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie (Introduction, Note on the Text; Acts 1, 2, and 3)
Thursday, April 16:
Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie (Acts 4 and 5)
Evening Film Screening: Finding Neverland (Time/Location TBA)
Assignment: Paper 1 (Close Reading) Due in Class
WEEK 4: “A Bear of Very Little Brain”—Thought and Identity in The 100 Acre Wood
Tuesday, April 21:
Winnie-the-Pooh, A.A. Milne (Ch. 1-5)
“Teddy Bear,” A.A. Milne (online)
Thursday, April 23:
Winnie-the-Pooh, A.A. Milne (Ch.6-10)
In-Class Paper Workshop
WEEK 5: Very Much Like a Mouse”—Scale, Size, and the Fantastic in Miniature
Tuesday, April 28:
Stuart Little, E.B. White (Ch.1-9)
Thursday, April 30:
Stuart Little, E.B. White (Ch.10-15)
Assignment: Paper 2 Proposal Due in Class
WEEK 6:
Tuesday, May 5:
“Never, Never Doubt”—Extreme, Eccentric, and Edible Fantasies
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl (Ch. 1-16)
Thursday, May 7:
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl (Ch. 17-30)
Assignment: Paper 2 Due in Class
WEEK 7: Introduction to Dystopian Worlds in YA Fiction
Tuesday, May 12:
The Giver, Lois Lowry (Introduction, Ch.1-12)
Thursday, May 14:
The Giver, Lois Lowry (Ch.13-23)
WEEK 8: Dystopian Worlds in YA Fiction (continued)
Tuesday, May 19:
The Giver (continued)
Assignment: Paper 2 Revision (Optional) Due in Class
Thursday, May 21:
The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins (Part I: “The Tributes”)
In-Class Paper Workshop
Assignment: Final Paper Proposal Due in Class
WEEK 9: Dystopian Worlds and Identity in YA Fiction
Tuesday, May 26:
The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins (Part II: “The Games”)
Thursday, May 28:
The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins (Part III: “The Victor”)
In-Class Paper Workshop
Assignment: Final Paper Outline Due in Class
WEEK 10: Conclusions and Beginnings
Tuesday, June 2:
In-Class Film Screening: The Hunger Games
Thursday, June 4:
In-Class Film Screening: The Hunger Games continued
Potluck and Conclusion to English 4W
Assignment: Final Paper Due in Class