Oberlin College	Dr. Shilpa Davé
English 185	Office: Wilder 105
Spring 1999	Office Hours: W: 1-3 pm and
TTh 11:00-12:15	by appointment
King 335	Phone: 775-8802
	E-mail: pdave@oberlin.edu

English 185: Alienation, Isolation, and Difference in Literary Studies

In this course we will discuss how we characterize the many meanings of the term "alien." Whether it be as a monster from a science fiction movie, or an immigrant to America, or a new college student, our ideas about the strange and the foreign are also a reflection of our own self identity. How does our understanding and idea of what is alien affect our own identity as an individual, community, and nation? We will address these questions as we study a variety of literary and cultural works that span from Edgar Allan Poe to Ginu Kamani to Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye to Joy Kogawa's Obasan to Art Spiegelman's Maus and films such as "Aliens," and "Men In Black." Students will be expected to participate in class discussion, write essays and short assignments, and take a final exam.

REQUIRED TEXTS:

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Obasan by Joy Kogawa

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

Maus by Art Spiegelman

ALIENS

MEN IN BLACK

Selections from coursepack

Week 1:	T 2-9	Introductions and course goals.
	Th 2-11	Discuss literary analysis
		a) selections from The Color of Water by James McBride
		b) "Ciphers" by Ginu Kamini
Week 2:	T 2-16	Technology and reading
		a) "Ciphers" by Ginu Kamini and chatroom experience
		b) "The Tell Tale Heart" and "William Wilson" by Poe CP (coursepack)
	Th 2-18	"The Hollywood Sign" CP
		STAR TREK: "The Enemy Within"
		1-2 page analysis DUE IN CLASS
Week 3:	T 2-23	a) The Yellow Wallpaper
		b) excerpts from Writing and Style. CP
		c) PAPER 1 TOPICS
	Th 2-25	The Yellow Wallpaper
		a)Sign up for the workshop/presentation
		MOCK WORKSHOP
		1 page feedback and analysis due in class
Week 4:	T 3-2	"The Achievement of Desire" CP
		"What Makes Superman So Darned American" CP
		"A Good Man is Hard to Find" CP
	Th 3-4	PAPER 1 DUE IN CLASS
		WORKSHOPS FOR GROUP ONE DUE
		"Men in Black" excerpts
		Discussion of "Men In Black"
Week 5:	T 3-9	WORKSHOPS
		1 page feedback for each paper due for every workshop
	Th 3-11	The Bluest Eye--presentation
		WORKSHOPS FOR GROUP TWO DUE
Week 6:	T 3-16	The Bluest Eye
		WORKSHOPS
	Th 3-18	STUDENT CONFERENCES
Week 7:	T 3-23	SPRING BREAK
	Th 3-25	SPRING BREAK
Week 8:	T 3-30	Excerpts from A Different Mirror CP
		Read Obasan
	Th 4-1	CONFERENCE--NO CLASS
Week 9:	T 4-6	Obasan
		1-2 page analysis due
	Th 4-8	Obasan
		WORKSHOP PAPERS FOR GROUP THREE DUE
Week 10	T 4-13	WORKSHOPS
	Th 4-15	WORKSHOPS
Week 11:	T 4-20	"Shooting An Elephant"
		"Skin Deep"
		excerpts from "Aliens"
		1-2 page analysis due in class
	Th 4-22	Introduction to Maus
		Reading TBA
Week 12:	T 4-27	Media and Maus
		WORKSHOP PAPERS FOR GROUP FOUR DUE
		PAPER 2 DUE
	Th 4-29	Maus
Week 13:	T 5-4	WORKSHOPS
	Th 5-6	WORKSHOPS
Week 14:	T 5-11	Screening of Maya Lin's work
	Th 5-13	Review for the final exam

SATURDAY, MAY 15-- TUESDAY, MAY 18--READING PERIOD

WEDNESDAY, MAY 19-- SUNDAY, MAY 23--FINALS WEEK

Course Expectations and Grading:

Three 4-6 page typed essays, one of which will be discussed in a class workshop. These essays, as all assignments handed in, should be typed or word processed, double-spaced, proofread, (especially spelling and typos,) and numbered by page. Save a tree--don't use a title page.

Student Essays will be due at the beginning of the class period. Late papers will be marked a full grade lower and will not be accepted 3 days after the due date.

Class Assignments will include a one-page typed critique of each student essay discussed in class (about 16), questions about class readings, as well as miscellaneous writing exercises.

The success of this class depends upon your effort and participation so it is critical that you attend class. Attendance will be a part of your overall class grade. MORE THAN 2 ABSENCES (special circumstances will be considered) will affect your final evaluation.

Three 5-7 page papers
Workshop paper	15%
Revision of workshop paper	20%
Paper of your choice	15%
One Final Exam	15%
Written class assignments:
Workshop analysis	15%
Other assignments	10 %
Class participation	10%

Extra credit: If you go to a lecture, performance, or related outside activity and write a one page journal of how it relates to discussions or subject material in our class you can receive extra credit for up to two extra activities. This credit would be added to your class participation .

Electronic Chatroom activity:

We will be participating in an electronic chatroom involving students and faculty from campuses in the MidWest, Northeast, and East coast during the first two weeks of classes. The selection from Ginu Kamini will be the starting point of the discussion.

The URL address to participate is: http://chnm.gmu.edu/eoc/EP/

You will also need to register for a password. Once our enrollment is finalized, I will submit all your names and you will be given individual passwords.