Presentation schedule updated

Hi guys,

If you scroll down a few posts, you will see that I updated the presentation schedule. It should be pretty self-explanatory, but let me know if you have questions.

Hope you had a great thanksgiving! See you Monday.

Prof D

Revision Paper

For your final paper assignment, please substantially revise either essay #1 or essay #3.

You may not revise your in class essay.

Your revision should include at least 2 pages of entirely new material. This can come throughout the essay and add up to 2 pages total, or it can come in one chunk somewhere, as long as the paper remains clearly organized overall.

You may want to expand or revise your thesis to include a new element (that still relates to the prior elements) in order to make room for this new material in your essay.

You may want to include more textual examples with strong analysis for your expansion.

Make sure you incorporate any suggestions I made to you when I graded your assignment. For example, if I asked you to clarify your thesis, clarify your thesis. If I said you needed more analysis, provide more analysis.

Lastly, you need to incorporate at least one new outside critical scholarly source into the essay, and at least two quotations from your class notes for the semester. Please cite the class notes appropriately, using MLA formatting. Here are guidelines for how to cite class lectures:

http://www.bibme.org/citation-guide/MLA/lecture

Requirements summary: 2 extra pages, 1 new critical outside source, 2 instances of class notes, any suggestions made by Prof D during grading


Due: Dec 9 by midnight via email only

Extra Credit Option

If you would like extra credit applied directly to your in class essay grade, you can attend the sci fi/horror reading at the campus library tomorrow (Tues, Nov. 19th) night at 7pm. If you do a one page write up of the reading and email it to me, you will receive credit. Enjoy!

Hi guys,

Not sure if you will catch this in time, but if you do, you are welcome to bring laptops to class today as we will devote a portion of class time to working on your presentations.

If you don't have them, that's fine--you can work on good old fashioned paper.

Best,
Prof D

Reminder

Hi guys,

This is a reminder that your final draft is due Monday no later than 1:30 pm via email only--so go ahead and send it to katedurbinteacher@gmail.com when it's ready.

Good luck writing!

Prof D

Presentation Schedule

11/25

Kyle
Gabe
Alex


12/2

Toby
Aidee
Robbie
Jordan

12/4
Skyler
Elizabeth

Workshop

ROUGH DRAFT WORKSHOP GUIDELINES

DIRECTIONS: As always, take time and care in responding, as you will be graded on these handouts. Make sure to write about 3-5 sentences in response to each section; you should be addressing all questions within a given section with specific answers. “The thesis answers the prompt,” or “The essay looks organized to me,” are NOT specific answers—for example, if the essay is that organized, then you should be able to tell me what specifically is so organized about it.

Questions:

1) Does the writer have a strong hook for the introduction? If not, suggest one. Does the writer introduce their topic clearly and succinctly, providing the necessary historical, cultural, and plot background information for both tales so that the reader is not confused about the topic at hand? Give one or two suggestions for improvement in this area (do not skip).

2) Does the essay’s thesis seem to be undeveloped or too broad, or is it just specific enough to argue in an 4-6 page paper? Does it have two sentences, the first addressing one specific critical interpretation or overarching cultural observation? Does the second sentence outline the main topics that will be discussed in the essay? Many any necessary suggestions for clarification and more specificity as well (do not skip). Lastly, please remember that the thesis needs to address the prompt.

It is really important to note that this paper is supposed to compare two fairy tales in order to argue how culture has or has not changed in some way since the time of the original tale. If it is not clear both in the thesis or the entirety of the paper the specific way in which culture has shifted or not shifted, then the paper is incomplete.

3) Please note any places in the essay where further clarifying details could be added. This is something everyone in the class needs to work on. Is the writer clear about which scene(s) they are analyzing? What is happening in those scenes? Who are the characters involved, how are they defined, etc? Make sure historical context information is also provided.

4) Is the writer incorporating research from three extra scholarly sources into the essay (not .com sources or dictionary/encyclopedia sources)? Do the sources seem to be strong and ON TOPIC? Why or why not (do not skip)

5) Does the writer have plenty of strong quotes from the two versions of the fairy tales that they intend to use in the essay? They should! Are those quotes “murder weapon” quotes? Which quote is the strongest and which is the weakest? Suggest an ordering for the quotes that would help the writer work from their strongest point to their weakest (keeping in mind the importance of chronology/topic organization as well)—do not skip! Are the quotes smoothly integrated into the essay and not plopped? 

6) Does the writer have sufficient analysis for their quotations? Remember, analysis is even more important than the quote itself. Make sure the writer is not simply explaining the quote in a summarizing fashion, but connecting it to its larger significance (relationship to their thesis, which is about a cultural shift). Make suggestions for improvement below, and be specific (do not skip).

7) Is the essay organized? Do the body paragraphs seem to build logically upon one another? Give at least one suggestion for improving the organization of the essay (do not skip). Starting at the beginning of the scene and then going forward from there is a good idea.

Presentation Guidelines

Please re-write a fairy tale for the 21st century. You can choose any fairy tale you like, whether it's one we covered in class or not. If you are unsure as to whether or not the tale classifies as a fairy tale, please ask your professor. While you are encouraged to use your imagination and change the tale however suits you, please keep the "tale type" the same. Remember, the tale type is the components of the tale that remain the same throughout every retelling. 

This assignment has three components: a short story component, a visual component, and a critical analysis. The short story should be the fairy tale re-written, in 3-10 pages, double-spaced and typed. You should feel free to alter the title of the story to suit your update, but please indicate somewhere on the paper which fairy tale it is you are updating. 

The analysis should be at least 2 pages, typed and double-spaced. In your analysis, you need to talk about the updates you have made to the tale, and why you have made them. How do your updates serve a 21st century audience? What cultural needs, fears, and desires do they explore? In addition, you can talk about what aspects of the tale you have decided to keep the same. Why did you keep those aspects the same? Do you see them as serving some kind of continuing cultural need? 

Please incorporate your notes from this course on fairy tales into your analysis. You are encouraged to use any of the critical essays in your Norton anthology. 

Lastly, you will be required to present your fairy tale to the class in a 10 minute presentation (no shorter--points will be docked for shorter presentations). When you do so, you need a visual component and a creative presentation. You may not simply read the tale, although that can be part of your presentation. You will need some sort of visual aide to accompany the presentation. It can be a short video that you have made yourself for this specific assignment (do not stream already made youtube videos--you will receive no credit and this will be considered plagarism), a skit, a comic book, an elaborate poster, a costume, etc. You can also do more than one visual aide. Obviously the amount of effort that went into the visual aide will greatly affect your score. Do not use visual aides that someone else made or that were from some other school assignment. The more time you put into this, and the more creative you are, the better!

Good luck and have fun!

Essay #3 Prompt

Essay #3 Prompt: The Evolution of a Fairy Tale

Please choose one fairy tale and critically examine two of it's cultural manifestations. One of these manifestations needs to be an older version of the tale--it can be a Greek myth, a peasant version, a Grimm's story, a Hans Christian Anderson story, or a Perrault story. Your second version should be a contemporary version--it can be Disney, Angela Carter's rewrites, something from a TV show like Once Upon a Time or Grimms, an updated film, etc. If you are unsure about the validity or appropriateness of your fairy tale or it's two versions for this assignment, feel free to email me questions at katedurbinteacher@gmail.com. You can also choose a contemporary film that offers a less obvious version of the fairy tale, as long as you explain in your paper why it's an updated telling of the fairy tale (an art film like The Sleeping Beauties is one example).

Your thesis should either:

1) focus on the cultural needs that the fairy tale addresses in teach manifestation--what lessons does it teach, and why did that particular culture have those needs? Does the fairy tale offer a satisfactory "answer" to the moral problems of the day?

2) You can examine the versions of the fairy tale from a critical perspective such as feminist, post-colonial, Marxist, etc. instead, if you'd like. In this case you are breaking it down vis a vis a close reading of the text, seeing where it displays sexism and/or women's empowerment; or racism or equality; encourages monarchies and capitalism, or promotes revolution, etc.

3) You may not choose a version of the tale that we have read for class and you are strongly recommended to also choose a fairy tale we have not covered in class. I want to see original thinking and analysis--not a rehashing of my own lecture notes.

The paper should be 5 or more pages in length, double-spaced, MLA style. It should have a strong title and a Works Cited page.

Your paper needs to have at least three critical, scholarly resources in addition to the stories/films you are analyzing (so, five sources total), which should also be cited carefully. Please find these through the library's database. You will likely want to research the fairy tale itself, and in some cases the specific version may also have critical sources on it (such as Disney).

The Bloody Chamber

Here is the link to The Bloody Chamber, which you will need to read for Monday's class:

http://uspace.shef.ac.uk/docs/DOC-67875

If you have trouble accessing this link of The Bloody Chamber, please google "Angela Carter The Bloody Chamber pdf."

Prompts

Choose one of the options below to write about in your bluebook. I recommend a five paragraph essay.

Option 1:

Please compare and/or contrast the vampires in I Am Legend with Dracula. How have vampires evolved (or not) since Dracula's time? What cultural shifts (or non shifts) does this evolution represent? Make sure your paper has a cohesive, overall point to it--do not just list points of comparison or contrast that don't tie together into a meaningful whole, which should be some significant observation about culture. You may want to focus on fears and/or desires that the vampires represent.

Option 2:

Compare the cultural fears that Frankenstein's monster represents with those fears that the alien in Alien represents. You may want to consider the fact that both of these are cautionary tales that deal with themes of scientific advancement, exploration/colonization, and "artificial life" in some form or another. What can we learn about longstanding human fears by studying both of these narratives?

Hi guys,

A quick note to let you know that one of the prompts for tomorrow offers you the option of comparing a recent book you read to Dracula. So, you may want to briefly review your Dracula notes as well before tomorrow, should you decide to choose that prompt.

See you soon,
Prof D

In Class Essay Tips

The In-Class Essay:

Aim and Organization

AIM:

To successfully prove a clear, specific thesis. The thesis should, obviously, address one of the prompts given in class. Following directions here, as always, is crucial to receiving a passing grade.

ORGANIZATION:

An in-class essay is organized into five paragraphs. The first paragraph is the introduction, then comes three body paragraphs, then a concluding paragraph. No more—no less!

You will want to make a brief outline before you write your essay.* Make sure the body paragraphs appear in a logical order, not simply the order they came to your mind in. Build on the information as you go.

Introductory Paragraph: Make sure not to take too much time writing in introduction. This paragraph should be about five sentences long (give or take a sentence or two). Provide a clearly arguable, well-qualified, thesis.

Body Paragraph One: Don’t forget to provide clear examples to back up your argument, as well as a topic sentence at the beginning of the paragraph.

Body Paragraph Two: Don’t forget to provide clear examples to back up your argument, as well as a topic sentence at the beginning of the paragraph. And remember, Body Paragraph Two should follow Body Paragraph One in terms of building logically upon it.

Body Paragraph Three: Don’t forget to provide clear examples to back up your argument, as well a topic sentence as the beginning of the paragraph. And remember, Body Paragraph Three should follow Body Paragraph Two in terms of building logically upon it.

Concluding Paragraph: Re-state your thesis. Summarize what has been successfully argued in the essay. End with a thoughtful and strong statement. This paragraph, like your introductory paragraph, need not be longer than five sentences, but should also not be shorter.

Grammar and formatting: Make sure to check your grammar and spelling as you go along. There is a bit more room for error in an in-class essay, but your essay must be readable and legible (so make sure your handwriting is clear). Double-check your essay for errors before you turn it in. You may choose to double-space or single space an in-class essay (depending on what your teacher requests).

*You will NOT be required to turn in your brief outline with your essay for Why Read. It is, however, recommended.

SAMPLE OUTLINE FOR IN-CLASS ESSAY

Par. 1: THESIS: Write out thesis statement here.

Par. 2: TOPIC SENTENCE/MAIN IDEA: Write out topic sentence/main idea for Paragraph 1 here.

Par. 3: TOPIC SENTENCE/MAIN IDEA: Write out topic sentence/main idea for Paragraph 2 here.

Par. 4: TOPIC SENTENCE/MAIN IDEA: Write out topic sentence/main idea for Paragraph 3 here.

Par. 5: CONCLUSION: Final thought to leave reader with.

*Remember, this is just a sample outline—yours can differ slightly. Also, you obviously will want to fully develop your intro, body paragraphs, and conclusion—so while you are providing the main idea of these paragraphs here in the outline, you will flesh them out with evidence/support in your actual essay.

Hi everyone,

I updated the course schedule. It should be pretty self-evident, but just to make it abundantly clear, on Monday we will be discussing up to page 100 in I Am Legend. You should also have researched the contextual/historical background of the time period in which the novel was written, and be prepared with that information in class. See you Monday!

Best,
Professor D

Course Schedule *updated Nov. 6

Course Schedule*

*Subject to revision with notice

*You are always encouraged to read ahead, particularly when working on your essays.

Week 1

9/4   W            Introductions

Homework for M 9/9 (must be completed by beginning of class): read Dracula introduction and to page 78. Read the entire introduction very carefully, as you will be quizzed on it!

NOTE: Make sure to take notes in your book or a notebook. I will be checking to see that you did.

9/6    F            

Week 2

9/9   M                              

           

Homework: read "Dracula” up to page 118

9/11  W      Essay #1 Introduction

Homework:  read “Dracula” up to 160

                                       

9/13 F      Introductions & Thesis Statements

Homework: read “Dracula” up to 205

Week 3

9/16 M   Body Paragraphs / Topics 

Homework: read "Dracula" up to page 261

9/18 W  MLA Day / Examples and Evidence

Homework: read "Dracula" up to 311

9/20 F  

Homework: read "Dracula" up to 375

Week 4

9/23 M 

Homework: finish "Dracula;" complete rough draft, bring two copies to class for workshop

9/25 W Rough Draft Workshop

9/27 F Film / Essay #1 due via email only

Homework: read "Frankenstein" up to page 50

Week 5

9/30 M 

Homework: read "Frankenstein" up to page 100

10/2 W

Homework: read "Frankenstein" up to 150

10/4 F

Homework: read "Frankenstein" critical essays, finish "Frankenstein"

Week 6

10/7 M 

Homework: read "I Am Legend" up to page 50

10/9 W 

10/11 F 

Homework: read "I Am Legend" up to page 100

Week 7

10/14 M

10/16 W Film 

10/18 F Film 

Homework: finish "I Am Legend"


Week 8

10/21 M 

Homework: prepare for In-Class Essay #2

10/23 W In-Class Essay #2

10/25 F MID SEMESTER BREAK-NO CLASS

Homework: read "The Little Mermaid" p. 216 in Norton, read "What The Conch Shell" on p. 200 in My Mother, read "The Mermaid in the Tree" in my Mother, read excerpt from "Pop Corpse" 

Week 9

10/28 M The Little Mermaid 

Homework: read "Hansel and Gretel" p. 184 in Norton, read "The Juniper Tree" p. 190 in Norton, read  "Little Thumbling" p. 199 in Norton, read "The Brother and the Bird" in My Mother p. 30

10/30 W Hansel and Gretel

11/1 F Halloween celebration; Introduce Presentations

Homework: read "Bluebird" p. 144 in Norton, read "The Robber Bridegroom" p. 151 in Norton, read "Bluebeard's Egg" p. 156 in Norton, read "Bluebeard in Ireland" p. 394 in My Mother, read "The Bloody Chamber" 

Week 10

11/4 M Bluebeard

Homework: read "Yeh-hsien" p. 107 in Norton, read "Donkeyskin" p. 109 in Norton, read "Cinderella" p. 117 in Norton, read "Catskin" p. 122 in Norton, read "Catskin" p. 270 in My Mother, read "The Color Master" p. 366 in My Mother

11/6 W  

11/8 F Cinderella

Homework: Homework: read "Snow White" p. 83 in Norton, read "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves" p. 96 in Norton, read "Snow White, Rose Red" in My Mother p. 113, read "A Kiss to Wake The Sleeper" p. 411 in My Mother, read "Snow White and her Stepmother" in Norton p. 291

Week 11

11/11 M Snow White and Sleeping Beauty

Homework: finish rough draft of Essay #3 and bring two copies to class for workshop

11/13 W Workshop Rough Draft

Homework: finish Essay #3, read "A Day in the Life" on p 59 of My Mother, read "With Hair" on p. 74 of My Mother

11/15 F Introduce Final Essay, Essay #3 Final Draft Due

Homework: read Jack Zipes "Breaking the Disney Spell" in Norton p. 332, read Donald Haase "Yours, Mine, or Ours?" in Norton p. 353  

Week 12

11/18 M Fairy Tale Criticism / Fairy Tale Wrap Up Discussion 

11/20 W Film

11/22 F Film

Week 13

11/25 M Presentations

11/27 W NO CLASS-THANKSGIVING BREAK

11/29 F NO CLASS-THANKSGIVING BREAK

Week 14

12/2 M Presentations

Homework: finish rough draft of Final Essay, bring two printed copies to class for workshop

12/4 W Workshop - Final Essay

12/6 F Party, Evals 

Homework: finish final draft of Final Essay

Week 15

12/9 M Final papers are due via email only by midnight

Updates

Hi guys,

Class is canceled for today, Friday, the 11th.

I will be re-arranging the course schedule today to reflect the change. Please check in tonight or tomorrow to see the updated schedule.

Feel free to email me with any questions. See you Monday!

Prof D

Sample Outline

This is a sample outline. You do not have to follow it, or you may follow parts but not all of it, but most of the papers I observed seemed like they could benefit from a greater organizational strategy.  

Outline Template:

First Paragraph Block:

            *Introductory Hook

*Necessary background info (introduce book, time period, critical lens)

*Thesis statement (2 sentences, should include topics and cultural observation)

            *Forecast Sentence (transitions to next paragraph)

Second Paragraph Block:

*Topic Sentence (mini-thesis statement for the paragraph)

            *Paragraph 2 should summarize your scene and introduce your characters
            *Paragraph 2 should also set up cultural context for your scene (discuss Victorian England)

            *Forecast Sentence

Third Paragraph Block:

*Topic Sentence (mini-thesis statement for the paragraph)

            *Supporting background information/contextual details for your first quote from your scene from the book. Should be murder weapon quote that comes early in the scene.

            *Quote #1 from Book 1 (set up/contextualize/integrate)

            *Analyze Quote #1

            *Quote #2

            *Analyze Quote #2 from Book 2 (set up/contextualize/integrate)

*Analyze how all these quotes support your thesis, tie in to cultural context/analyze culture

*Quote #3, from outside critical source….

*[Continue as above]

            *Forecast Sentence

Fourth Paragraph Block:
           *Repeat 3rd paragraph strategy, but you should be further along in your scene by now. Do this for as many paragraphs as needed, moving slowly through the scene.

            

Final Paragraph Block

            *Conclusion: Re-instate your thesis statement in different words. Summarize what has been accomplished in the essay. Close with a compelling hook. Remember not to bring in any new arguments, instead focus on reminding your reader of what has already been accomplished, in an interesting way and making an ultimate observation about culture. You could, if you wanted, tie in the Victorian culture to our culture to close with a compelling hook.

WORKS CITED PAGE

            *Follow MLA style exactly, as explained in AWR.

Essay One Workshop

ROUGH DRAFT WORKSHOP GUIDELINES

DIRECTIONS: As always, take time and care in responding, as you will be graded on these handouts. Make sure to write about 3-5 sentences in response to each section; you should be addressing all questions within a given section with specific answers. “The thesis answers the prompt,” or “The essay looks organized to me,” are NOT specific answers—for example, if the essay is that organized, then you should be able to tell me what specifically is so organized about it.

Questions:

1) Does the writer have a strong hook for the introduction? If not, suggest one. Does the writer introduce their topic clearly and succinctly, providing the necessary historical and plot background information so that the reader is not confused about the topic at hand? Give one or two suggestions for improvement in this area (do not skip).

2) Does the essay’s thesis seem to be undeveloped or too broad, or is it just specific enough to argue in an 4-6 page paper? Does it have two sentences, the first addressing one specific critical interpretation? Does the second sentence outline the main topics that will be discussed in the essay? Many any necessary suggestions for clarification and more specificity as well (do not skip). Lastly, please remember that the thesis needs to address the prompt.

3) Please note any places in the essay where further clarifying details could be added. This is something everyone in the class needs to work on. Is the writer clear about which scene(s) they are analyzing? What is happening in those scenes? Who are the characters involved, how are they defined, etc? Make sure historical context information is also provided.

4) Is the writer incorporating research from three extra scholarly sources into the essay (not .com sources or dictionary/encyclopedia sources)? Do the sources seem to be strong and ON TOPIC? Why or why not (do not skip)

5) Does the writer have strong quotes from the book (Dracula) that they intend to use in the essay? They should! Are those quotes “murder weapon” quotes? Which quote is the strongest and which is the weakest? Suggest an ordering for the quotes that would help the writer work from their strongest point to their weakest (keeping in mind the importance of chronology/topic organization as well)—do not skip! Are the quotes smoothly integrated into the essay and not plopped?

6) Does the writer have sufficient analysis for their quotations? Remember, analysis is even more important than the quote itself. Make sure the writer is not simply explaining the quote in a summarizing fashion, but connecting it to its larger significance (relationship to their thesis). Make suggestions for improvement below, and be specific (do not skip).

7) Is the essay organized? Do the body paragraphs seem to build logically upon one another? Give at least one suggestion for improving the organization of the essay (do not skip). Starting at the beginning of the scene and then going forward from there is a good idea.

MLA Powerpoint

Hi guys,

Here is the MLA powerpoint we started to go over in class today:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/15/

The rest of the website has a lot of helpful, easy to follow MLA and formatting guidelines. I recommend it!

Best of luck with your essays.

Professor Durbin

Updates

Hi guys,

Just updated the course schedule (see several posts below).

On Wednesday we will have our rough draft workshop. Bring two copies of your rough draft, typed and double-spaced, to class.

Friday we will discuss the ending of Dracula, and your final paper is due via email only. We will also watch part of a film that day too.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Best,
Prof D

BLOOD AND DRACULA: Essay #1

ESSAY 1: BLOOD AND DRACULA

 Please write an essay that: 

• Analyzes one scene in the novel Dracula, explaining how that scene represents one of the three critical interpretations of blood discussed in the introduction to the novel. The three interpretations are religious, psychoanalytic/sexual, and racial/eugenic. This essay will require close reading of the text, with specific examples cited from the novel to prove your points. Please note that you may not analyze the novel from the straight literal perspective, as there is nothing to analyze--you would simply be summarizing.

*Your thesis should be composed the two main factors connected above.  Several specific examples of thesis statements will be provided in class.

*While you may analyze one of the scenes you were assigned to analyze in class (such as the blood transfusion scenes or the three vampire women dream sequence), you may not simply rehash what we already discussed about these scenes. In other words, if you choose to analyze one of these particular scenes I will expect serious, thoughtful, original analysis. You may find it is actually easier to analyze a scene that we did not already cover in class.

*You are required to provide plenty of evidence and examples specifically from Dracula and from at least three outside scholarly sources to support your argument. Reference sites, such as Wikipedia, Bookrags, Sparknotes, dictionary. com, or any dictionaries or encyclopedias whatsoever, are not acceptable as “outside sources.”  Instead, consult the library’s research databases and free e-periodicals (available through the library’s website); you may also use the introductions to other editions of Dracula. If you are uncertain about the validity of a source (particularly websites), please email your professor ASAP. Please ask your peer mentors for additional library research help.

*You are required to meet with one of your peer mentors prior to turning in the final draft of your essay. You will receive participation points for fulfilling this requirement.

   

*Since this is an academic analytical essay, only the use of the removed 3rd person perspective is acceptable (no “I,” “we,” “our” “your” or “you,” please). Use academic language throughout; avoid talking about your personal experiences or opinions about the novel. A good “tone” for the writing is to mimic the tone of the introduction to Dracula.

Length: 4-6 pages, double-spaced, Garamond or Times New Roman font

Your essay should include the following components:

A good title that is not too long or too vague. The title should capture the essence of your essay in an interesting and compelling way. It should also include the title Dracula as well as the name of your character—but should also indicate what exactly your essay is focusing on. For example: Blood Transfusions as a Form of Ethnic Cleansing Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a sufficient title.

• An introductory hook that captures the reader’s attention in a strong, but not over-dramatic way. Short and succinct statements go a long way. You may want to open with an image of or quotation from the scene  you are analyzing. You will then want to quickly and naturally move into a clear presentation of your thesis statement.
• A thesis that makes your position on the topic unambiguous (clear), appropriately qualified, and clearly arguable. The thesis should come at the beginning of the essay. Repeat it throughout the essay when the reader might become lost; repeat it as well at the end of the essay, though don’t necessarily repeat it word for word. The thesis is the most important part of your essay, and everything that comes after should exist to prove its validity.
• Clear transitions between paragraphs or topics, and topic sentences (mini-theses) at the beginning of each paragraph.
• An awareness of the historical time period and social context in which the novel was written. This ties into understanding the critical interpretations of blood in the novel. You will likely need to do some further outside research into Victorian England (and possibly Stoker’s Irish background) to understand this aspect of the essay fully. Your outside source(s) will be invaluable in this regard, as “proof” for the validity of your arguments. Always, always, always tie in your observations to the cultural context of the novel.
• Plausible reasons and convincing support for your thesis. You must have at least two or three specific and compelling reasons for your argument. Your support for these reasons should be taken firstly from the novel itself, as well as your outside research (both are crucial). Don’t forget that you will need to provide evidence from the scene itself in order to interpret it critically. In other words, you should use clear examples from the text as often as possible to back-up your arguments.  If, for example, you are writing about Jonathan Harker’s shaving / mirror scene with Dracula in the bedroom through the lens of the pyschoanalytic interpretation, you could utilize the quote: “The whole room behind me was displayed, but there was no sign of a man in it, except myself” (Stoker 36).
• A logical order of organization that will guide the reader through your argument in a clear, convincing way.
• An awareness of your audience. You are speaking to a general academic audience, who may or may not have read Dracula. You need to give context to the quotations you take from the text, and not assume that your reader knows the book as you do. Your audience is also secular, so if you choose to write about Dracula via the religious perspective, do not bring in your personal spiritual beliefs.
• Proper MLA documentation. Your final draft should include a Works Cited page with a list of all sources used in the paper (likely just the one outside source as well as the novel Dracula). In addition, you may use more than one outside source if you so choose. 
• If you have trouble filling up 4 pages with your scene, you may choose to analyze two corresponding or related scenes (for example, two scenes with Renfield, or two blood transfusion scenes, or a scene with Lucy's sleep-walking and another scene where she is getting a blood transfusion).

*Remember when using resources the goal is not to simply plop them into the essay and hope the reader understands their purpose.  It is the job of the writer to smoothly integrate short pieces of information into his/her prose according to proper documentary style, as well as to discuss the research’s significance to your essay.  Also, remember you will not impress a reader by presenting huge chunks of quotes and that there will be a significant grade penalty for using block quotes (quotes longer than five lines).  Finally, don’t forget to introduce your resources!

Blog

 

 

I will update this blog regularly, with class news, notes, assignments, homework and reading changes, and additional work. That means you should check this blog regularly, as in, every day or twice a day. An easy way to keep track of the changes here is to subscribe to the blog.That way, every time something happens on the blog, you will be instantly notified.

You are solely responsible for any and all knowledge of information and updates made to the blog at any time. That means no excuses will ever be accepted due to failure on your part to follow the blog closely and regularly. Treat all information here as you would a reading assignment--carefully read it, and make appropriate notes. 

For my part, I will never change an assignment or a reading with less than 24 hours notice. However, if class is to be canceled, that update may appear at the last minute. Please make a note.

Syllabus and Welcome

ENGL 120: Why Read?

Monsters and Fairy Tales

Professor Kate Durbin
Fall 2013
Office: Mendenhall Belfry
Office Hours: MW by appointment
E-mail: katedurbinteacher@gmail.com (NOT MY WHITTIER)
Class Blog: www.whyreadfairytalesmonsters.blogspot.com
Moodle: I don't use it

Required Texts: 

My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me Edited by Kate Bernheimer
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Dracula by Bram Stoker

The Norton Fairy Tales 

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
A Writer’s Reference by Diana Hacker
Readings via links on Class Blog (check syllabus)

*Make sure you have the copies of the books that are in the Whittier College bookstore. You can order them online, as long as they are the same editions of the bookstore copies and they arrive early enough (I recommend 2-day shipping on Amazon). If you order and your book doesn’t arrive, that’s not going to fly as an excuse for skipping your reading. Make it happen.

The first book we will be reading is Dracula—so purchase that one immediately.

Course Description:

“Reading a book is like re-writing it for yourself. You bring to a novel, anything you read, all your experience of the world. You bring your history and you read it in your own terms.” –Angela Carter

“Give me a man or woman who has read a thousand books and you give me an interesting companion. Give me a man or woman who has read perhaps three and you give me a dangerous enemy indeed.” –Anne Rice

In a time when literary reading is on the decline, what might the value of reading be? Might it be possible, as Anne Rice suggests, that it is dangerous not to read? A question like this is further complicated when it comes from the writer of horror stories, stories that are seen as “dangerous.” There are different kinds of dangers in this world--some good, some bad. Why might it be valuable not only to read in an era of vast inattention, but also to read “dangerous” narratives? What might these narratives, of our monsters and our fairy mythos, reveal to us about our cultural fears, desires, and what we believe it means to be human?

Is ignorance the greatest danger? What might reading give us that prevents dangerous ignorance? Is this something that only reading can give? This will be "the" question this class attempts to broach.

This class will serve as an introduction to the aesthetics and critical reading of monster narratives and fairy tales. The primary goal of this course is to help you become a better reader of literature, with an enhanced ability to analyze, discuss, and write about literary texts. By the end of the course, you will have  garnered new skills and intensified old ones to help you appreciate the joy and complexity of literature, and the gifts only it can offer you. You also might become a little more dangerous, even monstrous—in a good way.

This course satisfies the Liberal Education requirement COM 2. INTD 100 is a pre-requisite. It is assumed that you have a basic working knowledge of grammar, paper formatting, and MLA style.

Course Requirements:

For this class you will write three papers, one paper revision, and do one group presentation. The papers will be 4-5 pages in length, and you will receive separate instructions for all of them. One will be an in-class essay. You will also have short exercises and quizzes throughout the semester.

All papers must be typed and carefully proofread. Papers should always have a title. If you have grammatical or stylistic questions consult reference guides such as A Writer’s Reference or the OWL @ Purdue website. If you are using a computer lab, always be sure to give yourself extra time, and to save your material frequently.

Plagiarism—claiming ownership of ideas and language that are not your own—is simply unacceptable. Plagiarized papers will result in a failing grade for the course, and a report will be submitted to the office of Student Life.


Participation and Attendance:

There will be moments when I will lecture. Aside from these times, class should operate like a seminar. This means that it is imperative that you read the material--on time--and are prepared to discuss this material in class. Part of your grade is participation-based, and it is required that you speak up in class in order to receive full credit with participation. You will also be quizzed regularly on the reading, and failing to do the reading will severely harm your class score.

Always be prepared, and always come to class on time. Classes for which you are more than ten minutes late will count as absences, and two tardies count as an absence. 

More than three absences may result in a lower grade; more than six may result in a failing grade. Any absences at all can only mar your performance in the class. Inform me in advance regarding major religious holidays or other significant reasons for being excused.

Class Policies:

No laptops unless I approve them for notetaking (ask first). I don’t want to see your phones out—if I do, I will take them away, no exceptions. If it seems you are not paying attention or you are talking while I am talking, you may be asked to leave the classroom and take an absence for the day. If you show up without having done your work, you may also receive an absence for the day. On workshop days, it’s absolutely necessary that you come prepared with your drafts of your papers. On those days if you come unprepared you will be asked to leave, no exceptions.

Class is only 50 minutes long, so you should have no reason to get up and leave the room unless it’s an absolute emergency. That also means that you should not have more than one or two emergencies in an entire semester, as emergencies by their very nature are rare. Please use the facilities before class—it’s your job to be in class on time as you would for a job. Please do not show up to class then ask if you can leave to get a drink of water or use the restroom. If you do so, you are tardy.

Abiding by these policies will allow us a pleasant, productive class session. Anyone who repeatedly abuses these policies is treating his or her peers with disrespect, and will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action.

Communication (Blog):

I will communicate with you regularly via this class blog, so check it for updates here. I ask that you check it every 24 hours, and in the mornings before class. I will also post any updates to the Course Schedule here. You don’t need to print the syllabus out, but you may want to.

Papers

All papers, other than rough drafts, will be submitted electronically ONLY via email. I will give you a specific time that they are due, and anything after this time is considered late. For every half hour your paper is late, your grade is lowered one whole letter score. Do not turn in late papers. 

I ask that you submit your paper both as an attachment in .doc or .docx form, as well as copy and pasted in the body of your email. Please do your best to maintain proper MLA formatting when you copy and paste. I will send you a "receipt" when I receive your email, usually within 12 hours--provided you turned your paper in on time. If you don't receive the receipt, I didn't get your paper.

Your grades and my notes on your papers will also be returned to you electronically via email—so check for them there.

Literally the only papers you will turn in hard copies of are your rough drafts for workshop. You are usually required to bring two copies. DO NOT JUST PRINT ONE COPY IF I REQUEST TWO. 

You may NOT bring your laptops instead of hard copies for workshop. There are very few things you have to print in this class, so please be considerate when it’s time to actually print something.

Email:

I do not check the Whittier email address EVER so please contact me via katedurbinteacher@gmail.com. I do check this email address several times a day, and will get back to you asap. I recommend this over any other means of contacting me. Please do not send me facebook messages related to class concerns. Thank you.

Grade Breakdown:

Paper 1: 20%
Paper 2: (in-class) 20%
Paper 3: 25%
Paper Revision: 10%
Presentation: 10%
Attendance, participation, reading quizzes, and brief assignments: 15%

Students with Disabilities:

Students desiring accommodations on the basis of physical, learning or psychological disability for this class are to contact Disability Services. Disability Services is located in the Library building, first floor, room G003 and can be reached by calling extension 4825.