ENG 245 Professor Anne Zimmermann Lost Literature Office: 108 Orlando Hall Rollins College Phone: 407-691-1705 Fall 2010 Office Hours: MW 11am-12pm; 2-4 pm and by appointment E-mail: [email protected]
Lost Literature
“One ship is very much like another, and the sea is always the same.” -Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness
On September 22, 2004, Oceanic Flight 815 crashed into the Indian Ocean. Many perished; but some, miraculously, survived. The tale of their journeys—on the mysterious island and in their own lives —captivated television audiences for six seasons. Millions tuned in to the finale this past May, hoping for answers to the puzzling questions raised throughout the show’s run. Be warned: you will not find all of those answers in this course.
The show’s writers have demonstrated an impressive knowledge of literature. Books were used as both props and clues, and literary catch phrases were worked into the script. Most importantly, though, they have illustrated the enduring power of certain themes, archetypes, and narrative motifs. The texts that influenced them will guide our exploration of this unique relationship. Our goal is to examine the impact of canonical literature on popular culture. We will consider each text on its own merit, within the context of the series, and the ensuing impact of that influence on its readership. Lost presents a rare opportunity to examine how new media (TV) can bring “old media” (literature) back to the forefront of our minds
Required Texts and Materials
Carroll, Lewis. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Calgary: Qualitas Publishing, 2010. Print.
de Saint-Exupery, Antoine. The Little Prince. Orlando: Harcourt, 1971. Print
Dick, Philip K. VALIS. New York: Random House, 1991. Print.
Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. London: Odyssey Books, 1997. Print.
O’Brien, Flann. The Third Policeman. Normal, Illinois: Dalkey Archive, 1999. Print.
Shakespeare, William. The Tempest. New York: Norton, 2003. Print.
Vonnegut, Kurt. Slaughterhouse Five. New York: Dial Press, 2005. Print.
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*Handouts to be provided by the instructor.
Course Requirements The majority of the work in this course centers on close readings of each text. Lectures and additional materials will help to supplement the primary texts, but successful participation in the course requires students to prepare for class by reading the assigned works, completing writing assignments, and involving themselves in daily discussions.
Weekly quizzes will be given at the start of each class to measure your retention of the readings. These quizzes cannot be made up.
The course will also include a midterm and final examination. The former will focus on the texts we have discussed up to the midway point of the semester, while the latter will be cumulative, asking you to demonstrate knowledge on all the works we have studied in the course. The exams will be divided into two parts: the first part will consist of short answer questions that force you to deal with selected texts individually and the second half will ask you to construct a longer essay focusing on multiple works.
Finally, you will construct a research paper in which you will analyze some aspect of a course topic using texts from the suggested list or one of your own choosing (subject to instructor approval). This paper will be 6-8 pages and should incorporate at least three sources of scholarly criticism. Papers produced out-of-class must be typed, 12-point Times New Roman and formatted according to MLA guidelines. Incomplete or late work will not be accepted.
Evaluation and Grades Your final grade will be determined as follows:
Weekly Quizzes 15% Midterm Exam 20% Research Project 25% Final Exam 25% Class Participation 15%
For most assignments, you will be assigned numeric grades. The numeric grading scale and its letter equivalent is as follows: 100-94 A, 93-90 A-, 89-87 B+, 86-84 B, 83-80 B-, 79-77 C+, 76-74 C, 73-70 C-, 69-67 D+, 66-64 D, 63-60 D-, 59-0 F.
Attendance Policy It is important that you make every effort to come to all class meetings. Keep in mind that class lectures and discussions are meant to be a supplement, not just a repeat, of the assigned material. Missing class may also mean missing assignments and unannounced quizzes (missed quizzes cannot be made up). Each student is allowed one (1) absence without penalty. There are no “excused” absences in this course: it is up to you to determine when and if to use your one day. Your final grade will be reduced one full ENG 245—Fall 2010—Zimmermann 3
letter grade for each absence accrued over the allotted day (two absences=reduced by one full letter, three absences=reduced by two full letters, etc). Frequent tardiness and/or leaving class early will also have a negative impact on your participation grade. Arriving to class only to hand in work and then leave, for example, will count as an absence.
Please understand that you must be an active participant in your own learning—nobody else can do it for you. Frequent tardiness and/or leaving class early will also have a negative impact on the class participation portion of your final grade. Also—please turn off cell phones, beepers, and laptops while in class. Neglecting to do so may have a negative impact on your class participation grade.
English Department Policy English courses commencing at 4:00 p.m. and later follow Hamilton Holt School policies. To meet the number of contact hours required for Holt courses, evening classes offered once a week meet fifteen times during the term. While Arts and Sciences classes cancel meetings for scheduled breaks (i.e. Fall Break), unscheduled breaks (i.e. Fox Day), and reading days, students enrolled in evening courses are required to meet during those times. In evening courses, final examinations will be administered during the fifteenth meeting of the semester. In day courses, final examinations will be administered as designated by the Arts and Sciences final examination schedule.
Email The official means of contact between instructor and student at Rollins is email. For this reason, it is important that you check your Rollins email account daily, as class email may be used to inform you of changes in the schedule or alert you to class cancellations.
Plagiarism Plagiarism is the use of words or ideas of another person without proper acknowledgement or documentation. This is a very serious offense. If you ever feel tempted to plagiarize, please consider that no academic situation is so bad that you should choose to insult your abilities and those of the people whose words you’d steal. Plagiarizing an assignment in this class will result in a failing grade for the course.
The Academic Honor Code Membership in the student body of Rollins College carries with it an obligation, and requires a commitment, to act with honor in all things. Because academic integrity is fundamental to the pursuit of knowledge and truth and is the heart of the academic life of Rollins College, it is the responsibility of all members of the College community to practice it and to report apparent violations.
The following pledge is a binding commitment by the students of Rollins College:
The development of the virtues of Honor and Integrity are integral to a Rollins College education and to membership in the Rollins College community. Therefore, I, a student of Rollins College, pledge to show my commitment to these virtues by abstaining from any lying, cheating, or plagiarism in my ENG 245—Fall 2010—Zimmermann 4
academic endeavors and by behaving responsibly, respectfully and honorably in my social life and in my relationships with others.
This pledge is reinforced every time a student submits work for academic credit as his/her own. Students shall add to all papers, quizzes, tests, lab reports, etc., the following handwritten abbreviated pledge followed by their signature:
“On my honor, I have not given, nor received, nor witnessed any unauthorized assistance on this work.”
Material submitted electronically should contain the pledge; submission implies signing the pledge.
Disability Statement Rollins College is committed to equal access and does not discriminate unlawfully against persons with disabilities in its policies, procedures, programs or employment processes. The College recognizes its obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 to provide an environment that does not discriminate against persons with disabilities.
If you are a person with a disability on this campus and anticipate needing any type of academic accommodations in order to participate in your classes, please make timely arrangements by disclosing this disability in writing to Gail C. Ridgeway, Disability Services Office (box 2613) - Thomas P. Johnson Student Resource Center, 1000 Holt Ave., Winter Park, FL, 37289 or call 407-646-2354 for an appointment.
Grading Criteria for Papers
Acceptable standards for college-level writing are defined by these virtues:
Characteristics of an A Paper • Excellence in all respects—conceptual, rhetorical, grammatical. Highest quality work, revealing superiority of thought and insight as well as knowledge. • Clear subject and framework of interpretation throughout. • Keen understanding of needs and expectations of a particular audience. • Skillful organization—unified, ordered, coherent, and complete. • Variety: sentence type/length to meet rhetorical demands (topic & audience). • Effective word choice—precise denotation, connotation, and tone. • Correctness in grammar, mechanics, and usage.
Characteristics of a B Paper • Subject & interpretive framework clear. Superior approach to topic. • Clear understanding of needs and expectations of a particular audience. • Clear organization with rare lapses in unity and/or coherence. • Clear focus on framework, subject, and details for each paragraph—fresh, appropriate examples and supporting evidence. ENG 245—Fall 2010—Zimmermann 5
• Variety: sentence type/length to meet rhetorical demands (topic & audience). • Language use imaginative and appropriate. • Correctness in grammar, mechanics, and usage.
Characteristics of a C Paper • Examination or argument presented clearly with no deviation from stated or implied focus/intention. • Though subject & framework evident, paper may not seem consistent and/or forceful in presentation or interpretation. • Organization acceptable, though less clear or forceful than in A or B paper. • Quality of support details uneven; examples and supporting evidence adequate. • Few errors in sentence structure, but sentences ineffective, unvaried. • Word choice generally correct; diction rarely imprecise or monotonous. • No major sentence level errors; few mistakes in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and mechanics.
Deficient papers fail to meet college-level writing standards as follows:
Characteristics of a D Paper • Adequate or only marginally acceptable examination of topic or idea. • Rational paragraphing, but body paragraphs underdeveloped or disorganized— marked problems with unity, order, coherence, and completeness. • Use of generalization without detail or detail with no controlling idea. • Sentence level errors frequent enough to distract the reader. • Inattention to audience needs. • Marginal grasp of rhetorical and grammatical principles.
Characteristics of an F Paper • Failure to address assigned topic or change topic in a manner satisfying to both writer and audience. • Superficial attention to topic or attention to a trite or obvious topic. • Gross assertions taking the place of carefully developed evidence/examples. • Simplistic sentence structure; frequent errors in grammar, mechanics, usage. • Inappropriate use of sources, including failure to provide documentation.
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Course Calendar
Dates Class Meeting For Next Meeting
Week One: NAMASTE
W 8/25 Course introduction Read The Little Prince and No Exit (handout) Week Two: The Hydra Station
W 9/1 The Little Prince; No Exit Read The Third Policeman pp. 7-114 (end of ch. VII) Week Three: The Swan Station
W 9/8 The Third Policeman Read The Third Policeman pp. 115-199 Week Four: The Swan Station
W 9/15 The Third Policeman Read Lord of the Flies
Week Five: The Lookinglass Station
W 9/22 Lord of the Flies Read The Tempest
Week Six: The Tempest Station
W 9/29 The Tempest Read Slaughterhouse Five pp. 1-134
Week Seven: The Lampost Station
W 10/6 Begin Slaughterhouse Five; midterm exam review
Week Eight: The Pearl Station
W 10/13 Midterm Exam Read Slaughterhouse Five pp. 135-275
Week Nine: The Lampost Station
W 10/20 Slaughterhouse Five Read religion and philosophy handouts Week Ten: The Flame Station ENG 245—Fall 2010—Zimmermann 7
W 10/27 Selection of religious and Read Conrad and O’Connor handouts philosophical readings (handouts) Week Eleven: The Flame Station
W 11/3 Selection from Heart of Darkness; Read VALIS O’Connor short stories (handouts) pp. 9-119 (through chapter 7)
Week Twelve: The Staff Station
W 11/10 VALIS Read VALIS pp. 120-228 Week Thirteen: The Staff Station
W 11/17 VALIS
Week Fourteen: The Blast Door Map
W 11/24 No Class – Thanksgiving Break Finish Research Paper; Read Alice in Wonderland Week Fifteen: The Arrow Station
W 12/1 Alice in Wonderland Review for Final Exam
Week Sixteen: The Orchid Station
W 12/8 Final Exam