lit 201 paper 2 example

Andre Peltier
Professor Peltier
Lit 201
20 March 2012
Black Skin, Wookiee Masks:
Displaced Racial Anxieties and the Plight of Chewbacca
Since the dawn of the Civil Rights Movement, as the relationship between African- Americans and the white power structure changed, it has become imperative for the power structure to modify its actions. By the mid-seventies, as Manning Marable explains, while the power structure continued subverting the inroads of the Civil Rights Movement, the majority of African- Americans embraced a sense of optimism. It was believed that “the second reconstruction was on the verge of success. Black freedom would become a reality through gradual yet meaningful reforms within the existing system” (150). It is faith in the “existing system,” however, that led to further oppression and the shift in conventional racist beliefs. By this point, tens of thousands of African-Americans were in middle-class positions, working side by side with whites, slowly gaining status and a minimal amount of acceptance (150). Rather than bringing an end to racism, these small inroads forced a displacement of traditional racist anxieties based on the fear that power/capital was becoming disseminated more evenly throughout society.
The codification of these anxieties is apparent in America, yet, by 1977, “among all salaried administrators and managers, only 3.0 percent of the men... and 5.0 percent of the women... were black” (Marable 150). Although these minuscule percentages had little effect on the control of capital, they, nonetheless, effected race relations. The displacement of these anxieties becomes evident as we look at the Star Wars saga, and specifically at the character of Chewbacca. This is evident because, as Peter Lev asserts, “the science fiction film, as a construction somewhat removed from everyday reality, is a
privileged vehicle for the presentation of ideology” (30). Not only is it a carrier of ideology, but as he later explains, “Star Wars creates an ideologically conservative future” (30).
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The popularity of the films is obvious, they’ve collectively grossed over 1.5 billion dollars in North America alone (Star Wars Insider 15), yet their hegemonic impetus has gone relatively overlooked. In his article “Fu Manchu on Naboo,” John Leo reveals many racist stereotypes in the most recent addition to the saga, pointing to the Neimoidians as “stock Asian villains out of black-and-white B movies of the ‘30s and ‘40s, complete with Hollywood oriental accents, sinister speech patterns, and a space-age version of Fu Manchu clothing” (14). He continues by explaining the Anti-Semitic characteristics of Watto, the greedy, junk dealing, owner of Anakin Skywalker. He then discusses Jar Jar Binks, towards whom the loudest criticism has been directed, based on his Caribbean accent, his child-like behavior, his pseudo-dreadlocks, and his broken English.
After illustrating the stereotypical characters in The Phantom Menace, Leo claims Lucas “seems to have fallen back on some tired Hollywood ethnic themes mostly avoided in the first three [films]” (14). However, by assuming the original trilogy bi-passed the racial anxiety found in The Phantom Menace, Leo overlooks the importance of Chewbacca’s marginalized character, and the ways in which it reflects cultural trepidation in the wake of the Civil Rights Movement. He is portrayed in much the same way as Jar Jar Binks; however, in the case of Chewbacca, the supposed racial inferiority is coded so as to hide these stereotypes under a guise of friendship and equality.
In “Freaks in Space: ‘Extraterestrialism’ and ‘Deep Space Multiculturalism,’” Jeffery Weinstock explains Chewbacca is big-foot in space, the freak show hirsute man in orbit, the missing link between man and animal. However, if we cast Star Wars in the mode of the traditional American romance, a tradition structured, as Fiedler notes, by the homosocial pairing of the white hero and his non-white companion,1 then the depiction of Han Solo’s furry sidekick as an ‘inarticulate,’ ape-like brute incorporates some well known and particularly nasty racist stereotypes of black men (331). Of course, this also raises the issue of “nasty racist stereotypes” of Native Americans as well. Not only is Chewbacca like Jim and Quee-Queg, but he also resembles Tonto. While Han Solo’s clothing is much like the clothing of cowboys with their vests and low-riding holsters, we are first introduced to them in a
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“Cantina.” This thin characterization not only plays on the viewers racism, but it masks the “racist stereotypes of black men” that the power relations in the Star Wars saga rely on.
The first, broadest, example of Chewbacca’s marginalization comes in the form of the construction of the Wookiee race in general. His home planet, Kashyyyk, is described in the Star Wars Encyclopedia much like the jungles of Africa. Wookiees live in trees, they swing from vines, and they practice a pantheistic religion similar to the religions portrayed in older films endorsing imperialism1. However, if living in trees and swinging from vines isn’t enough to clarify how we are to read his race, they are covered from head to toe with hair; resembling primates as closely as they resemble humans.
This association with primates has long been used to reaffirm racist hegemonies. For instance, it is seen in traditional children’s books like Little Brown Monkey (1949) and Curious George (1941). In Curious George, The Man With the Yellow hat, a figure representing white imperialism, captures George, telling him “I am going to take you to a big zoo in a big city. You will like it there. Now run along and play, but don’t get into any trouble [emphasis mine]” (Rey 10). The implications are clear, and as Chewbacca is depicted as a monkey, African-Americans are again equated with this racist imagery, endorsing the culturally constructed ideological stance that blacks are sub-human. This age-old belief has obviously not disappeared in the wake of the Civil Rights Movement, rather the power structure has simply found new forums for its manifestation. New tools have been developed to ensure the basic indoctrination of racial difference, while simultaneously hiding this indoctrination behind a veil of equality.2
This veil of equality is represented in the Star Wars saga by Lando Calrissian, a character developed due to complaints that the “Star Wars universe” was all white. Peter Lev argues that “Star Wars’ rebellion in no way challenges gender, race, or class relations. White male humans are “naturally in positions of authority” (33). However, Lando’s character seems, on the surface, to challenge this idea. As we are introduced to him in The Empire Strikes Back, we see the black administrator the mining colony, Cloud City. Again, only 3.0 percent of these types of positions were held by African-Americans men at
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the time these films were made. As administrator, he has seemingly attained equal status, realizing the “American Dream.” Lando Calrissian, a onetime gambler and smuggler, in a classic case of upward mobility, rose beyond his station, entering bourgeois society. In fact, his first conversation with Princess Leia revolves around his problems with labor disputes and the fact that Cloud City is small enough to avoid having to join the “mining guild” (Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back).
The reasons for Lando’s focus on class relations are two-fold. First, it establishes his dominance of capital which necessitates the persecution of the lower classes. As Lando gains power/capital, he in turn gains the anxiety that goes along with it. The acquisition of power/capital implies its inevitable loss, forcing him to protect it at all costs. As Marx explains in Alienation and Social Classes, “the proletariat and wealth are opposites” (Tucker 133). In modern capitalist societies, this proletariat must be understood, not only as working class whites, but as a conglomeration of the working class and the many different minority groups. Marx continues by spelling out the anxiety felt by the bourgeoisie in general and by Lando in particular, asserting the proletariat is “compelled to abolish itself and thereby its conditioning opposite - private property - which makes it a proletariat” (133).
This connection between the oppressor and the oppressed illustrates their dependence on one another: power is always-already shared. They define each other in that the power/capital of the bourgeoisie is always relative to the lack of power/capital of the proletariat. Lando is fully aware, just as the white power structure is, that any attempt by the oppressed to gain power places the lines between them under erasure. In his position, Lando obviously sees Chewbacca as a threat. In an attempt to protect his power, Lando strikes a deal with Darth Vader, supposedly ensuring that the Empire will ignore his operations. However, in the terms of the agreement, we are introduced to the second, more important, reason for his focus on class relations. As Darth Vader orders Princess Leia and Chewbacca to be placed upon his ship, Lando says, “I thought Leia and the Wookiee were to stay with me,” emphasizing his insistence on racial superiority. He doesn’t refer to Chewbacca by name, only by race. In refusing to acknowledge Chewbacca’s individuality, Lando assumes an inherent difference, one apparently important
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enough to justify his actions. He sees Wookiees as a group to be suppressed, just as the American power structure has institutionalized the suppression of, along with all other minorities, African-Americans.
Although the modern institutionalization of racist programs is extremely common, it is our sympathy for characters like Lando Calrissian that enables us to accept the differences. Viewers understand his representation of the “American Dream;” a dream we were all raised to believe and to expect. A dream represented by the existence of Cloud City, a floating, outer-atmospheric image. A dream spelled out by Eldridge Cleaver in his speech to the “Peace and Freedom Party” as he said “in your education you were given to believe the melting pot theory, that people have come from all over the world and they’ve been put into this big pot and they’ve been melted into American citizens” (Smith 166). This theory implies that we will all succeed as Lando has, that there is nothing to stop us, that there are no lines between races or classes. It endorses Lando’s rise to power, while simultaneously hiding the oppression his rise relies on. Regardless of the fact that we are aware, as Cleaver is, of the absurdity of this theory, as he points out, we have been indoctrinated since we were children and this propagandizing not only forces us to accept Lando’s actions, but those of Princess Leia as well.
In the first meeting between Leia and Chewbacca, they are walking down a hallway in the “Death Star” as she asks (in reference to Chewbacca), “will someone get this walking carpet out of my way?” (Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope). Of course, this is, first and foremost, comic relief, but it is only comical because we are able to marginalize Chewbacca, overlooking how it affects him, seeing him as a lesser life-form, in the same way she does. Her comment can also be explained away by claiming she has never met a Wookiee, and is somehow ignorant of its racist undertones. However, this defense doesn’t work because Leia is a member of the Galactic Senate, a governmental body upon which, in The Phantom Menace, we see Wookiees sitting alongside humans. She is obviously acquainted with Wookiees, yet something still prevents her from accepting him.
Leia’s racism protects, as Lando’s does, her elevated class status. Like Lando, she also fears the loss of power much like the American bourgeoisie, yet the bourgeoisie has an easier time identifying with
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her fears than with Lando’s. Her class status, like theirs, is personally, arbitrarily defined. It doesn’t come from her position on the Galactic Senate because, by this point in the saga, it has already been disbanded by the Empire. It comes solely from her title, a title that is, at best, questionable.
If we are to accept Leia as a princess, we must determine what she is princess of. Her mother was the queen of Naboo, but that is an elected position, and elected positions are not hereditary. Her adoptive father, on the other hand, was King of Alderan, but it was destroyed, making her a princess of a non-existent world. She is, in a sense, self-declared royalty. Her title carries unwarranted cultural capital so as to wield empty symbolic power over the likes of Chewbacca. This self-declared royalty, although awkward, is easy for the American audience to accept. William Randolph Hearst portrayed himself as a king, building himself a castle, and more recently, we witnessed this with the Kennedys3.
Leia’s racist attitude is not an isolated incident either, but rather, an ongoing presence. At the end of A New Hope, for instance, after the Death Star has been destroyed, Luke and Han are awarded medals as a token of gratitude for the roles they played in its destruction. Yet Chewbacca, Han Solo’s first mate, is given nothing. He walks with them in the ceremony, but, upon reaching the stage, he stands behind them, His role in the battle is over-looked. Once more he is marginalized based on race, which again, reinforces the hegemonies, showing the audience it is acceptable, and even expected, to show preference in this manner. Attitudes that continue to affect job placement, education, social relations, and the American justice system, as African-Americans are still commonly over-looked.
Considering the marginalization of Chewbacca, it is imperative to discuss his language, a language that, according to Star Wars Encyclopedia, consists of “a series of grunts and growls, and while they can understand other languages, their limited vocal ability makes it impossible for them to speak anything other than their own” (338). This hinders their communicative ability, seeing as the language known as basic (A.K.A. English), has been established within their galaxy, as it has here in the United States, obstructing the rise in social status of all non-native speakers. Just as the treatment of Chewbacca is a hegemonic tool, so is the portrayal of his language.
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The debate over Ebonics as an educational tool, as an acceptable language, originated in the 1978 court case, Martin Luther King, Jr. v. the Ann Arbor School Board. The ruling states the use of Ebonics in education is acceptable (Perry 4). However, twenty years later in the Oakland Resolution of 1997, it became an issue again, proving the court decision had little effect on educational institutions. Just as viewers expect Chewbacca to be hindered based on his language, they also assume African-Americans
should be as well. They are led to see, so-called, Black English as a dialect, or more precisely, as a deviation from the standard language, despite Ernie Smith’s argument that it is not a form of English at all, but a language all its own. He explains, linguistically, languages are defined by their grammar and syntax, not their vocabulary, aligning Ebonics with the language systems of Western Africa, rather than English and Germanic (Perry 49). As people ignore this understanding, they reaffirm the notion that Ebonics is simply a derivative of their own, culturally superior, language.
While the characterization of Chewbacca supports and reaffirms established racial hegemonies regarding class relations and language, it also puts forth traditional beliefs pertaining to sexuality. In this case, his relationship with Leia is again important as he represents what Henry Louis Gate, Jr. refers to as the “stereotypes of the oversexed black... male” (290). Gates explains how African-American males are often portrayed as sexual predators: to be both feared and eroticized. When Leia claims in Empire Strikes Back that she would “rather kiss a Wookiee” than kiss Han Solo, she accomplishes two things. First, it is, again, clearly comic relief. We are meant to laugh at both Chewbacca and Han, understanding the horrific implications of sexual relations with a Wookiee. While we equate this with the implications of interracial relationships in the United States, our cultural, ideological hatred for these relationships is reinforced. Our laughter at Chewbacca, reminiscent of our laughter in A New Hope, enables Leia to reaffirm her dominance, for, as Foucault asserts, “pleasure and power do not cancel or turn back on one another; they seek out, overlap, and reinforce one another” (48).


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Secondly, we find out she really would “rather kiss a Wookiee.” In dealing with her sexuality, Lev argues “in Star Wars there is simply no sex... the one prominent female character, Princess Leia, does not appear in sexual terms” (35). His claim is reinforced by Vivian Sobchack in her argument that Leia is “simultaneously protected and desexed by her social position (princesses are not to fight for, not to sleep with) and by her acerbic and pragmatically critical attitude” (106). Lev continues, claiming that the only sexual image in Star Wars occurs as the torpedo enters the Death Star, overlooking the phallic image of the light saber, a cylindrical object that hangs from the waists of the Jedi Knights as a symbol of their ultimate power.
Leia’s sexuality, although ignored by Lev and Sobchack, is of vast importance to the films as well. It defines her relationships with Luke and Han as well as with Chewbacca, (and we must remember that her action figure dressed in a metallic bikini from Return of the Jedi is the only female action figure to sell as well as Luke and Han figures, implying it is not only important to the films, but also to the fans). Not only does she fear the lower classes, but as the Foucauldian pleasure/power relationship is played out, it becomes apparent that she desires them; a desire realized in A New Hope. After they escape from the Death Star, she cheers “we did it” and she and Chewbacca quickly hug; however, the look on her face shows she understands the broken taboo and she quickly sits down, pretending it never happened, while simultaneously reveling in the fact that it did. Through these relationships, Leia, and others in her position, are able to assert their power4. By seeing Blacks simply as sexual objects, they, like women, are relegated to subordinate positions. Positions the power structure relies on in order to protect their capital.
While we watch the power relations in the Star Wars saga, our understanding of power relations, and, in turn, race relations, in our society is authenticated. We, almost unwillingly, accept the stereotypes and the marginalization within the films, simultaneously applying them to our own lives. Although these beliefs had been in place for centuries before the Star Wars movies were made, the films are important because the Civil Rights Movement worked so strongly against them. As old systems began to crumble, new ones were established in order for the power structure to maintain its control. The Star Wars
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films fill a void left by new legislation, they uphold many long standing beliefs. The character of Chewbacca as “missing link and subordinate nonwhite companion reifies the position of white male as top of the evolutionary ladder” (Weinstock 331). They preserve the ideologies brought into question in the 1950s and 1960s, ideologies that still codify racism, only now this codification is hidden behind a thinly veiled system of propaganda supporting integration.



Notes
1) i.e, the Tarzan movies, Jungle Jim, King Solomon’s Mines, et.al.
2) It must be remembered that the association between blacks and monkeys is not, by any stretch of the imagination, obsolete. In a recent radio interview, Chuck D, the leader of the rap group Public Enemy, was told by a caller to “go back to Africa,” while another caller wondered why the radio station even paid homage to African-Americans by “putting these monkeys on” (qt. in Public Enemy).
3) In an interview, only days after John F. Kennedy’s assassination, Jackie Kennedy attempted to prevent the spread of rumors concerning her “less than fairy-tale romance,” by starting rumors of her own. She insisted Jack’s favorite song was the theme to Camelot, quoting the refrain “don’t let it be forgot / That once there was a spot / For one brief shining moment that was known as Camelot” (Endewelt). This association authenticated the romantic qualities of their marriage, and in turn, the romantic qualities of JFK’s years in the White House. The simple act of referring to herself as royalty, made
it so, cementing her place in American cultural history and granting herself the power/capital that goes with it.
4) These power relationships are represented often on pornographic Internet sites like “cyansex.com,” where a page exists labeled “gallery/niggers.”

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Works Cited
Eagleton, Terry, ed. Ideology. London: Longman Group, 1994. Print.
--- Ideology: An Introduction. London: Verso, 1991. Print.
---Marxism and Literary Criticism. Berkley: U of California Press, 1984. Print.
Endewelt, Amanda. “The Story Behind Camelot.” 1998 . Web.
Fanon, Frantz. Black Skin, White Masks. Trans. Charles Lamm Markmann. New York: Grove Weidenfeld, 1967. Print.
Foucault, Michel. The History of Sexuality: Vol. 1, an Introduction. Trans. Robert Hurly. New York: Vintage Books, 1990. Print.
Gates, Jr., Henry Louis. “2 Live Crew, Decoded.” Common Culture: Reading and Writing About American Popular Culture. Eds. Micheal Petracca and Madeleine Sorapure. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentince Hall, 1998. Print.
Leo, John. “Fu Manchu on Naboo.” US News and World Report. 12 July 1999: 14. Print.
Lev, Peter. “Whose Future? Star Wars, Alien, and Blade Runner.” Film / Literature Quarterly. Vol. 26.
Salsbury: Salsbury State Univ. Press. 1998. 30-37. Print.
“Magic of Myth Hits the Road: Star Wars Smithsonian Exhibit on Tour.” Star Wars Insider. Oct/Nov
1999: 14+. Print.
Marabel, Manning. Race, Reform, and Rebellion: The Second Reconstruction in Black America. Jackson:
U Press of Mississippi, 1991. Print.
Perry, Theresa and Lisa Delpit, eds. The Real Ebonics Debate: Power, Language, and the Education of African-American Children. Boston: Beacon Press, 1998. Print.
Perry, Theresa. “I know Why They Be Trippin’.” Perry and Delpit 3-16. Print.
Public Enemy. “Incident at 66.6 FM.” Fear of a Black Planet. Columbia, 1990. Compact Disc.
Racist Online Pornagraphy. Cyan Sex Galleries. 7 December 1998. 7 December. 1998. Web.
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Rey, H.A. Curious George. New York: Houghton Miffin, 1993. Print.
Rothenberg, Paula S. Racism and Sexism: An Integrated Study. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1988.
Print.
Sansweet, Stephan J. Star Wars Encyclopedia. New York: Ballintine Publishing, 1998. Print.
Schattschneider, E.E. The Semisovereign People: A Realists View of Democracy in America. New York:
Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1960. Print.
Smith, Arthor L. Rhetoric of Black Revolution. Los Angeles: U of California Press, 1969. Print.
Smith, Ernie. “What is Black English? What is Ebonics?” Perry and Delpit 59-66. Print.
Sobchack, Vivian. “On the Virginity of Astronauts.” Alien Zone. Ed. Annette Kuhn. London: Verso,
1990. Print.
Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Dir. George Lucas. Lucas Film Ltd. 1999. DVD
Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope (Special Edition). Dir. George Lucas. Lucas Film Ltd. 1997. DVD.
Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (Special Edition). Dir. Irvin Kershner. Lucus Film Ltd.
1997. DVD.
Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (Special Edition). Dir. Richard Marquand. Lucas Film Ltd.
1997. DVD.
Tucker, Robert C. ed. The Marx-Engles Reader. New York: Norton and Company, 1978. Print.
Upham, Elizabeth. Little Brown Monkey. New York: The Platt and Monk Co. Publishers, 1949. Print.
Weinstock, Jeffery A. “Freaks In Space: ‘Extraterestrialism’ and ‘Deep-Space Multiculturalism.’”
Freakery: Cultural Spectacles of the Extraordinary Body. Ed. Rosemarie Garland Thomson. New
York: New York Univ. Press. 1996. 327-338. Print.
Williams, Raymond. Marxism and Literature. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print.

Lit. 201: Science Fiction Syllabus

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

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)

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.

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

Book List for Lit 160

Book List for the Five Page Paper:
* Baldwin, James: Go Tell It on the Mountain
Giovanni’s Room
Another Country

* Bambara, Toni Cade: The Salt Eaters

* Beatty, Paul: The White boy Shuffle
Tuff
Slumberland

* Brown, Wiliam Wells: Clotel or The President’s Daughter

* Butler, Octavia: Kindred
Fledgling

* Cooper, J. California: Life is Short but Wide

* Danticat, Edwidge: Breath, Eyes, Memory

* Ellison, Ralph: Invisible Man

* Gaines, Ernest J: I Lesson Before Dying
A Gathering of Old Men

* Himes, Chester: If He Hollers Let Him Go
The Real Cool Killers

* Hughes, Langston: Not Without Laughter

* Johnson, James Weldon: The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man

* Larsen, Nella: Quicksand
Passing

* Lourde, Audre: Zami: A New Spelling of My Name

* Mackey, Nathaniel: Djbot Babhostus’s Run

* Morrison, Toni: The Bluest Eye
Sula
Song of Solomon
Beloved
A Mercy

* Mosley, Walter: Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned
Devil in a Blue Dress

* Naylor, Gloria: The Women of Brewster Place

* Reed, Ishmael: Mumbo Jumbo
Reckless Eyeballing
Flight to Canada

* Sapphire: Push

* Slim, Iceberg: Pimp

* Toomer, Jean: Cane

* Walker, Alice: The Color Purple

* Wilson Harriet: Our Nig

* Wright, Richard: Native Son

Gina Sinisi: "Clothing Optional"

Should you wear your green t-shirt and corduroys today or your leather jacket and combat pants? Perhaps you feel like wearing your good old trustworthy blue jeans instead. No matter what you choose, you must choose something because in American society getting dressed is not an option. While you are not allowed to roam freely in your birthday suit, whatever suit you do wear is your decision, as is where you get your clothes and what they are made of. It’s easy to drive to the mall and consume to your heart’s desire, but what about these traditional American clothing stores? Are they the best shopping option? What if I told you your blue jeans are deadly? Literally. Are they worth the life of another person? Would you trade them for your mom? It’s important to know what you’re wearing, who made it, and wear it came from. It’s important to know you have choices.

Blue jeans are the favorite pants of Americans, but because of the toxic dying process used to make them and the unfortunate chemical –laden cotton growing practices, they put their creators in dangerous situations. I believe in the good old “Do unto others as you would have done to yourself” mantra, and like I mentioned earlier, would you trade your mom for your jeans? No? Then why ask someone else to do the same?

If you are attached to wearing jeans, and your old ones are too worn out for your liking, then it is still possible to find some new ones. One great alternative to buying new clothes is buying second hand, used, or vintage clothing. This option is the most environmentally friendly one because it’s reusing what already exists and doesn’t add to material waste. Second hand shopping is also a great bargain and usually incredibly cheap. Garage sales are a great means for selling or buying new clothes and it’s usually possible to bargain over the price. If you really get excited about clothes and know people who have enviable wardrobes, organizing a clothing swap is another option. This way, you can always borrow something back if you miss it too much, and you always know your clothes can be found on friendly bodies.

If you have a fair budget and you feel that second hand shopping doesn’t always suit your needs, then buying clothes made out of organic cotton or hemp is another agriculturally responsible decision. Typical cotton production is toxic and dangerous. “Because the cotton plant is susceptible to disease and pests, it’s usually doused with a potent mix of agricultural chemicals. Some of these poisons are carcinogenic; others have been linked to headaches, dizziness, lung infections, asthma, depressions, and birth defects” (Visscher 22). While hemp is a much more sustainable plant than cotton and grows easily almost anywhere, the government, unfortunately, doesn’t allow farmers to grow it in the States, so if you buy a product made of hemp, understand that you are not buying locally or nationally.

While searching through the racks at second hand stores and reading lables takes more time than bouncing from store to store at the mall, it is kind of like a treasure hunt and the harder you work at searching for the treasure the better the treasure is. You have to get dressed. You don’t have an option. You do, however, have the option of deciding what to wear and what role you want to play in the American clothing industry.

Works Cited
Visscher, Marco. “Imps & Elfs: Fashion Sense.” Ode. April 2006: 22-24. Print.