Banned Books and Novel Ideas
Course Syllabus
Spring 1998
Class location: VUCA 1416
Meeting time: MWF 4:10-5:00 p.m.
Dr. Elizabeth Burow-Flak, instructor
Office: Huegli 222A
Office hours: T Th 11:45 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. and by appointment
Office telephone: 464-6918
e-mail address: betsy.burow@valpo.edu
Plato, The Trial and Death of Socrates
Hellman, The Children's Hour
Brecht, Galileo
Zhang, Grass Soup
Puig, Kiss of the Spider Woman
Rushdie, Haroun and the Sea of Stories
Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Packet of readings available from the main desk in Huegli Hall
If you do not already have an e-mail account that you check regularly, I would suggest that you open one with Electronic Information Services (EIS) in Schnabel Hall.
Because much of our interpretive activity will occur in class, the first assignment of this seminar, next to the assigned readings, is regular attendance and participation in class.
Writing is also an important interpretive activity; to that end, you will write a 5-page literary analysis during the first half of the semester, a 7-page literary analysis enhanced by research during the second half of the semester, a final 3-page paper on a censorship controversy that is not on the syllabus, and a series of 2-page responses to the reading throughout the semester.
Because review and revision enhance the writing and interpretive process, for the first two papers, you will critique a classmate's paper and have that classmate critique yours, and you will be expected to revise those papers with your classmate's comments in mind. You will also be required to read or otherwise present your smaller writings to the class and/or post them on a class WWW message forum.
In addition, you will exercise your writing and interpretive skills in a midterm and a final exam. Occasional quizzes will test your knowledge if the readings and material we cover in class, and should reward you for keeping up with the reading schedule.
Small-group presentations of background material for some of the readings will enhance both the classroom experience and your understanding of the materials that we study. Participation in the class message forum or networked (InterChange) discussion, finally, should allow an additional medium for written discussion in addition to our face-to-face undertakings in the classroom.
W1/7 Introductions/ introduction to course.
F1/9 Introductions/ introduction to course.
M1/12 Plato, Euthyphro and Apology. Introduction to self due on class message forum by the end of the day.
W1/14 Plato, Crito and Phaedo.
F1/16 Stone, The Trial of Socrates (packet).
M NO CLASS: MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY
W1/21 Finocchario, The Galileo Affair (packet).
F 1/23 Finocchario, The Galileo Affair (packet).
M1/26 Hellman, The Children's Hour (read entire play).
W1/28 Hellman, The Children's Hour; packet readings on McCarthy era.
F1/30 Packet readings on McCarthy era--possible documentary footage, Seeing Red.
This week: film showing, The Front. Probable film time: Thursday, 1/29, 7-9 p.m. Place/ particulars to be announced.
M2/2 Continued discussion, Hellman/ Brecht/ McCarthyism. Come prepared to read 2-page response to the reading to the class. (I will assign possible questions as class progresses.) Posting of response due on class message forum by the end of the day.
W2/4 Brecht, Galileo, scenes 1-8.
F 2/6 Brecht, Galileo, scenes 9-end.
M2/9 Zhang, Grass Soup , pp 1-101. Group one begins class.
W2/11 Selected packet readings on China and continued discussion of Zhang.
F 2/13 Zhang, Grass Soup, pp 102-end. Class discussion via InterChange (networked) discussion; class meets in Schnabel 34.
M 2/16 Puig, Kiss of the Spider Woman, pp 1-112. Group two begins class.
W2/18 Draft of literary analysis due; bring a copy to exchange with a classmate. No additional reading assigned.
F 2/20 Puig, Kiss of the Spider Woman, pp 113-219. Class discussion via InterChange; class meets in Schnabel 34.
M2/23 Puig, Kiss of the Spider Woman, pp 220-end; packet readings on Puig and Argentina.
W2/25 Final version of literary analysis due. No additional reading assigned. Possible film footage on Puig.
F 2/27 Midterm exam.
M 3/2 - F 3/13 NO CLASS - SPRING BREAK
M 3/16 Writing practicum; looking ahead to final presentations; packet readings on South Africa.
W 3/18 Packet readings on South Africa.
F 3/20 Packet readings on South Africa.
M 3/23 Rushdie, Haroun and the Sea of Stories, pp 1-110. Small group three begins class.
W 3/25 Rushdie, Haroun and the Sea of Stories, continued; packet readings on Rushdie.
F 3/27 Rushdie, Haroun and the Sea of Stories; pp 113-211. Class discussion via InterChange; class meets in Schnabel 34
M 3/30 Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet; read acts 1-3. Small group four begins class.
W 4/1 Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet; read acts 4-5.
F 4/3 Shakespeare, continued. 2-page response to the reading due on message forum.
This week: film showing, Luhrmann Romeo + Juliet. Probable film time: Thursday, 4/2, 7-9 p.m. Place/ particulars to be announced.
M 4/6 Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, pp 1-100. Small group 5 begins class.
W 4/8 Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, pp 100-177.
F 4/10 NO CLASS - GOOD FRIDAY
M 4/13 NO CLASS--but first draft of paper 2 due. Bring a copy to our classroom (regular time/ regular place) and exchange it with a classmate (or, make similar arrangements ahead of time).
W 4/15 Angelou, pp 177-end. Class discussion via InterChange; class meets in Schnabel 34.
F 4/17 Packet readings on high school censorship. Peer response due.
M4/20 Internet newsgroup scavenger hunt; class meets in Schnabel 35. Final version, paper 2 due.
W 4/22 Time article on cyberporn/ Carnegie-Mellon study/ Communications Decency Act. Group 6 begins class.
F 4/24 Dibbel, A Rape in Cyberspace and Stone, Violation and Virtuality".
M 4/27 Presentations, censorship controversies. 2-page response to the reading due by the end of the day on message forum.
W4/29 Presentations, censorship controversies.
F 5/1 Presentations, censorship controversies.
M 5/4 Presentations. Final version, paper 3 due in paper format and on class message forum.
Final exam: Tuesday, May 12, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Attendance/ participation. As the course description states, your presence and participation in class is essential. For this reason, attendance required. Missing class more than four times, unexcused, may result in me contacting the Vice President for Student Affairs on your behalf, and missing class more than five times can jeopardize your credit for the course. Excused absences include funerals, documented medical emergencies, and occasionally, unavoidable conflicts (such as required field trips for another course). Advising appointments, routine doctors' appointments, extracurricular activities, and travel plans do not count as excused absences.
If you know ahead of time that you will be missing class, however, please let me know, even if that absence is not excused. There will be no make-up for peer responses on the days that you miss.
Grades. Assignments will be weighted as follows:
literary analysis (paper 1): 19% of grade
researched literary analysis (paper 2): 24% of grade
censorship controversy paper (paper 3): 7% of grade
message forum postings (responses to the reading--
3 2-page postings) 12% of grade
midterm exam 12% of grade
final exam 12% of grade
presentations 8% of grade
(4% for final presentation; 4% for group
presentation--
all group members receive the same grade)
quizzes and peer responses 7% of grade
(quizzes and peer responses count equally)
Due dates--final papers. Unless otherwise noted, final versions of papers are due by classtime on the days marked on your reading schedule. I will accept late papers for three class days after they're due, but will mark them down 5 points (e.g. from an 82 to a 77) for every class day past the due date.
Due dates--drafts and peer critiques. Unless otherwise noted, peer critiques of papers are due by classtime on the days marked on your reading schedule. Please be considerate of your classmates by turning drafts and peer responses in on time. If your draft is not ready the day it is due, you forfeit the chance to write a peer critique, and to have your paper reviewed. If you do not have a peer critique ready on time after you have committed to writing one, you jeopardize your grade on the peer critique assignment.
Backup copies. Always make backup copies of your computer files and of all work that you hand in.
Scholastic Responsibility. As a student at Valparaiso University, you are bound by the Honor Code that you signed as part of the admission process. The honor code includes avoiding inadequately attributing sources that you quote or paraphrase. Ask before papers and assignments are due if you are unsure of what constitutes unauthorized aid.
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