|
Download
complete Syllabus document in Word format >> Click
here |
|
|
|
Course
Description: |
This introductory
course aims principally to examine and critique the evolving representations
of women in literature. However, given that these literary interpretations
are often given a contemporary “spin” through film,
the course also examines how these representations change as the
literary texts are adapted to film, or how contemporary films deal
with similar types of narratives concerning principally gender
and sex, but also with an emphasis on representations on race,
class, nationality, embodiment and other factors. The questions
this course engage include the following issues: representations
of power or ideology embedded in “natural” characterizations
of especially sex and gender, but also in relation to other factors
such as class, race, nationality, etc.; the reader’s implied
relation to the text alongside authorial “intent,” when
that can be established; whether ethics matter in relation to the
creation and reception of literature and their cinematic adaptations
or counterparts; what is the nature of aesthetic pleasure in relation
to literature or filmic adaptations/cinematic explorations of parallel
themes found in literature; what roles expression and emotion play
in the generation and interpretation of texts; whether literary
or their corresponding cinematic texts, as art objects, are independent
of external relations and depend purely upon a unique system of
internal relations; how realms of “fact” and “fiction” in
relation to depictions of gender and sex are mediated particularly
through fictional conventions/genre demarcations (magic realism,
Gothicism, science fiction), among other questions. The
structure of the course is built around the attempt to illustrate
how these basic questions generate various answers, grounded in
different and yet related historical, political, and cultural environments.
Hence, using these basic problems as guide questions, this course
attempts to sketch the development of certain traditions of literature,
aesthetics, film criticism and cultural studies through taking
a sample of texts produced in 19th Century England, such as Mary
Shelley’s Frankenstein or Bram Stoker’s Dracula; 20th
Century American offshoots, such as Anne Rice’s Queen of
the Damned; and contemporary multicultural texts, such as Isabel
Allende’s House of Spirits. The course ultimately culminates
in the creation of a 5-7 page scholarly/creative reflection paper.
|
Course
Format: |
This course
will employ principally a lecture and discussion format, and will
integrate the effective use of technology (e.g., Blackboard, powerpoint,
videos or DVDs, when relevant). Please note the hand-out on Blackboard
and how to register for this course online a.s.a.p. Note that to
fulfill the requirements necessary to not only pass, but do well
in the course, you will need to learn the essentials of Blackboard
and powerpoint as soon as possible. The essentials, other than
registering, entail learning how to use threaded conversations
(Under “Communication—Discussion Board” and “Communication—Small
Groups—Discussion Board”); checking for “Announcements,” and
checking posted grades (Under “Student Tools--Check Your
Grade”). There are other additional features you may use,
such as the e-mail feature under “Communication.”
Students are required to come in, having read the assigned texts of the
day, in order to present and defend their opinions, respectfully critique
those of others, and pose clarificatory questions individually. A significant
percentage of the marks will come from participation in class and via
virtual threaded conversations, where literary and critical theory will
be actively done, rather than written about. Students will also be required
to learn how to use Blackboard in order to make threaded conversation
posts and to use its various functions, such as to check posted lectures,
announcements and grades. Later on, students will be required to do one
in-class group report (normally in pairs, depending on the size of the
class) as part of fulfilling the requirements of the course. Students
are highly encouraged to consult the professor early and regularly if
they are having difficulties with the course.
|
Attendance: |
According to
university policy, students who accumulate more than two weeks’ worth
of absences are in danger of failing (that’s four TR classes);
those who are involved with university-sanctioned events (inclusive
of, but not limited to athletics, band, ROTC, academic honor societies,
and nursing) may not be counted absent on days scheduled as service
work for the university. To be excused on such days, obtain a signed
statement on FSU letterhead, authorizing such a schedule of projected
absences, from your advisor, by the second week of classes. This
is the student’s responsibility; without such a document,
those absences will be counted. Documented illnesses (get an authorized
note from your physician or Thagard) will also be counted as excused
absences. In all these cases, however, the students are still held
responsible for work due that day and for all material covered,
inclusive of class announcements or if necessary, changes to the
course calendar; if a major requirement is due, such as a final
paper, it is the student’s responsibility to get the paper
to the instructor either ahead of time, or on the day itself, through
e-mail (kpicart@english.fsu.edu). No late work is acceptable. However,
in this class, you are allowed three free passes in terms of minor
requirements such as quizzes; that is, I will cancel the three
lowest minor requirements (where threaded conversations are twice
the weight of quizzes), which are submitted weekly. Use those free
passes wisely.
|
Academic
Honor System Code: |
The Florida State
University General Bulletin contains an Honor Code that is repeated
verbatim in the Student Handbook. You are responsible for knowing
and conforming to it; in addition to the information listed in
the Handbook, you are also cautioned that:
1. If you take material that is not yours, from any source (inclusive
of websites), and copy it into anything you submit, you are obligated
to provide a footnote, endnote or parenthetical reference and works cited
list at the end of the paper.
2. Material that is lifted verbatim from other texts must be placed in
quotation marks or, in the case of anything longer than three sentences,
blocked quotes, indicating its source, as in item # 1 above.
3. Material that is paraphrased must also be documented as in item #
1.
4. Persons who violate the Honor Code and any of the items above in any
requirement, whether minor or major, will receive an “F” for
the course.
Keep these in mind when you write your final papers. Remember that cheating
constitutes adequate justification for expulsion. When you use a source
(and your final paper will require at least two literary texts used in
class, two movies used in class, and three new texts from a collection
of sources, such as books, articles, newpapers, web sources, as well
as one new film), these should be cited properly, either as direct quotes,
or as paraphrased material. You may use either the MLA or Chicago Manual
of Style for citations, as long as you are consistent throughout the
paper, and identify which citation system you are using.
|
ADA
Statement: |
Students with
documented disabilities needing academic accommodations should,
in the first week of class: 1.) register with and provide documentation
to the Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC) and 2.) bring
an authorized letter from SDRC to the professor, indicating the
need for academic accommodations, if necessary. This and all other
class materials are available in alternative format, upon request.
I will do everything I can to ensure fairness to everyone in class.
|
Course
Requirements: |
Requirements
for the successful completion of the course include:
Graded participation in class group or individual quizzes and weekly
threaded conversation discussions (as indicated in the timetable) will
take the place alongside formal attendance checks in class.
Each threaded
conversation post must be posted before Sunday midnight of
every week (Note: 12:01 a.m. is late). Each group or individual
quiz, given at the start of each new section, will constitute
100 points; each threaded conversation will also be worth 100
points. Three lowest or missed quizzes or threaded conversations
(where one threaded conversation is 200 points, with the total
being dropped totaling 300 points) will be dropped from the final
tally. Quizzes and threaded conversations constitute 30% of the
total mark; in-class individual participation and attendance
constitute 10%. Often, if you are on the verge of the next higher
mark (1-2 points away), extra effort in these categories may
give the professor enough justification to be able to pull your
grades up to the next level without violating standards of fairness.
1.) A
group report (usually in pairs)
This requires the effective use of powerpoint, and which will constitute
20% of the total mark. After the usual 10 minute group quiz, each report
will be 50 minutes long, with the remaining 15 minutes to be used by
the professor for providing summary remarks. You will be graded on an
individual basis on the following criteria:
Summary of
Essential Arguments 30%
Critique/Evaluation 30%
Ability to Stimulate/Further a Discussion 30%
Use of Powerpoint/Creative Ways to Present the Material 10%
Note: 24 hours
before the group is due to report, you are required to e-mail
me (kpicart@english.fsu.edu) and Scott Kopel (skopel@english.fsu.edu),
requesting for help with ftp-ing the file to my webpage. On the
day of the report itself, you are required to come in with a
diskette back-up copy, just in case anything goes wrong with
the web, and with two printed copies of the powerpoint presentations,
printed as “hand-outs.”
Below are the instructions for printing out powerpoint presentations
as hand-outs:
From
the web
(You must have the PowerPoint program installed in your computer to
do it this way)
1. Use Netscape to get to campus.fsu.edu.
2. After you log in and get to the course webpage, click to External
Links.
3. Click on the PowerPoint presentation you would like to print out.
4. A window will open to ask if you would like to "save it to
disk" or "run from the current location". For convenience's
sake, click "run from current location." This will download
and transfer the presentation to the PowerPoint program on your computer.
5. Go to "File" on the menu. Scroll down to "Print."
6. When the print menu pops up:
a. You
can choose from "slides". This will print each
slide on a full page.
b. To save paper, you can choose to print as "handouts".
On a section on the right, you can choose how many slides you would
like on each page.
c. Also, there are checklist options at the bottom, I recommend clicking "pure
black and white" for clearer pictures on a black and white printer.
d. When you are finished, click the "OK" button.
From
the PowerPoint Program
1. Click on the "my computer" icon.
2. Click on the icon representing where your file is saved (for example,
if the PowerPoint presentation you wish to open is on your disk, click
A:)
3. Click on the file in order to open.
4. Go to "File" on the menu. Scroll down to "Print".
5. When the print menu pops up:
a. You
can choose from "slides". This will print each
slide on a full page.
b. To save paper, you can choose to print as "handouts".
On a section on the right, you can choose how many slides you would
like on each page.
c. Also, there are checklist options, I recommend clicking "pure
black and white" for clearer pictures on a black and white printer.
d. When you are finished, click the "OK" button.
2.) A
3-5 paged draft, which will account for 20% of the total mark.
3.) A
5-7 paged research-based and creative final paper, which will
account for 20% of the final mark.
Download Final Paper Questions PowerPoint Here (105K)
Note as well
that all films used in class are required viewing for scheduled
class quizzes and discussions. To help people who have difficulty
acquiring these films (though these are easily available through
local video stores), I am scheduling viewing times in Williams
at a venue and time to be announced.
The professor
reserves the right to revise these requirements and the schedule
listed below if these prove necessary. Full credit will be earned
for the course only if all requirements are completed on schedule.
There are no make-up quizzes and no make-up threaded conversation
discussions. In case accidents or emergencies come up, it is
the student’s responsibility to inform the professor as
soon as possible, preferably before the paper or report is due
so that alternative plans may be made, if warranted. If the student
informs the professor only after the deadline, s/he must provide
proof for why s/he missed the deadline; in such cases, make-ups
may be given, but the student must be willing to accept a grade
reduction to the next lower level (i.e., an “A” becomes
an “A-“ and so on). Unless there are clear and sufficient
reasons, NO make-ups for major requirements; NO make-ups for
minor requirements are possible, given that the equivalent of
300 points will be canceled from this requirement. Cheating/plagiarizing
in a major requirement (e.g. draft or final paper) will warrant
a mark of “0” the first time; and instant failure
for the course the second time.
|
Required
texts: |
- Mary Shelley, Frankenstein,
Diane Johnson, intro (Bantam, 1984) ISBN: 0553212478
- Margaret Atwood, Handmaid’s
Tale (Anchor Books, 1998). ISBN: 038549081X
- Bram Stoker, Dracula:
Authoritative Text Contexts Reviews and Reactions Dramatic
and Film Variations Criticism (Norton Critical
Edition), Nina Auerbach and David Skal, eds. (W.W. Norton,
1997). ISBN: 0393970124
- Joseph Sheridan
Le Fanu, Carmilla (Wildside
Press, 2002). ISBN: 1587155958
- Anne Rice, Queen
of the Damned (Ballantine, 1993). ISBN: 0345351525
- Thomas Harris, Silence
of the Lambs (St. Martin’s, 1991). ISBN:
0312924585
- Thomas Harris, Hannibal (Dell
Publishing Company, 2000). ISBN: 0440224675
- Octavia Butler, Dawn (Warner
Books, 1997). ISBN: 0446603775
- Toni Morrison, Beloved (Plume,
1998). ISBN: 0452280621
- Isabel Allende, House
of Spirits, Magda Bogin, trans. (Bantam, 1986).
ISBN: 0553273914
- Laura Esquivel, Like
Water for Chocolate, Carol and Thomas Christensen,
trans. (Prentice Hall, 1994). ISBN: 038542017X
|
Possible
Supplementary Texts: |
- Caroline
Joan S. Picart, Remaking the Frankensteinian
Myth on Film (State University of New York Press,
2003). ISBN: TBA
- Donald Glut, The
Frankenstein Archive: Essays on the Monster, the Myth, the
Movies, and More (McFarland, 2002). ISBN: 0786413530
- Anne Mellor, Romanticism
and Feminism (Indiana University Press, 1988).
ASIN: 0253204623
- William Veeder, Mary
Shelley and Frankenstein (University of Chicago
Press, 1988). ASIN: 0226852253
- Pilar Cuder, Margaret
Atwood (Beginner’s Guide) (Headway, 2003,
forthcoming). ISBN: 0345397398
- Margaret Atwood, An
Interview with Margaret Atwood, (audible.com)
- James Craig
Holte, Dracula in the Dark : The Dracula
Film Adaptations (Greenwood, 1997). ISBN: 0313292159
- David Skal, Hollywood
Gothic: The Tangled Web of Dracula from Novel to Stage to
Screen (W.W. Norton, 1991) ASIN: 0393308057
- Michael Riley
and Anne Rice, Conversations with Anne
Rice (Fawcett Books, 1996). ISBN: 0345396367
- Linda Badley, Writing
Horror and the Body: The Fiction of Stephen King, Clive Barker
and Anne Rice (Greenwood, 1996). ISBN: 0313297169
- Katherine
Ramsland and Anne Rice, The Vampire
Companion: The Official Guide to Anne Rice's the Vampire Chronicles (Ballantine,
1995). ISBN: 0345397398
- Toni Morrison,
ed. Race-ing Justice, En-Gendering
Power : Essays on Anita Hill, Clarence Thomas, and the Construction
of Social Reality (Pantheon, 1992). ISBN: 0679741453
- Nancy J. Peterson, Toni
Morrison: Critical and Theoretical Approaches (Modern
Fiction Studies Book) (Johns Hopkins University Press, 1997).
ISBN: 0801857023
- David Middleton, Toni
Morrison's Fiction: Contemporary Criticism (Critical
Studies in Black Life and Culture), (Garland, 1999). ISBN:
0815335881
- Isabel Allende, Virginia
Invernizzi, trans., John Rodden, ed., Conversations
with Isabel Allende (University of Texas Press, 1999). ISBN:
0292770936
- Celia Correas
De Zapata, Isabel Allende, Short Stories
by Latin American Women: The Magic and the Real (Modern
Library, 2003). ISBN: 0812967070
- Celia Correas
Zapata, Isabel Allende: Life and Spirits (Hispanic
Civil Rights) (Arte Publico Press, 2002). ISBN: 1558853634
- Laura Esquivel,
Stephen Lytle, trans. Between Two Fires:
Intimate Writings on Life, Love, Food and Flavor (Crown
Publishing, 2001). ISBN: 0609608479
- Caroline Joan
S. Picart, The Cinematic Rebirths of
Frankenstein (Praeger, 2001). ISBN: 0275973638
- Caroline Joan
S. Picart, Frank Smoot and Jayne Blodgett, The
Frankenstein Film Sourcebook (Greenwood, 2001). ISBN:
0313313504
|
|
Grading
Scale: |
93-100%
90-92%
87-89%
83-86%
80-82%
79-77%
76-73%
70-72%
69-67%
66-63%
62-60%
59-0%
|
|
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F
|
|
|
|