ENG 210-03
Williams
Fall 2012
TR 11-12:15pm
11:00
Curry 303
cawilli9@uncg.edu
Cara
Office: MHRA 3112 E
Office Hours: TR9:30email:
The Word/Image Wars
Course Overview
The term “adaptation” describes the translation of a text from one form into another. For some
readers, texts lose much in the transition, with adaptations failing to equal their sources’ quality.
However, in a Darwinian sense, adaptation allows organisms to endure environmental shifts. This
alternate view suggests that, in the words of Robert Stam, adaptations “help their source[s] . . .
‘survive’ . . . changing environments and changing tastes . . .” (3).
This class examines the practice of adaptation. Our investigation will move beyond limited
comparisons of “good” originals and “bad adaptations.” Instead, we will focus on the dialogue
between multiple versions of the same story, asking how and why adaptations modify their sources
in a particular manner. We will consider how stories adapt to the aesthetic and commercial demands
of multiple genres—novels, films, comic books, games and music. In the process, we will read some
adaptation theories and study the cultural contexts surrounding the source text and its various
adaptations.
Course Objectives
1. Identify and understand varied characteristics of literature;
2. Apply techniques of literary analysis to texts;
3. Expand existing analysis skills to the study of new genres and mediums
4. Use literary study to develop skills in careful reading and clear writing;
5. Demonstrate understanding of the diverse social and historical contexts in
which literary texts have been written and interpreted.
6. Demonstrate understanding of the dialogues between multiple iterations of
the same text, between genres, between mediums, and between contexts
Attendance Policy
There is no such thing as excused and unexcused absences in this course. Students
are allowed a maximum of three absences without a grade penalty (“absences”
include those related to work, illness, children, court, the IRS, school functions
(including for other courses), mechanical difficulties, community events, and other
disasters both natural and unnatural). A fourth absence will result in a half-letter
grade deducted from the student’s final grade. A fifth absence will result in a wholeletter grade deducted from the final grade. A sixth absence will result in failure of
the course as per English department policy.
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For purposes of verification, student attendance is taken by signing the roll. If you,
as a student, arrive late to class, it is your responsibility to make sure you sign the
roll.
You are, by state law, allowed two excused absences due to religious holidays,
which do not count toward your total allowed three absences. If you plan to miss
class because of your faith, you must notify me in advance of your absence.
Classroom Conduct
This course relies heavily on student participation and collaboration. Students
should be prepared to share their work with other students, read their work aloud if
asked, and help other students through the writing process. It is very important that
each student attends class faithfully and is prepared engage in the day’s lesson.
You, as a student, are expected arrive on time for class with all required materials,
homework, and assignments and behave with attention and respect to both the
instructor and fellow classmates.
Chronic tardiness, failure to bring required materials and homework to class,
unpreparedness, use of cell phones (including text messaging) and mp3
players in class, inappropriate or untimely use of laptops in class, or
disruptive, disrespectful behavior will result in the offending student being
asked to leave the class and receive an absence for the day.
Required Materials
Auster, Paul. City of Glass. New York: Penguin, 1987.
ISBN# 978-0140097313
Carroll, Lewis. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass.
New York:
Bantam Classics, 1984.
ISBN# 978-0553213454
Karasik, Paul, and David Mazzuchelli. City of Glass: The Graphic Novel. New York:
Picador,
2004.
ISBN# 978-0312423605
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein: Or, The Modern Prometheus. New York: Penguin
Classics, 1995.
ISBN# 978-0140433623
Loose-leaf Paper for in class writing assignments and note-taking
A pen or pencil
Regular internet access
A UNCG email account
Films
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Three films will be required for this course. There are DVDs of each film on reserve
for a single-day building release, meaning you can take them home and watch them
but must return them the library within 24 hours. Please make plans to watch the
films in advance of the days we will be discussing them. You may wish to set up a
rotation of viewing parties with your classmates. Please remember to take notes on
the film and watch each film carefully.
Please note that some of these DVDs belong to my personal collection. I would
appreciate if you treat them with care.
Additionally, these films are regularly available at video rental stores and on Netflix
as well as available for rental or viewing at the Greensboro Public Library in
downtown Greensboro.
Assignments and Grading
Individual assignment details and grading policies are posted in Blackboard. Your
final grade will consist of the following:
1. Case Studies ……….……………………....….20%
2. Adaptation Assignment………..……………...20%
3. Group Presentation……………………………20%
4. Research Paper ……………………..…………20%
5. Discussion Board/Participation/Quizzes..……20%
1. Case Studies: Case studies are 500-word discussions or analyses of the different
adaptations we have looked at in class. These are informal writing assignments and
are graded on your grasp of ideas, relationships between texts, and ability to
examine texts closely.
2. Adaptation Assignment: This is a creative assignment in which you will create
an adaptation of your choice from a text we have looked at in class. Perhaps you
want to create a musical piece, a dance routine, a stage set, a diorama, a short story,
a film, a play, a work of art, a comic strip, a book cover, a movie poster, a character
costume, an anime, or some other adapted text; it is your choice. You will
accompany your adaptation with a two-page explanation of your adaptation
detailing why you made the specific choices that you did. You will be graded on
your ability to read closely, consider the demands of different forms, mediums, and
genres, as well as your ability to adapt to a particular context and audience. These
may be electronic, paper, or other formats.
3. Group Presentation: This will consist of a fifteen-minute small-group
presentation (no more than four people) to the class on an adaptation or series of
adaptations we will not discuss in this course. As an example, your group could
present on the Harry Potter book series, adapted to movies, adapted to video
games, and a theme park. What do they have in common? How are they different?
What accounts for those differences? Which do we value most and why? Students
not presenting on that day will be required to write a letter of evaluation to groups
that are presenting on that day.
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4. Research Paper: Similar to your group presentation (you may choose the same
or a different topic), you will choose an adaptation or series of adaptations to
examine, analyze, and argue for value. Remember that in this course, an
adaptation’s fidelity to its source text does not make the adaptation inherently
valuable. You must engage in other considerations. This paper will be five to sixpages in length and may include sources.
5. Reading Quizzes/Discussion Board/Participation: Reading Quizzes will be
given at random and test you on your attention to the details of the text. Questions
will vary between short answer, multiple choice, and true/false. In order to do well
on these quizzes, it is important that you read closely, annotate your texts, and be
able to summarize the reading selections for each class. The Discussion Board
should be a space for you to brainstorm, to think largely and wildly about what you
have read, your impressions, or what you want to do with your assignments. It is a
place for raw ideas, idealism, and free-writing but it also requires that you do
support your ideas on a basic level using evidence from the texts. At times, I will ask
you to respond to specific questions or ideas, but I would like for you to also use this
as a place for thinking, forming, shaping, and collecting ideas about the texts and
your reactions to them. Posts are due before class begins. Late responses (after
the start of class on that day) will not be credited. An “A” is regularly responding
in a thoughtful, considerate manner that advances discussion, provokes questions
and other responses, and considers the readings or research done over the course
of the semester. A “C” is usually responding in thoughtful manner though not
always thought provoking or supported. An “F” is a failure to respond regularly or
being late with your responses or responses that are unproductive, such as “This
was stupid/boring topic,” or “I don’t like this,” other comments that go nowhere, fail
to incite further discussion, or fail to be elaborated on by making references to
assignments or readings. Your Participation grade is calculated based on in-class
writing, informal writing assignments, group work, homework, tardiness,
attentiveness, engagement in class discussions, and productiveness in conferences
or workshops. Additionally, in class work, homework, in and out of class exercises,
reading quizzes, and assignment reflections will be part of this grade.
Late Work: Work is due on the date listed on the calendar by the start of class. Late
work will receive a deduction of one letter grade per day (including weekends and
days we do not have class). Please remember that emails and electronic
submissions are time stamped. Make sure that your assignment is submitted by the
designated time.
Grades will be given by letter scale and be graded according to standards in the
rubric.
Laptops, Blackboard, and Electronic Submission
This class requires you to use Blackboard and your UNCG email regularly. If you
have a laptop, you are encouraged to bring it to class to compose, conduct research,
for electronic copies of readings, to take notes, and to edit digital presentations.
Any student found using instant messaging, social networking sites, email, gaming
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sites or programs, or other internet and computer functions not directly related to
class work will be automatically dismissed from class, receive an absence for the
day, and have his/her participation grade negatively affected.
I reserve the right to revoke the use of laptops in the classroom at any time during
the semester if I feel the privilege is being abused.
I will not take assignments by email. Please print your work and bring it to class.
Academic Integrity Policy
“Academic integrity is founded upon and encompasses the following five values:
honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility. Violations include, for example,
cheating, plagiarism, misuse of academic resources, falsification, and facilitating
academic dishonesty. If knowledge is to be gained and properly evaluated, it must
be pursued under conditions free from dishonesty. Deceit and misrepresentations
are incompatible with the fundamental activity of this academic institution and shall
not be tolerated” (from UNCG’s Academic Integrity Policy). To ensure that you
understand the university’s policy on academic integrity, review the guidelines and
list of violations at <http://academicintegrity.uncg.edu>.
I expect you to abide by the Academic Integrity Policy. Students found plagiarizing,
cheating, falsifying, misusing academic resources, or facilitating academic
dishonesty will not be tolerated in this class and will be subject to disciplinary action
by the Office of the Dean of Students, automatic failure of the assignment, and
possible automatic failure of the course depending on the severity of the violation of
academic integrity and the overall value of the assignment to the final grade.
Disability Services Accommodations
Students with documentation of special needs should arrange to see me about
accommodations as soon as possible. If you believe you could benefit from such
accommodations, you must first register with the Office of Disability Services on
campus before such accommodations can be made. The office is located on the
second floor of the Elliott University Center (EUC) in Suite 215, and the office is open
8am to 5pm, Monday - Friday. Telephone: 334-5440; e-mail: ods@uncg.edu.
Grading Rubric
Thesis and Focus: The essay has a thesis—a single, central point that is
interesting, original, striking and substantial. The central idea is developed in
the essay through well-chosen, appropriate, concrete details and use of
evidence. The writer does not stray from his/her point.
Organization: The essay is organized and well-structured (there is a
beginning, a body, and a conclusion). The essay exhibits a clear strategy for
persuasion and pattern of development (chronological order, spatial order,
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comparison/contrast, etc.). The organization works with the thesis so that the
thesis and the organization contribute to serving the purpose of the
essay. Transitions help the paper flow smoothly. Introductory paragraph(s) is
(are) interesting and appropriate. Concluding paragraph is satisfying.
Development: Assertions, claims, and generalizations are defended using
appropriate evidence. Quotations are explained and connected to the overall
argument. The writer demonstrates his/her ability to evaluate evidence and to avoid
logical fallacies.
Style: Paragraphs are connected and coherent. Each supporting paragraph
has a controlling idea (which may be expressed in a topic sentence). In
supporting paragraphs, topic idea helps further the thesis. The writer uses a
variety of sentence constructions, demonstrates a wide vocabulary, and
makes audience appropriate choices in diction and tone. Writer avoids
jargon and/or offensive language. Writer uses a personal and accessible
voice.
Mechanics: The writer avoids errors in spelling, punctuation (including commas,
semicolons, colons, quotation marks, hyphens), and formatting. Run-on sentences or
fragments are not present.
Course Calendar
DATE
T Aug 21
R Aug 23
T Aug 28
R Aug 30
T Sep 4
R Sep 6
T Sep 11
R Sep 13
T Sep 18
R Sep 20
READINGS
ASSIGNMENTS
“Little Red Riding Hood” by Charles
Perrault and “Little Red Cap” by Jacob
and Wilhelm Grimm (BB)
“Werewolf,” “The Company of Wolves,”
and “Wolf Alice” by Angela Carter (BB)
“I Got This Need” by Jason Mott (BB)
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, p. 1-61
(chapters 1-7)
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, p. 62104 (chapters 8-12)
Through the Looking-Glass, p. 112-161
(chapters 1-4)
Through the Looking-Glass, p. 162-231
(chapters 5-12)
Alice in Wonderland, Disney
Alice in Wonderland, Disney
ENG 210 Syllabus
Case Studies Due on Discussion Board
Adaptation Assignment Due
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T Sep 25
R Sep 27
T Oct 2
R Oct 4
T Oct 9
R Oct 11
T Oct 16
R Oct 18
T Oct 23
R Oct 25
T Oct 30
R Nov 1
T Nov 6
R Nov 8
T Nov 13
R Nov 15
T Nov 20
R Nov 22
T Nov 27
Alice in Wonderland, Dir. Tim Burton
Alice in Wonderland, Dir. Tim Burton
Frankenstein, p. 45-115 (Volume 1)
Frankenstein, p. 116-174 (Volume 2)
Frankenstein, p.174-244 (Volume 3)
Informal presentations on Frankenstein
adaptations case studies
No Class—Fall Break
Case Studies Due on Discussion Board
Case Studies Due on Discussion Board
Group Presentations
Group Presentations
Group Presentations
The Maltese Falcon
The Maltese Falcon
City of Glass, p, 7-53 (chapters 1-3)
City of Glass, p. 54-113 (Chapters 4-8)
City of Glass, p. 115-158 (Chapters 9-10)
City of Glass, p. 159-203 (Chapters 1113)
City of Glass: The Graphic Novel, p. 1-60
No Class—Thanksgiving Holiday
City of Glass: The Graphic Novel, p. 61end.
Final Paper Proposals Due
R Nov 29
Final Papers Due
*** THE INSTRUCTOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE, ALTER, ADD, OR REMOVE
ASSIGNMENTS, IN CLASS WORK, OR TEXTS AS SHE DEEMS NECESSARY.***
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