Place and American Culture

Texts

Dorothy Allison, Cavedweller

Willa Cather, O, Pioneers!

James Dickey, Deliverance

F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

Rick Moody, The Ice Storm

Toni Morrison, Sula

Jayne Anne Phillips, Machine Dreams

Marilynne Robinson, Housekeeping

Leslie Silko, Ceremony

Films

Daughters of the Dust, dir. Julie Dash

One False Move, dir. Carl Franklin

Badlands, dir. Terence Malick

Days of Heaven, dir. Terence Malick

Course Aims

Colloquia in the English Department share a common pedagogical goal: to give first-year students an opportunity for small-classroom learning that emphasizes reading, discussion and writing. We'll seek to develop these skills while exploring the role of locality in selected works of 20th century American literature. Rather than beginning with particular theses about the role of place in our culture (whether defined as landscape, frontier, city, region, et cetera) and seeking to view these novels in light of these ideas, we'll work the other way around. That is, we'll attempt to develop ideas of our own about the role of place in American culture by carefully and self-consciously reading, discussing and writing about these texts and issues.

More so than other courses, colloquia depend on the in-class performance of students for their success. In order for this class to achieve its potential as a useful and exciting experience, you'll need to accept responsibility for your role in determining the course's outcome. What does this mean specifically? Complete the reading on time, of course; but also come to class having reflected on it and prepared to raise specific issues and pose particular questions for discussion that day. Speaking up in class, naturally; but also learning to listen so that when you do speak you can link what you're saying to the ideas of others. Finally, remain open to questioning the ideas of others (including mine!) as well as your own, both in class and in your writing.

Policies and Procedures

Attendance: miss more than six and you No Entry the course.

 

Lateness: attendance will only be taken at the beginning of class. See above.

 

Readings: completed and considered before the class for which they are assigned.

 

Participation: required and rewarded with a higher grade. Quality outweighs quantity. Contributions that build off of, or respond to, the ideas of other students are especially appreciated as they demonstrate an ability to listen and a concern for the group's learning process.

 

Films: available either in Reserve for overnight circulation or in AV on the 4th floor of Mudd for viewing in the library. We'll try to arrange some group screening times. Try also to see the films more than once.

Assignments

Essays: there are three in this course, to be completed in stages with drafts and input from other writers. Due dates are below. The first will be 750-1250 words, the second 1000-1500 words, and the final 1500-2000 words. Papers are due at the beginning of the classes indicated. Late work loses a third of a grade per day.

 

Prep papers: preliminary reflections on the issues to be discussed in class that day, 5 of these are due on any Friday of the semester which you choose, although you must submit 2 of them before Spring Break. These are speculative exercises of about 300-500 words; while they need not reflect your most polished prose, they should reflect energetic thought. They must deal with material to be considered that day, not previous days. None are accepted late. I will give you a single grade for these at the end of the semester.

 

Schedule

Week 1

2/5	Introduction, enrollment, procedures
2/7	Willa Cather, O, Pioneers!, Pt. 1-2
2/9	cont., Pt. 3-5

Week 2

2/14	F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Ch. 1-3
2/16	cont., Ch. 4-6
2/18	cont., Ch. 7-9

Week 3

2/21	Terence Malick, Days of Heaven and Badlands
2/23	cont.;
2/25	cont.;

Week 4

2/28	Draft of Essay #1 Due; in-class writing workshop
3/1	Peer Review
3/3	Final of Essay #1 Due

Week 5

3/6	Marilynne Robinson, Housekeeping, pp. 3-75
3/8	cont., pp.76-142
3/10	cont. pp. 143-219

Week 6

3/13	Leslie Silko, Ceremony, pp. 1-82
3/15	cont., pp. 83-176
3/18	cont., pp. 177-262

Week 7

3/20	Toni Morrison, Sula, 1-85
3/22	cont., 89-137
3/24	cont., 137-174

Week 8 SPRING BREAK

Week 9

4/3	Jayne Anne Phillips, Machine Dreams, pp.1-134
4/5	cont., pp. 135-244
4/7	cont., pp. 245-331

Week 10

4/10	Dorothy Allison, Cavedweller, pp. 1-144
4/12	cont., pp. 145-284
4/14	cont., pp. 285-434

Week 11

4/17	Draft of Essay #2 due; in-class writing workshop
4/19	Peer Review in class
4/21	Final of Essay #2 Due

Week 12

4/24	James Dickey, Deliverance
4/26	cont.
4/28	cont.

Week 13

5/1	Rick Moody, pp. 1-102
5/3	cont., pp. 103-204
5/5	cont., pp. 205-279

Week 14

5/8	Julie Dash, Daughters of the Dust; and Carl Franklin, One False Move
5/10	cont.
5/12	cont.
5/16	Final of Essay #3 due