Writing 20: Literature of U

Fall 2010 English 2303 T/Th 12:30-1:50 Room:PH103

LITERATURE OF THE GULF WARS

Professor Arcé Office: Carlisle 403 Office Hours: T/Th 2:30-3:30 [email protected]

Course Overview: When soldiers marched out into the field of battle with lance, sword and shield, writers celebrated chivalry and courage—but then came modern warfare. With its technological advances, its political framings, and relentless media coverage, modern warfare has put distance between soldiers and the traditional tropes of heroism and sacrifice. How do contemporary American soldiers write about the experience of war? Can war literature still champion abstract ideals when the language used to discuss modern warfare often fails to make distinctions between combatants and non-combatants, freedom and occupation, valiant soldier and war criminal?

War is the offspring of politics, and consequently, the critical perspectives for this class will draw from diverse disciplines such as political science, history and literary analysis, but our main focus will remain literature. Throughout the semester, we will read these texts as literary cultural products that tell us something about the way Americans understand modern warfare. The readings for this course will help us explore themes traditionally associated with soldiering such as civic duty, patriotism, gender in the armed services, military heroism and the need for (or absence of) a “belief” while serving in a war zone.

Required Texts: The Things They Carried Au: Tim O’Brien Jarhead Au: Anthony Swofford I’m a Soldier To Au: Jessica Lynch Love My Rifle More Than You Au: Kayla William Journal For Jordan Au: Dana Canedy

Suggested Films to View: Platoon Full Metal Jacket Jarhead Courage Under Fire Hurt Locker

1 Course Objectives: 1. To introduce key frameworks, concepts and questions in the study of war and literature by focusing on novels, poems, autobiographies of people connected to the U.S. military.

2. To provide historical and theoretical context for the literature (and film) we analyze, in order to promote a complex understanding of the way war and literature function in our society.

3. To improve students skills not only in analysis through close reading and comparison, but also in researching and academic writing.

4. To provide students with the opportunity to undertake an independent project that will contribute to class discussion.

Student Learning Outcomes: 1. After taking this course students will have an informed understanding of key frameworks, concepts, arguments, topics, questions, and content of contemporary discussions specific to literary representations of war.

2. After taking this course students should be able to respond critically to all course material, using, analysis, close reading, comparison and evaluation.

3. After taking this course students should be able to analyze literature (and film) by drawing upon the many cultural, theoretical, and gendered analysis covered in this class. Students should be able to intelligently discuss contemporary literature of war in U.S. culture.

4. Students will improve their ability to express their ideas in clear, logical, and persuasive ways, in both written and oral forms.

Attendance and Participation Your active participation is crucial to the success of the course. Prepare for each class period by doing the reading in an inquisitive manner. This means you should read the text paying careful attention to “why” things happen. Come to class with commentary ready to share. This is part of your “participation” grade so make sure you actively participate in class discussions. Everyone gets four absences. Use the absences intelligently. You only get four-so use them wisely. If you miss more than five classes, I will lower your course grade and if you miss six, I have the option of failing you. There will be NO “excused” absences--you have four absences to use at your discretion. I will grant everyone one “pass” to use as one absence OR one paper turned in late (24 hrs or less). When you need to use the “pass” write pass on a sheet of paper with the date of the absence, or attach a sheet of paper with the word pass to the late paper.

Policies

2 Turn OFF all pagers, beepers, cell phones and other electronic devices! You may NOT use laptops in class. If you are fiddling with electronic devices I will ask you to put them away. If you do not put them away I will ask you to leave the class. Treat your classmates with respect, avoid electronic devices that create distractions. Arrive to class prepared--- make sure to keep up with the readings. We will occasionally work in small groups in which you discuss issues from the readings, if you do not do the readings you will not be able to participate in the discussion. If you do not participate in the discussion you hinder your classmates ability to learn from class discussion. My teaching style includes both lecture and discussion, this means that the quality of the course depends on the quality of the participation.

Plagiarism Plagiarism is the unacknowledged and inappropriate use of the ideas or wording of another writer. This type of behavior undermines the values of an intellectual community. Please make sure all of your sources are cited properly. Plagiarism will NOT be tolerated.

Assignments You will be responsible for two 3.5 page, thesis driven essays throughout the semester. You will also have to write one in-class diagnostic essay, 2 one page responses, 3 quizzes, one midterm and a final.

• Readings: Assignments and readings are due on the dates listed on following course schedule.

• Thesis Driven Essays: You will generate two 4pg thesis driven essays in response to a choice of prompts arising from the readings and discussions. In addition, you will need to locate and utilize at least one academic outside source. Except for the in-class diagnostic, all essays must be typed and in 12 pt Times New Roman (the font that you are reading) with 1-inch margins all the way around, double-spaced, pages numbered, and stapled. No fancy binders. All essays must follow MLA format for research papers and use MLA style to cite and document sources. Please use single side printing please.

Evaluation Grades consist of the following breakdown:

 Essays 35%  Quizzes 15%  One Page Responses 10%  Midterm 15%  Final 15%  Attendance & Participation 10%

3 COURSE SCHEDULE *Readings are due on the dates listed*

Week One: Aug 26 Th General introduction to the course: overview of class themes and discussion of the writing/rhetoric component.

Part 1: The Lessons of Vietnam

Week Two Aug 31 Tue The Vietnam War and Americans writing about Vietnam. Discussion of the major literary motifs of the Vietnam war including the idea of the first “post- modern war,” nation and the search for “meaning” through war.

Readings Due: Chris Hedges [Selections from War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning] O’Brien. The Things They Carried (1-37) Due: Writing Diagnostic

Sep 2 Th Opening Discussion on The Things They Carried Screening of a section of Oliver Stone’s Platoon Readings Due: O’Brien. The Things They Carried (37-84)

Week Three: Sep 7 Tue Discussion of Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried Readings Due: O’Brien. The Things They Carried (84-180)

Sept 9 Th Finish Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried Readings Due: The Things They Carried (200-246) Due: Quiz #1

Part 2: Gulf War Repressentations- War Without Fighting

Week Four: Sept 14 Tu Introduction to Gulf War literature Discussion of First Gulf War and its literary Motifs Readings Due: Peter Huchthausen’s “Chapter 9: The Gulf War: Desert Shield” from America’s Splendid Little War

4 Andrew J. Bacevich’s “Wilsonians Under Arms” from The New American Militarism

Sept 16 Th Discussion of Dear Mr. President Readings Due: Hudson, Gabe: Dear Mr. President Readings “Dear Mr.President” & “Notes from a Bunker Along Highway 8” Week Five Sept 21 Tu Discussion of Gulf War and Swofford’s Jarhead Readings Due: Swofford Jarhead (1-85) Due: One Page Response

Sept 23 Th Discussion of Gulf War and Swofford’s Jarhead Readings Due: Swofford. Jarhead (85-133)

Week Six Sept 28 Tu Discussion of Gulf War and Swofford’s Jarhead Readings Due: Swofford Jarhead (133-236)

Sept 30 Th Discussion of Gulf War and Swofford’s Jarhead Screening of scenes from film: Jarhead Readings Due: Swofford Jarhead (236 to End) Due: Essay #1

Part 3: Women in Contemporary Wars

Week Seven: Oct 5 Tu MIDTERM PLEASE BRING LARGE BLUE BOOK

Oct 7 Th Introduction to the Women in the Military Due: Hand Out Week Eight Oct 12 Tue Discussion of Jessica Lynch’s I’m a Soldier Too Readings Due: I’m a Soldier Too (1-96)

Oct 14 Th Discussion of Lynch, I’m a Soldier Too Readings Due: Lynch I’m a Soldier Too (96-134) Week Nine Oct 19 Tue Readings Due: Lynch’s I’m a Soldier Too (Finish Book) Screening of scenes from Courage Under Fire Due:Quiz #2

Oct 21 Th Finish Discussing Lynch’s Introduction to Iraq War Readings Due: Andrew J. Bacevich “Chapt 7: Blood for Oil” in The New American Militarism Week Ten

5 Oct 26 Tu Kayla William’s Love My Rifle More Than You Readings Due: 1-81

Oct 28 Th Kayla William’s Love My Rifle More Than You Readings Due: 81-139

Week Eleven Nov 2 Tu Kayla William’s Love My Rifle More Than You Readings Due: 139-228

Nov 4 Th Kayla William’s Love My Rifle More Than You Readings Due: 228-288 Due: Quiz #3

Part 4: The Iraq Gulf War

Week Twelve Nov 9 Tu Poems from Brian Turner’s Here, Bullet Selected scenes of documentary Homecoming Readings Due: Steven G. Kellman’s “Arms and the Curriculum” Elizabeth D. Samet’s “Not Your Father’s Army” From Soldiers Heart Nov 11 Th Selected scenes of documentary Hurt Locker Due: One Page Response

Week Thirteen Nov 16 Tu Discussion of the “War at Home” Dan Canedy’s Journal For Jordan Readings Due: pgs. 1-88

Nov 18 Th Dan Canedy’s Journal For Jordan Readings Due: pgs. 88-137 Week Fourteen Nov 23 Tue Thanksgiving Week (Finish Journal for Jordan ) Nov 25 Th Thanksgiving Week (Finish Journal for Jordan )

Week Fifteen Nov 30 Tue Finish discussing Journal for Jordan Dec 2 Th Selected Poems from Jehanne Dubrows Stateside

Week Sixteen [DEAD WEEK] Dec 7 Tue Selected Poems from Jehanne Dubrows Stateside Dec 9 Th Class Canceled and Extra Office Hours Posted Due: Essay # 2

Week Seventeen [FINALS WEEK]