Syllabus
English 4665/5665: American Literature from 1920-Present, Fall 2017
TR 3:30-4:45PM, Arts & Sciences 345
Professor
Dr. Alex E. Blazer
478.445.0964
Office Hours: TR 12:30-1:30 p.m. and 5:00-5:30 p.m., Arts & Sciences 330
The undergraduate course catalog and graduate course catalog describe English 4665/5665 as "A study of selected American works from 1920 to the present, emphasizing literary modernism and post-modernism."
This course's Academic Assessment page, describes our topics:
- 20th-century aesthetics, such as modernism, expressionism and/or post-modernism;
- 20th-century philosophical and ideological perspectives, such as Marxism and feminism;
- 20th-century American literary movements and groups, such as the Modernists and Imagism, the Fugitives and New Criticism, the Harlem Renaissance and the Beats;
- Key texts by significant, representative 20th-century American writers, such as Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, John Steinbeck, Ralph Ellison, Joseph Heller and Toni Morrison.
as well as course outcomes:
- Distinguish the ideologies and aesthetics that have shaped fiction in the twentieth century;
- Evaluate the literary significance of certain representative writers of American fiction in the 20th century, as well as certain influential texts;
- Articulate written critical argument that requires analytical close reading of modern fiction.
In past semesters, this course has been taught alternately as a modernism/postmodern survey course, a modernism period course, a postwar literature course, and a postmodernism period course. This section will examine American literature from 1965-1995, postmodernism. Undergraduate students will compose response papers, a close reading paper, a comparison/contrast paper, a research paper, and an essay exam; graduate students will write a comparison/contrast paper, a book review, and a research paper, as well as teach a class.
This course fulfills the Historical Groups 2 area in the major program for a B.A. in English, Literature Concentration, and one of three upper-division literature courses in the major program for a B.A. in English, Creative Writing Concentration. For the M.A. in English, this course fulfills one of the Major Area Courses requirements. For the M.F.A. in Creative Writing, this course fulfills one of the non-M.F.A. 5000-6000 level courses. This course's undergraduate prerequisite is sophomore status.
required (Amazon or GCSU Bookstore)
Acker, Blood and Guts in High School
Ashbery, Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror
Hejinian, My Life and My Life in the Nineties
Morrison, Beloved
Pynchon, V.
Reed, Mumbo Jumbo
Wolfe, The Colored Museum
recommended (Amazon)
Fornes, Plays
Grant, A Companion to V.
Shepard, Fool for Love and Other Plays
Shepard, Seven Plays
required (GeorgiaVIEW)
Assignments and Grade Distribution
4665 Undergraduate Students
response, 5%
You will summarize and respond to a section of V. in a 3-4 page informal essay and 5 minute informal presentation that broaches issues for class discussion.
close reading paper and presentation, 15%
You will pair up to write, collaboratively, a 5-6 page close reading paper and 7-10 minute presentation analyzing a key passage in a single work of literature.
comparison/contrast paper, 20%
You will write a 6-8 page paper comparing and contrasting two works of literature.
research paper, 30%
You will write an 8-10 page research paper exploring a key issue or theme in a single work of literature or across two or three works of literature.
final exam, 30%
You will write a 8-10 page take home exam comparing and contrasting ideas and issues in the work of postpostmodernist authors. Here's how to calculate your final grade.
5665 Graduate Students
annotated bibliography and presentation, 15%
You will sign up to compile an annotated bibliography of an assigned literary work and teach the class.
book review, 25%
In an 8-10 page paper, you will summarize and evaluate, appreciate and interrogate, a book of contemporary American literature criticism.
comparison/contrast paper, 25%
In an 8-10 page paper, you will read another work by an author we've read in class and then compare and contrast a recurrent issue or theme in order to determine the author's world view.
research paper, 35%
You will write a 12-15 page research paper on either an individual literary work or an issue in postpostmodern literature and present your work-in-progress paper to the class. Here's how to calculate your final grade.
Technology
We will use the course site for the syllabus schedule and assignment prompts; supporting documents include an attendance record, a course grade calculation spreadsheet, FAQ, a GeorgiaVIEW walkthrough, a guide to literary analysis, a research methods guide, and paper templates. We will use GeorgiaVIEW for assignment submission and the course packet; if you experience problems with GeorgiaVIEW, immediately contact support. Check your university email for course-related messages. Use an online backup or cloud storage service to not only save but also archive versions of your work in case of personal computer calamities.
Attendance
Because this liberal arts course values contemporaneous discussion over fixed lecture, regular attendance is required. Any student who misses seven or more classes for any reason (excused or unexcused) will fail the course. There will be a one letter final grade deduction for every unexcused absence beyond three. I suggest you use your three days both cautiously and wisely; and make sure you sign the attendance sheets. Habitual tardies, consistently leaving class early, texting, and surfing the internet will be treated as absences. Unexcused absences include work, family obligations, and scheduled doctor's appointments. Excused absences include family emergency, medical emergency, religious observance, and participation in a college-sponsored activity. If you have a medical condition or an extracurricular activity that you anticipate will cause you to miss more than four days of class, I suggest you drop this section or risk failure. The university class attendance policy can be found here. You can check your attendance here.
MLA Style and Length Requirements
Part of writing in a discipline is adhering to the field's style guide. While other disciplines use APA or Chicago style, literature and composition follows MLA style. In-class exams, discussion board responses, informal/journal writing, and peer review may be informally formatted; however, formal assignments and take-home exams must employ MLA style. One-third of a letter grade will be deducted from a formal paper or take-home exam for problems in each of the following three categories, for a possible one letter grade deduction total: 1) margins, header, and heading, 2) font, font size, and line-spacing, and 3) quotation and citation format. A formal paper or take-home exam will be penalized one-third of a letter grade if it does not end at least halfway down on the minimum page length (not including Works Cited page) while implementing 12 pt Times New Roman font, double-spacing, and 1" margins. Each additional page short of the minimum requirement will result in an a additional one-third letter grade penalty. It is your responsibility to learn how to control your word-processing program. Before you turn in a formal paper, make sure your work follows MLA style by referring to the FAQ handout and using the MLA style checklist. Feel free to use these templates that are preformatted to MLA style.
Late Assignments
We're all busy with multiple classes and commitments, and adhering to deadlines is critical for the smooth running of the course. There will be a one letter assignment grade deduction per day (not class period) for any assignment that is turned in late. I give short extensions if you request one for a valid need at least one day before the assignment is due. I will inform you via email if I cannot open an electronically submitted assignment; however, your assignment will be considered late until you submit it in a file I can open. Because your completion of this course's major learning outcomes depends on the completion of pertinent assignments, failing to submit an assignment that is worth 15% or more of the course grade within a five days of its due date will result in failure of the course. Failing to submit a final exam or final paper within two days of its due date will result in failure of the course.
Academic Honesty
The integrity of students and their written and oral work is a critical component of the academic process. The Honor Code defines plagiarism as "presenting as one's own work the words or ideas of an author or fellow student. Students should document quotes through quotation marks and footnotes or other accepted citation methods. Ignorance of these rules concerning plagiarism is not an excuse. When in doubt, students should seek clarification from the professor who made the assignment." The Undergraduate Catalog defines academic dishonesty as "Plagiarizing, including the submission of others’ ideas or papers (whether purchased, borrowed, or otherwise obtained) as one’s own When direct quotations are used in themes, essays, term papers, tests, book reviews, and other similar work, they must be indicated; and when the ideas of another are incorporated in any paper, they must be acknowledged, according to a style of documentation appropriate to the discipline" and "Submitting, if contrary to the rules of a course, work previously presented in another course," among other false representations. "As plagiarism is not tolerated at GCSU, "since the primary goal of education is to increase one's own knowledge," any student found guilty of substantial, willful plagiarism or dishonesty will fail the assignment and the course. Here is how I have dealt with plagiarists in the past. This course uses plagiarism prevention technology from TurnItIn. The papers may be retained by the service for the sole purpose of checking for plagiarized content in future student submissions.
Passing or Failing of the Course
There are three ways to fail the course: failing to regularly attend class, plagiarizing, failing an assignment that is worth 15% or more of the course grade, be it from poor quality, lateness of submission, or a combination of poor quality and lateness. By contrast, students who regularly attend class, complete their work with academic integrity, and submit assignments on time will pass the course.
The Writing Center
The Writing Center is a free service available to all members of the university community. Consultants assist writers in the writing process, from conception and organization of compositions to revision to documentation of research. Located in Library 228, the Center is open Monday through Friday. Call 445-3370 or email writingcr@gcsu.edu for more information.
Additional Policies
Additional statements regarding the Religious Observance Policy, Assistance for Student Needs Related to Disability, Student Rating of Instruction Survey, Academic Honesty, and Fire Drills can be found here.
- Readings marked with page numbers only are in the physical book by the selection's author. Readings marked GeorgiaVIEW are available in the course packet. Videos are available on YouTube and Vimeo.
- This schedule is subject to change, so check back in class and online for possible revisions.
Week 1 |
T, 8-22 |
O'Hara, [Lana Turner has collapsed!], "A Step Away from Them," and "Rhapsody" [1964] (GeorgiaVIEW) |
|
R, 8-24 |
Coover, "The Babysitter" [1969] (GeorgiaVIEW) Albee, The Zoo Story [1959] (GeorgiaVIEW) Definitions, "Postmodernism" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
|
Week 2 |
T, 8-29 |
Shepard, The Tooth of Crime [1972] (GeorgiaVIEW) Connor, "Postmodernism and Literature" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
R, 8-31 |
Shepard, Suicide in B♭ [1976] (GeorgiaVIEW) Owens, Emma Instigated Me [1976] (GeorgiaVIEW) |
|
Week 3 |
T, 9-5 |
Pynchon, V., Chapters One to Five [1963] (1-140) Hassan, "Toward a Concept of Postmodernism" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
R, 9-7 |
Pynchon, V., Chapters Six to Nine [1963] (141-304) |
|
Week 4 |
T, 9-12 |
No Class: Hurricane Irma |
R, 9-14 |
Pynchon, V., Chapters Ten to Twelve [1963] (305-406) Lewis, "Postmodernism and Fiction" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
|
Week 5 |
T, 9-19 |
Pynchon, V., Chapters Thirteen to Epilogue [1963] (407-547) |
R, 9-21 |
Ashbery, Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror [1975] Keniston, "'The fluidity of damaged Form': Theorizing Postmodern Address" GeorgiaVIEW) In Class Activity: Interpreting "Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror" |
|
|
T, 9-26 |
Ashbery, concluded Reed, Mumbo Jumbo, Chapters 1-29 [1972] (1-107) Dubey, "The Postmodern Moment in Black Literary and Cultural Studies" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
R, 9-28 |
Reed, Mumbo Jumbo, Chapter 30-Epilogue [1972] (107-218) |
|
Week 7 |
T, 10-3 |
Fornes, Mud [1983] (GeorgiaVIEW) Fornes, The Conduct of Life [1985] (GeorgiaVIEW) Sauer, "Theorizing Postmodern American Drama: Fractured Plots, Fragmented in Time, in Space" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
R, 10-5 |
Writing Day: Bring Your Laptops |
|
Week 8 |
T, 10-10 |
No Class: Fall Break |
R, 10-12 |
Hejinian, My Life and My Life in the Nineties [1980/1987/2003] (1-70) Perelman, "Language Writing and Literary History" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
|
Week 9 |
T, 10-17 |
Hejinian, My Life and My Life in the Nineties [1980/1987/2003] (71-141) |
R, 10-19 |
Acker, Blood and Guts in High School [1984] (1-100) In Class Activity: Interpreting Kathy Acker's Blood and Guts in High School |
|
Week 10 |
T, 10-24 |
Acker, Blood and Guts in High School [1984] (101-165) |
R, 10-26 |
Wolfe, The Colored Museum [1986] |
|
Week 11 |
T, 10-31 |
Watten, Complete Thought [1982] (GeorgiaVIEW) |
R, 11-2 |
Morrison, Beloved, Part I [1987] (1-100) |
|
Week 12 |
T, 11-7 |
Morrison, Beloved, Part I [1987] (101-96) |
R, 11-9 |
Undergraduate Research or Comparison/Contrast Paper Due Graduate Book Review or Comparison/Contrast Due Writing Day: Bring Your Laptops |
|
Week 13 |
T, 11-14 |
|
R, 11-16 |
Graham, The End of Beauty [1987] (1-52) (GeorgiaVIEW) |
|
Week 14 |
T, 11-21 |
Graham, The End of Beauty [1987] (53-99) (GeorgiaVIEW) |
R, 11-23 |
No Class: Thanksgiving Holidays |
|
Week 15 |
T, 11-28 |
Foreman, The Cure [1986] (60 minutes) (YouTube) Foreman, Lava [1989] (67 minutes) (YouTube) Shank, "Thirty Years of Experimental Theatre, 1959-1989" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
R, 11-30 |
Chong, Deshima: A Poetic Documentary (1990) (GeorgiaVIEW) Chong, I Will Not Be Sad in This World (20 minutes) [1992] (Vimeo) Recommended: Chong, Truth and Beauty (90 minutes) [1999] (Vimeo) Recommended: Chong, Baldwin/NOW (18 minutes) [2016] (Vimeo) |
|
Week 16 |
T, 12-5 |
Albee, Homelife [2004] (GeorgiaVIEW) |
R, 12-7 |
||
Finals |
R, 12-14 |