Gateway 100 – section 26 – Jewish Humor
Instructor Irv Epstein
Office Hours:Tuesday, Thursday: 1:00 – 3:30 pm and by appointment.
Office Telephone: 556-3098 Home Telephone: 454-7937 e-mail: [email protected]
Course Rationale
All instructors who teach gateway seminars are committed to the teaching of critical thinking through the writing process. We will attempt to accomplish that goal in this course through learning about Jewish humor. Our explorations will focus upon the nature and social functions of humor, the ways in which humor can be used to express religious and cultural values, and how in analyzing humor, we can gain a better understanding of issues of identity, assimilation and acceptance, issues that confront many immigrant groups.
Course Goals
1. Students will develop those critical thinking skills involved in the process of argumentation that include: constructing thesis statements, analyzing premises and conclusions, evaluating evidence, and weighing completing claims.
2. Students will react to different forms of writing that represent different fields of study including oral history, social theory, the social sciences, and literature.
3. Students will through the processes of peer review and large group interaction, evaluate each other’s writing for the purposes of expediting self-improvement in the writing process.
4. Students will analyze, compare, and contrast visual images as represented in various films.
5. Students will examine the nature of laughter, definitions of the “comedic,” and will evaluate the cultural and universal characteristics of Jewish humor.
6. Students will gain an appreciation for the nature of the Jewish immigrant experience in North America, and will be able to identify values that are relevant to that experience in comedic situations.
1 Course Texts
1. Aleichem, Sholom. Tevye the Dairyman and the Railroad Stories. New York: Schocken, 1996.
2. Berger, Peter. Redeeming Laughter: The Comic Dimension of Human Experience.New York: De Gruyter, 1997.
3. Coen, Joel. Gates of Heaven. New York: Delta, 1999.
4. Frommer, Myrna Katz and Harvey Frommer. Growing Up Jewish in America. Lincoln, Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press, 1995.
5. Rosen, Leonard J. and Behrens, Laurence. The Allyn and Bacon Handbook, 4th edition. Needham Heights, Mass.: Allyn and Bacon, 2000.
6. Ziv, Avner, ed.. Jewish Humor. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Transaction, 1998.
Course Requirements
1. Essay analyzing the nature of a joke and a humorous circumstance 150 points.
2. Essay comparing and contrasting two of the films viewed in class. 150 points.
3.Group Research Paper investigating an aspect of North American ethnicity and/or humor. 150 points.
4. Review of Growing Up Jewish as an example of contemporary history. 150 points.
5. Team led discussions of selected short stories by Sholem Aleichem and selected chapters of Jewish Humor by Ziv. 100 points.
6.Comparison of two of the short stories by Joel Coen with Barton Fink 150 points.
7. Attendance and Participation (including peer review work and informal Writing) 150 points.
Totals 1000 points.
Approximate Grading Scale
1000 - 960 points A 959 - 920 points A-
2 919 - 880 points B+ 879 - 840 points B 839 - 800 points B- 799 - 760 points C+ 759 - 720 -points C 719 - 680 - points C- 679 - 640 points D Below 640 points F
3
Grading and Assessment Procedures
This course is designed to offer varied forms of assessment throughout the term and it is expected that you will demonstrate competence in all of the prescribed forms of oral and written expression in order to receive credit for the class. Although instructor to student and student to instructor expectations will become clearer as the course proceeds, please keep in mind the following general performance criteria that will be used in the course.
I. Evaluation of formal written work
1) "A" papers demonstrate excellence in content, organization and style. The author presents a unified thesis, followed by a sound organizational strategy. The ideas that are presented are engaging and illuminate insights not readily apparent in reading the required text. Assertions are supported by evidence and logical argument. Where appropriate, contrary arguments and conflicting evidence are noted and reasons for disagreements are made clear. The author is aware of her/his role, the appropriate audience for whom the piece is intended, and presents ideas that are clearly stated and easy to understand. A papers rarely contain any spelling or grammatical mistakes.
2) “A-” papers differ from A papers in that there may be one or two fewer truly engaging and illuminating insights that are presented. Still, the ideas that are expressed are creative and insightful, assertions are supported by evidence and logical argument, and contrary arguments are presented when called for. Grammatically and stylistically, the author may make one mistake but this is the exception. In short, this is not the perfect paper, but it comes close.
3) "B+" papers are solid pieces of work that demonstrate good ideas and insights that are somewhat more common and perhaps less useful than those presented in "A" papers. The organization and style of the papers are of a generally high quality although there may be an occasional inconsistency in this area. Assertions are supported by evidence and logical argument although one might expect further elaboration and development of the material that is presented. Only a few spelling or grammatical errors are in evidence in a B+ paper.
4) “B” papers are solid pieces of work that demonstrate author familiarity and engagement with the important issues at hand. A “B” paper fulfills the teacher’s expectations for the assignment, but it is not exceptional or extraordinary in any way. The writer will demonstrate logical reasoning and support her/his arguments with relevant evidence but will not take any chances or reach beyond a conventional understanding of the material.
5) “B-” papers are solid pieces of work with one or two slight exceptions. The author will demonstrate general familiarity and engagement with important issues but may miss the implications of one important argument or make a statement that is empirically and
4 factually incorrect. Still this will not take away from a general understanding of the issues at hand.The paper will for the most part be well organized, but there may be a particular paragraph that is stylistically or grammatically inappropriate.
6) "C" papers are adequate pieces of work that demonstrate acceptable understanding of the assignment. The insights and ideas presented will rarely go beyond the obvious and there may be some organizational and stylistic inconsistencies that detract from the content of the piece. It is generally clear that the author understands the nature of the assignment and appreciates her/his role and that of the audience for whom the piece is intended. But the use of evidence and logical argument while present throughout the piece, is limited. Sometimes, one argument will be clearly delivered but opposing points of view will not be considered. Clarity of expression is present although it may be seriously lacking in a few areas. Grammatical and spelling errors may be present, but one can still understand the author’s intention and meaning. C+, C, and C- grades will differ depending upon how well the author communicates her/his understanding of the assigment, and demonstrates evidence for having completed the required reading in its entirety.
7) "D" papers may have some virtues: an occasional insight or good idea, but they are marred by unclear writing, organization, and style. They demonstrate lack of attention to audience and communicate the purpose of the piece unclearly, and they are lacking in the presentation of solid argumentation and evidence. Upon reading this type of paper, one can’t be absolutely sure that the author understands the assignment and has read the required material, necessary to complete the assignment intelligently. Grammatical and spelling errors are abundant.
8) "F" papers fail to address the requirements of the assignment. Their authors show no insight into the work being studied and show poor attention to organization and style. These are papers that often are written at the last minute and do not clearly demonstrate that the author understands her/his role or the nature of the audience for whom the work is to be written. No evidence is given to demonstrate that the author has actually read the required material or completed the required tasks prior to writing this paper. No effort is made to organize one's thoughts clearly.
All formal written work for the course should be proofread and spell checked before being turned in.
II. Formal Writing Assignments
A. Essay Analyzing a Joke and a Humorous Circumstance
In a coherent 3-5 page essay, analyze the joke described below. Explain what makes the joke funny or not funny, what one has to know in order to appreciate the joke, and what the joke says about its characters, the storyteller, and the audience. Then describe a humorous situation that happened to you and explain why the situation was funny at the time. Explain what would have to know in order to appreciate the situation, and compare
5 the elements of comedy in the joke with the comedic elements of the circumstance explaining why you think comedy is either universal or culturally specific.
p. 93 from Berger.
A Jewish man is sitting in a railway carriage in the old country. A considerably younger man, evidently also Jewish, joins him after a while and sits across from him after a perfunctory greeting. As the train begins to move, the younger man says: “Excuse me, could you tell me what time it is?” The older man does not reply. “Excuse me again, but could you tell me what time it is?” The older man looks out the window. The younger man is quite irritated by this: “Look here, I asked you a perfectly civil question. Why don’t you answer me?” The older man says: “All right. I will tell you. If I tell you what time it is, we will start a conversation. You will find out things about me. You will find out that I am a rabbi in the town of X, that I have two daughters, one of them unmarried. You will want to see pictures of my family. You will find out that my unmarried daughter is very beautiful. You will come to visit us. You will fall in love with my daughter. You will marry her…” “Well, would this be so terrible? I am a perfectly respectable Jewish man.” “Perhaps,” says the older man. “But I don’t want a son-in-law who cannot afford a watch.”
B. Essay comparing and contrasting two of the films viewed in class.
Pick any two of the films we see in class and compare them according to these elements: plot, theme, character development, visual imagery, editing techniques, relationship with the audience. Then explain what these films say about larger issues including the directors’ assumptions about the Jewish experience, social relationships, and values.
C. Comparison of two short stories by Joel Coen with Barton Fink.
Compare the themes, character development, settings, plots, and conflicts in two short stories from Gates of Eden with a Coen Brothers’ film. Comment upon similarities with regard to the treatment of violence, sexuality, and abnormal behavior. What kind of world outlook do the Brothers’ try to portray, and which medium does a better job of conveying that outlook? Why?
D. Review of Growing Up Jewish in America as an example of oral history.
After reading Growing Up Jewish in America, write a review of the book summarizing the authors’ major themes, analyzing their use of the interview as an evidence gathering device, and comment about the quality of the reflections their subjects make. What insights have you gained as a reader in learning about the lives of those who have been interviewed? What more would you have liked to have known? In what ways do you find their anecdotes representative of an entire group of people? In what ways are their
6 insights overly general or superficial? On the basis of reading this book, what does it mean to be a Jewish-American in the U.S?
E. Group Research Paper
In groups of four, you will conduct library research and write a group paper about a specific aspect of North American ethnicity and/or humor. The responsibilities for the paper will be shared; each member of the group will evaluate her/his colleagues’ contributions to the project, and the group’s results will be presented orally as well as in written form. The paper will include a thesis statement, an outline, and an annotated bibliography.
III. Informal Writing and Class Activities
Students will be expected to come to class prepared to discuss relevant readings at all times. In addition, we will complete short pieces of written work in class, will evaluate examples of each other’s work, and will create scripted role plays and demonstrations. Although informal in nature, this type of writing will constitute an important part of the course, and will receive a cumulative assessment.
IV. Team Led Discussion of Short Stories by Sholem Aleichem and selected chapters in the book Jewish Humor.
Teams consisting of groups of three will take over the class and teach individual short stories from the collection, Tevye and the Dairyman and from the text Jewish Humor. Each team will be responsible for teaching one half of an entire period, creating interactive activities, discussion questions, and assessment instruments that will enhance our understanding of this literature.
V. Small Group Work and Peer Review
Small group interaction will be an extremely important part of the class as it will include completing in-class tasks, presenting articles and book chapters for general discussion, and participating in peer review editing sessions. With specific regard to the latter task, every individual piece of formal writing will be submitted to other members of the group for their evaluation prior to the completion of a final draft and both the initial draft and final drafts will be submitted together on listed due dates. The final draft will not be graded unless accompanied by a copy of the initial draft signed by other members of the group indicating that they have seen and commented upon it. It is each person's responsibility to make enough copies of the original draft for other group members and the instructor.
VI. Evaluation of Oral Expression and Participation
7 In order for this class to work, everyone must extensively participate orally, both on an individual basis in front of the larger class and within smaller group settings. As difficult as it may be to speak in front of others, it is absolutely essential that each person makes an effort to share their wisdom with the rest of the class. Quality oral participation does not mean monopolizing discussion. It involves listening, reflecting, critiquing, encouraging and sharing. We will try as much as possible to create a classroom environment where these skills are allowed to flourish, in a spirit of tolerance and mutual respect. When we deal with controversial issues where individuals have strongly held opinions, we will try to encourage each other to reassess and reevaluate strongly held views. The overall evaluation of oral participation will therefore be based upon the consistency of performance as well as the quality of one's contributions.
VII. Evaluation of Attendance
Each class member is expected to attend regularly and to notify the instructor in advance if it is necessary to miss class because of a special circumstance. Attending class is more than a personal choice: it is a social responsibility, for the class as a whole will be harmed without your continued presence. Certainly, your fellow small group members will suffer if you are not present. If there are extenuating circumstances that prevent you from fulfilling this commitment on a regular basis, it is your responsibility to inform the instructor as soon as possible of this fact. In addition, it may be necessary to meet with small group members at a convenient time outside of class, to plan group presentations on book chapters, articles, and the group proposal. Make sure that scheduling conflicts are equitably negotiated when they arise. I will make my own time as flexible as possible and will meet with you outside of class in order to help.
IX. Due Dates
Unless renegotiated by the instructor and the entire class, due dates will be strictly respected except under unique circumstances (the printer isn't working, my hard drive crashed, the dog ate my paper are not unique circumstances; a doctor's excuse verifying that you have contracted the plague will suffice as a unique circumstance). All assignments are to be turned in on the agreed-upon date and one full grade will be deducted for each day the assignment is late, starting with the beginning of class time.
X. Films
We will see a number of films for this class and as they are not owned by the university, and must be rented, it is imperative that you attend all screenings on the designated dates.
The following films will be screened during the semester:
1. Night at the Opera – Marx Brothers – September 11th
8
2. Fiddler on the Roof – September 25th
3. Radio Days– October 2nd
4. The Producers – Mel Brooks – October 25th
5. Barton Fink–Coen Brothers– November 8th
6. Sleeper – Woody Allen – December 5th
All films will be shown in the library AV room beginning at 7:00 pm.
XI. Tentative Schedule
Weeks One and Two: August 27th – September 5th – Introduction to Jewish Culture and Jewish Humor; Introduction to the Writing Process
Readings: August 29th th – Ziv, pp. 5-16.
September 5th – Allyn and Bacon Handbook, chapters 1 and 2; Ziv, pp. 47-71. Library demonstration.
Weeks Three, Four, Five and Six: September 10th –October 3rd– Theories of Comedy, Theories of Laughter
Readings: September 10th , September 12th – Berger, Chapter 1, Chapters 4-6 (pp.3-14; 45-95.
Readings: September 17th , September 19th – Berger, Chapters 7-11 (pp.99-174).
First Draft of First Formal Essay Due, September 24th
Final Draft of First Formal Essay Due, October 3rd.
Readings:October 3rd.– Berger, Chapter 14. (pp. 205-215). Library demonstration
Weeks Seven and Eight, October 8th, October 10th, October 15th October 17th– Eastern European Jewish Culture
Readings: October 8th, October 10th – Selections from Tevye, the Dairyman.. Team led discussions of selected short stories from Tevye, the Dairyman; Ziv, pp. 19-28.
Readings: October 15th, October 17th – Ziv, pp. 125-161;
9 Weeks Nine, and Ten, October 22nd, October 24th, October 29th, October 31st,
Reading: October 22nd, October 24th – Frommer and Frommer, Growing Up Jewish in America. First draft of Frommer Essay due, October 29th .
Final draft of Frommer Essay due, October 31st.
Week Eleven and Twelve: November 5th, November 7th, November 12th: Postmodernism and the Jewish Experience Readings: Selections from Coen, Gates of Eden.
First draft of Coen Brothers stories and film due, November 12th.
Week Twelve - November 14th – Review of Jewish Humor Themes in Film
Final draft of Coen Brothers’ Paper due November 14th.
Week Thirteen: Comparative Film Essay
November 19th: First draft of comparative film essay due.
November 26th: Final draft of comparative film essay due.
Weeks Fourteen and Fifteen: November 28th, December 3rd, December 5th Preparing for Research Paper.
Readings: Allyn and Bacon Handbook, pp. 478-618. November 28th: Library demonstration
Presentation of Research Paper: December 11th.
Due Dates for Major Assignments
1. First Draft of First Formal Essay Due, September 24th
Final Draft of First Formal Essay Due, October 3rd.
2. October 8th, October 10th – Team led discussions of selected short stories from Tevye, the Dairyman.
3. First draft of Growing Up Jewish in America essay due, October 29th.
4. Final draft of Growing Up Jewish in America essay due, October 31st.
5. First draft of Coen Brothers comparative essay due November 12th.
10
Final draft of Coen Brothers comparative essay due November 14th.
6. First draft of comparative film essay due November 19th.
7. Final draft of comparative film essay due November 26th.
7. Final Group Research paper due, December 11th.
Revision deadlines.
First paper: Final revision due October 17th.
Second paper: Final revision due November 12th.
Third paper: Final revision due November 26th.
Fourth paper: Final revision due December 11th.
11