Course Rationale:
Literature 201 introduces students to the study of the history and genres within the traditional canon of Science Fiction while also focusing on the newer trends and sub-genres. Through the study of both the written and the visual texts of Science Fiction, students develop stronger analytical skills, critical thinking tools and an overall enjoyment of the genre. Through the study of Science Fiction, students will consider the social and cultural implications of various issues as Science Fiction writers often confront current societal concerns from perspectives that writers of other genres are unable to approach. While the traditional topics such as time travel, dystopian futures and space exploration will certainly be covered extensively, the students will also consider how these issues relate to our own time, making connections to issues of gender, race, economics, religion and ethics.
Literature 201 introduces students to the study of the literary texts which have greatly shaped the development of American culture. This course will examine what constitutes this tradition as specific writers and literary movements have shaped it through the study of: genre, narrative strategies, themes, metaphors and motifs, the tradition’s relationship to the other literatures of the United States, and the historical context which this literature both reflects and intervenes in. Students will become conversant with critical terminology and interpretive practices which are historically and culturally sensitive in the reading, discussion, and analysis of Science Fiction literature.
Course Outcomes: By the end of the semester, students should
=> have an understanding of the works discussed throughout the semester
=> have an understanding of the cultural background from which the works came
=> be literate in the critical terminology used to discuss literature
=> be able to critically discuss both short stories and novels.
Course Requirements:
=> A five page historical analysis paper is to be type-written before the mid-term exam. It should focus on one aspect or genre of Science Fiction. It should be a formal analysis, not a personal response. Don’t explain why you like the topic, but rather, analyze it. Avoid summary and focus on research and structure. Subjects could include time travel, alternate history, mad science, space operas, utopic or dystopic views of the future, etc. Discuss works from three time periods and include at least three secondary sources. Due February 21
=> A second five page paper will be submitted before the final exam. It should follow the same format as the first five page paper, but it should focus on a specific text. Chose a text you’ve never read (it could be a graphic novel, a collection of comic books, a picture book, a young adult novel or a classic science fiction novel) and analyze it. You need to include three secondary sources and specific references to your text. Do not summarize… analyze. Be formal and avoid a personal tone.
=> A one page explanation of the book you’ve chosen for paper 2 is due by February 2. The sooner you chose your book, the more likely the one you want will still be available. Once a book is chosen, no one else can do it. Explain why you’re interested in it and the way you plan to address it in the paper. Also include information about how you plan to research your focus.
=> There will be twelve pop quizzes throughout the semester, based on what was assigned for the day of the quiz. The lowest will be dropped.
=> There will be two essay exams: a mid-term and a final. The Mid-term is due March 8 and the Final is due April 24.
=> As a literature class, there is a lot of reading. We are covering ten novels and nine short stories. You are expected to have them read in advance of the discussions.
Course Policies:
=> Turn off all cell phones & mp3 players. Do not play with them in class. If you are seen messing around with these devices, they will be confiscated.
=> If you are absent, find out what you missed from a class mate. It is a good idea to exchange phone numbers with people for this purpose.
=> Lap Top computers may be used, but only for course purposes.
=> All work must be typed (with a font size of 10-12 and in Times New Roman typeface), double spaced, stapled and complete, following the standard MLA format. E-Mail submissions of assignments will not be accepted.
Department Participation and Attendance Policy:
=> Students enrolled in English Department classes are expected to participate in daily interactive activities. They will, for example, routinely discuss reading assignments, write in class on impromptu topics, participate in collaborative activities, or engage in peer review of drafts. Students who miss these activities cannot reasonably make them up. As a result, students who do not participate regularly should expect to receive lower grades in the course, and students who miss more than the equivalent of two weeks of class should consider withdrawing and taking the class in a future semester. Students who know that other commitments will make it impossible to attend at certain times (early mornings, nights, Fridays) should enroll in classes that do not meet at these times.
Plagiarism: This is the act of using a source (a quote, a fact, or a paraphrase) without properly citing the information (i.e. giving credit where it is due). This is often done accidentally, without knowing how to properly cite things. The conventions will be covered throughout the semester so as to take care of this problem.
Course Supplies:
=>The novels listed on the course calendar are available at the books stores around campus like Mike’s and Ned’s.
=> You will also need Masterpieces: The Best Science Fiction of the 20th Century, an anthology edited by Orson Scott Card.
Grading: There are a total of 1000 points throughout the semester 1000 points
=> The 5 page papers are worth 200 points each
=> The 1 book explanation paper is worth 50 points
=> Quizzes are worth ten points each, but the lowest will be dropped (110 points)
=> The mid-term is worth 200 points
=> The final is worth 200 points
=> Participation is worth 40 points
EMU Writing Support:
The University Writing Center (115 Halle Library) offers one-to-one writing consulting for both undergraduate and graduate students. Students can make appointments or drop in between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Fridays. One-to-one consulting is also available in the Student Success Center in the First-Year Complex from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. Students should bring a draft of what they’re working on and their assignment.
The UWC also offers small group workshops on various topics related to writing (e.g., Strategies for Successful College Reading; Peer Review; Revising and Editing Your Writing). Descriptions of all UWC workshops will be posted at www.emich.edu/english/writing-center by mid-September. Workshops are offered at various times Monday through Friday in the UWC. To register for a workshop, click the "Register" link from the UWC page.
The Academic Projects Center (116 Halle Library) offers one-to-one consulting for students on writing, research, or technology-related issues. No appointment is required – students can just drop in. The APC is open 11-5 Monday-Thursday. Additional information about the APC can be found at http://www.emich.edu/apc.
Students visiting the Academic Projects Center should bring with them a draft of what they’re working on and their assignment sheet.
Course Schedule
January 10 Introduction
January 12 Mary Shelley: Frankenstein (the 1818 edition)
January 17 Frankenstein continued
January 19 Frankenstein continued
January 24 H. G. Wells: The Time Machine
January 26 The Time Machine continued
January 31 Edgar Rice Burroughs: A Princess of Mars
February 2 A Princess of Mars continued; Book Choice Paper Due
February 7 The Golden Age: Robert Heinlein: “Áll You Zombies” PP 36-46 in Masterpieces
February 9 Paper 1 Due; Isaac Asimov: “Robot Dreams” PP 91-96 in Masterpieces; Arthur C. Clarke: “The Nine Billion Names of God” PP 110-115 in Masterpieces
February 14 George Orwell: 1984
February 16 1984 continued
February 21 The New Wave: Frederick Pohl: “The Tunnel Under the World” PP 177-202 in Masterpieces, Paper 1 DueFebruary 23 Harlan Ellison: “’Repent, Harlequin’ Said the Ticktockman” PP145-155 in Masterpieces; Ursula K. Le Guin: “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” PP 212-217 in Masterpieces
March 6 Phillip K. Dick: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
March 8 Do Androids Dream… continued; Mid Term Due
March 13 Ursula K. Le Guin: The Lathe of Heaven
March 15 The Lathe of Heaven continued
March 20 William Gibson: Neuromancer
March 22 Neuromancer continued
March 27 Octavia Butler: Kindred
March 29 Kindred continued
April 3 The Media Generation: Terry Bisson: “Bears Discover Fire” PP 375-383 in Masterpieces; George Alec Effinger: “One” PP 408-422 in Masterpieces
April 5 Paper 2 Due; George R. R. Martin: “Sandkings PP 243-275 in MasterpiecesApril 10 Margaret Atwood: The Handmaid’s Tale
April 12 The Handmaid’s Tale continued
April 17 Dexter Palmer: The Dream of Perpetual Motion
April 19 The Dream of Perpetual Motion continued
April 24 Final Exam 11:30-1:00
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
121: Paper 2 Rubric
Topic:
=> You all have topics already, but you need to double check the Wikipedia guidelines to ensure the topic you have chosen will work.
=> Be sure that you aren’t promoting an idea or product; you need to remain neutral and unbiased.
=> Make sure that all of your information can be substantiated by secondary sources.
Sources:
=> You need to cite all of your sources using the Wikipedia guidelines. Do not use the MLA guidelines for this project.
=> Make sure your sources are reputable and trustworthy. Neither blogs, social networking sites, not personal interviews are allowed.
=> Be sure to include a “References” section at the bottom of your page.
Assignment Guidelines:
=> You need to include an introduction that features your topic at the beginning of the opening sentence in bold.
=> You need to include at least four body paragraphs with headings.
=> Try to include two or three links to other Wikipedia pages in each paragraph.
=> You need to include a heading for your reference section.
=> You may want to include a heading for external links or “See Also,” but this is not a requirement.
=> You may want to include pictures, charts, tables, or graphs, but these are not requirements.
=> Be sure to focus on the syntax and tone of your article. It should be properly punctuated and sound like an encyclopedia entry, not a personal essay or a research paper.
Grading:
=> The project is worth 225 points.
=> Punctuation and grammar are worth 50 points. The more mistakes you have, the more points this will cause you to lose.
=> Research and sources are worth 75 points. To get all of these points, you must have everything sited correctly and refer to reputable sources.
=> The overall structure, organization and use of information is worth the final 100 points.
Due Dates:
=> March 23/24 – Peer editing
=> March 28/29 – Paper Due (Post it on-line and submit a paper copy)
=> You all have topics already, but you need to double check the Wikipedia guidelines to ensure the topic you have chosen will work.
=> Be sure that you aren’t promoting an idea or product; you need to remain neutral and unbiased.
=> Make sure that all of your information can be substantiated by secondary sources.
Sources:
=> You need to cite all of your sources using the Wikipedia guidelines. Do not use the MLA guidelines for this project.
=> Make sure your sources are reputable and trustworthy. Neither blogs, social networking sites, not personal interviews are allowed.
=> Be sure to include a “References” section at the bottom of your page.
Assignment Guidelines:
=> You need to include an introduction that features your topic at the beginning of the opening sentence in bold.
=> You need to include at least four body paragraphs with headings.
=> Try to include two or three links to other Wikipedia pages in each paragraph.
=> You need to include a heading for your reference section.
=> You may want to include a heading for external links or “See Also,” but this is not a requirement.
=> You may want to include pictures, charts, tables, or graphs, but these are not requirements.
=> Be sure to focus on the syntax and tone of your article. It should be properly punctuated and sound like an encyclopedia entry, not a personal essay or a research paper.
Grading:
=> The project is worth 225 points.
=> Punctuation and grammar are worth 50 points. The more mistakes you have, the more points this will cause you to lose.
=> Research and sources are worth 75 points. To get all of these points, you must have everything sited correctly and refer to reputable sources.
=> The overall structure, organization and use of information is worth the final 100 points.
Due Dates:
=> March 23/24 – Peer editing
=> March 28/29 – Paper Due (Post it on-line and submit a paper copy)
121 Paper 1 Example
Windemere: The Childhood Summer Home of Ernest Hemingway
The history of the state of Michigan is ripe with art and creativity. From Motown Records in the 1960s to Madonna in the 1980s and from Diego Rivera’s Modernist mural in Detroit to the songs and stories of Native Americans in the Upper Peninsula, the cultural life of our state should never be underestimated. It was in the midst of this cultural history that one of America’s most famous writers spent his summers as he matured into a name among names in American literature. Ernest Hemingway, having written some of the most widely read book of the 20th Century, including To Have and Have Not, A Farewell to Arms, The Old Man and the Sea, and The Snows of Kilimanjaro, has influenced every generation of American life since the 1920s. Another of his books, the short story collection titled In Our Time, is primarily set in rural Northern Michigan, the same rural north where he spent his childhood summers at the family cottage, Windemere, on Walloon Lake in Emmet County. Although clearly an influential area on his life and works, little has been written about this home, a home built by his father as a small shack in 1899 and then expanded over the years before finally becoming a registered National Historic Landmark in 1968.
If one were to begin writing a Wikipedia page about this home, the obvious place to start would be on the internet. Government sites like www.nps.gov, the official site of the National Parks Service, have information about the process through which any landmark goes before actually being registered. There is no information on the NPS site about Windemere though, so looking elsewhere on the web would become necessary. The Michigan State Housing Development Authority has a brief description of the home and the home’s history, including when it was built, when it was added to both the State and National Historic Registers, and when Ernest Hemingway actually lived there.
Aside from the official, government sites, Universities and historical societies offer more information. The Clarke Historical library at Central Michigan University yields a complex history of the home and of its construction with many photographs and side-notes depicting what life would have been like in a small Northern Michigan cottage at the turn of the last century. The Michigan Hemingway Society, an organization dedicated to researching and promoting the influence that Michigan had on his works, also dedicates multiple pages on their web-site to his life on Walloon Lake, and particularly to the time he spent at Windemere. They also provide a link to a PDF file of the full text of Frederick Svorboda’s guide-book, Up North with the Hemingways and Nick Adams, a brief view into the life of the Hemingway family in Northern Michigan.
Once the Universities and historical Societies have been utilized, one should turn to on-line journals as a final web resource. Magazines like Michigan Country Lines On-Line and Home Life: An Up North Magazine have recently published fascinating articles regarding the home and the history of the area. In these articles, Mike Buda and Beth Anne Piehl respectively, demonstrate the contemporary history of the house, information that will work well on a Wikipedia page once it is coupled with the older information from the other sources. A third on-line magazine, Absolute Michigan, published the article, “Michigan History: Up North with the Hemingways,” in 2007. Although there is no author listed on the article, it is still a strong source for information and will work well as another option when preparing the Wikipedia page. After spending a little time with a search-engine like Google, it’s important to also turn to something a bit more academic like the MLA Database, a database that collects information about scholarly articles dealing with literature and history. A simple search using “Hemingway” and “Michigan” as keywords returns twenty articles from peer-reviewed journals. The first of which is from the Spring ’09 edition of Hemingway Review,” and the article titled “I Also, Am in Michigan': Pastoralism of Mind in 'Big Two-Hearted River.” This article shows the connections between Hemingway and his short story “Big Two-Hearted River.” This will be important because it makes the link between his writing and his connection to Michigan that is at the center of the Wikipedia page.
Another article found using the MLA Database is called “Hemingway’s Michigan Landscapes,” also from Hemingway Review, but this one is from the Fall ’07 edition. In it, Ron Berman explains the influence Michigan had on Hemingway’s stories in general, not just on “Big Two-Hearted River.” He also explains how the use of landscape in a narrative demands that both the writer and the reader make certain choices, choices that are central to the construction of the plot, central to the interpretation of the narrative, and central to the creation within the writer’s overall canon. It’s these choices, argues Berman, that tie the stories to Michigan and specifically to Windemere; this will again work to explain why Windemere is worthy of a page on Wikipedia.
Along with these two articles, many also exist specifically about his story “Up In Michigan” from his first book, Three Stories and Ten Poems. In this book, a book which clearly includes only three stories, the second is specifically about his childhood at Windemere so not only will these articles be of use, but the book itself will also. Furthermore, no Wikipedia entry about Windemere would be complete without references to the other stories he wrote about Northern Michigan which can be found in the book The Nick Adams Stories which was collected and published posthumously in 1972. Although it was published after his death, it brings together his Michigan stories in one volume, arranged in such a way as to follow his own wishes.
While his own works are obviously useful for a Wikipedia page, works by other writers like Gloria Whelan, a young adult author living in Northern Michigan might also be of use. The novel The Pathless Woods from 1981 is about a young Ernest Hemingway and his life growing up at Windemere. More recently, Ellen Rosewall published the short story collection Sparkle Island about life on Walloon Lake and features a story titled “Ernest Hemingway Sat Here.” These books will be important because they demonstrate the influence his time at Windemere has had on more contemporary writers, and while Rosewall is a lesser known author, Whelan’s influence should not be underestimated. She won the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature in 2000 for her novel The Homeless Bird.
Once the Wikipedian includes some references to recent biographies of Hemingway like A Portrait of Hemingway by Lillian Ross from 1999 and The Hemingway Patrols, Terry Mart’s 2009 biography about Hemingway’s military career, the page will be complete. This information about Windemere will be useful to anyone interested in life in Northern Michigan in general or specifically in Hemingway’s childhood. It’s clear that Windemere was an important part of his youth and that writers, scholars, and general fans alike will enjoy learning more about this historic cottage.
The history of the state of Michigan is ripe with art and creativity. From Motown Records in the 1960s to Madonna in the 1980s and from Diego Rivera’s Modernist mural in Detroit to the songs and stories of Native Americans in the Upper Peninsula, the cultural life of our state should never be underestimated. It was in the midst of this cultural history that one of America’s most famous writers spent his summers as he matured into a name among names in American literature. Ernest Hemingway, having written some of the most widely read book of the 20th Century, including To Have and Have Not, A Farewell to Arms, The Old Man and the Sea, and The Snows of Kilimanjaro, has influenced every generation of American life since the 1920s. Another of his books, the short story collection titled In Our Time, is primarily set in rural Northern Michigan, the same rural north where he spent his childhood summers at the family cottage, Windemere, on Walloon Lake in Emmet County. Although clearly an influential area on his life and works, little has been written about this home, a home built by his father as a small shack in 1899 and then expanded over the years before finally becoming a registered National Historic Landmark in 1968.
If one were to begin writing a Wikipedia page about this home, the obvious place to start would be on the internet. Government sites like www.nps.gov, the official site of the National Parks Service, have information about the process through which any landmark goes before actually being registered. There is no information on the NPS site about Windemere though, so looking elsewhere on the web would become necessary. The Michigan State Housing Development Authority has a brief description of the home and the home’s history, including when it was built, when it was added to both the State and National Historic Registers, and when Ernest Hemingway actually lived there.
Aside from the official, government sites, Universities and historical societies offer more information. The Clarke Historical library at Central Michigan University yields a complex history of the home and of its construction with many photographs and side-notes depicting what life would have been like in a small Northern Michigan cottage at the turn of the last century. The Michigan Hemingway Society, an organization dedicated to researching and promoting the influence that Michigan had on his works, also dedicates multiple pages on their web-site to his life on Walloon Lake, and particularly to the time he spent at Windemere. They also provide a link to a PDF file of the full text of Frederick Svorboda’s guide-book, Up North with the Hemingways and Nick Adams, a brief view into the life of the Hemingway family in Northern Michigan.
Once the Universities and historical Societies have been utilized, one should turn to on-line journals as a final web resource. Magazines like Michigan Country Lines On-Line and Home Life: An Up North Magazine have recently published fascinating articles regarding the home and the history of the area. In these articles, Mike Buda and Beth Anne Piehl respectively, demonstrate the contemporary history of the house, information that will work well on a Wikipedia page once it is coupled with the older information from the other sources. A third on-line magazine, Absolute Michigan, published the article, “Michigan History: Up North with the Hemingways,” in 2007. Although there is no author listed on the article, it is still a strong source for information and will work well as another option when preparing the Wikipedia page. After spending a little time with a search-engine like Google, it’s important to also turn to something a bit more academic like the MLA Database, a database that collects information about scholarly articles dealing with literature and history. A simple search using “Hemingway” and “Michigan” as keywords returns twenty articles from peer-reviewed journals. The first of which is from the Spring ’09 edition of Hemingway Review,” and the article titled “I Also, Am in Michigan': Pastoralism of Mind in 'Big Two-Hearted River.” This article shows the connections between Hemingway and his short story “Big Two-Hearted River.” This will be important because it makes the link between his writing and his connection to Michigan that is at the center of the Wikipedia page.
Another article found using the MLA Database is called “Hemingway’s Michigan Landscapes,” also from Hemingway Review, but this one is from the Fall ’07 edition. In it, Ron Berman explains the influence Michigan had on Hemingway’s stories in general, not just on “Big Two-Hearted River.” He also explains how the use of landscape in a narrative demands that both the writer and the reader make certain choices, choices that are central to the construction of the plot, central to the interpretation of the narrative, and central to the creation within the writer’s overall canon. It’s these choices, argues Berman, that tie the stories to Michigan and specifically to Windemere; this will again work to explain why Windemere is worthy of a page on Wikipedia.
Along with these two articles, many also exist specifically about his story “Up In Michigan” from his first book, Three Stories and Ten Poems. In this book, a book which clearly includes only three stories, the second is specifically about his childhood at Windemere so not only will these articles be of use, but the book itself will also. Furthermore, no Wikipedia entry about Windemere would be complete without references to the other stories he wrote about Northern Michigan which can be found in the book The Nick Adams Stories which was collected and published posthumously in 1972. Although it was published after his death, it brings together his Michigan stories in one volume, arranged in such a way as to follow his own wishes.
While his own works are obviously useful for a Wikipedia page, works by other writers like Gloria Whelan, a young adult author living in Northern Michigan might also be of use. The novel The Pathless Woods from 1981 is about a young Ernest Hemingway and his life growing up at Windemere. More recently, Ellen Rosewall published the short story collection Sparkle Island about life on Walloon Lake and features a story titled “Ernest Hemingway Sat Here.” These books will be important because they demonstrate the influence his time at Windemere has had on more contemporary writers, and while Rosewall is a lesser known author, Whelan’s influence should not be underestimated. She won the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature in 2000 for her novel The Homeless Bird.
Once the Wikipedian includes some references to recent biographies of Hemingway like A Portrait of Hemingway by Lillian Ross from 1999 and The Hemingway Patrols, Terry Mart’s 2009 biography about Hemingway’s military career, the page will be complete. This information about Windemere will be useful to anyone interested in life in Northern Michigan in general or specifically in Hemingway’s childhood. It’s clear that Windemere was an important part of his youth and that writers, scholars, and general fans alike will enjoy learning more about this historic cottage.
121 Paper 1 Rubric
Topic:
=> You should all have topics already.
=> Ensure that it is noteworthy enough for the Wikipedia project.
=> Make sure that all of your information can be substantiated by secondary sources.
Sources:
=> You need to cite all of your sources using the Wikipedia guidelines. Do not use the MLA guidelines for this project.
=> Make sure your sources are reputable and trustworthy. Neither blogs, social networking sites, nor personal interviews are allowed for Paper 2, but personal interviews will be required for paper three.
Assignment Guidelines:
=> Write as though your audience are people who plan to write this Wikipedia page.
=> Explain to them where they will need to look in order to find the information.
=> Maintain a formal tone without personal comments or references to “I,” “me,” or “you.”
=> Structure it either by type of source or by how it will fit together in the Wikipedia page.
=> This paper should include an introductory paragraph and a conclusion.
=> This paper should be about four pages long.
=> Be sure to focus on the syntax and ton. It should be properly punctuated and organized.
Grading:
=> The project is worth 150 points.
=> Punctuation and grammar are worth 30 points. The more mistakes you have, the more points this will cause you to lose.
=> Research and sources are worth 40 points. To get all of these points, you must have everything sited correctly and refer to reputable sources.
=> The overall structure, organization and use of information is worth the final 80 points.
Due Dates:
=> Peer Editing – July 19
=> Paper Due – July 21
=> You should all have topics already.
=> Ensure that it is noteworthy enough for the Wikipedia project.
=> Make sure that all of your information can be substantiated by secondary sources.
Sources:
=> You need to cite all of your sources using the Wikipedia guidelines. Do not use the MLA guidelines for this project.
=> Make sure your sources are reputable and trustworthy. Neither blogs, social networking sites, nor personal interviews are allowed for Paper 2, but personal interviews will be required for paper three.
Assignment Guidelines:
=> Write as though your audience are people who plan to write this Wikipedia page.
=> Explain to them where they will need to look in order to find the information.
=> Maintain a formal tone without personal comments or references to “I,” “me,” or “you.”
=> Structure it either by type of source or by how it will fit together in the Wikipedia page.
=> This paper should include an introductory paragraph and a conclusion.
=> This paper should be about four pages long.
=> Be sure to focus on the syntax and ton. It should be properly punctuated and organized.
Grading:
=> The project is worth 150 points.
=> Punctuation and grammar are worth 30 points. The more mistakes you have, the more points this will cause you to lose.
=> Research and sources are worth 40 points. To get all of these points, you must have everything sited correctly and refer to reputable sources.
=> The overall structure, organization and use of information is worth the final 80 points.
Due Dates:
=> Peer Editing – July 19
=> Paper Due – July 21
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