| Alex E. Blazer | Course Site | Assignments | Description |
| Materials | Assignments | Policies | Schedule |
Identity Crises
English 261C (07749-8): Introduction to Fiction
Spring 2000, T/R: 3:30 - 5:18 P.M., Denney Hall 312
| Instructor: Alex E. Blazer | Office: 525 Denney Hall |
| Mailbox: 421 Denney Hall | Office Hours: T/R: 2:00-3:18 |
| Email: blazer.9@osu.edu | Office Phone: 292-1790 |
| Web: people.english.ohio-state.edu/blazer.9 | Departmental Phone: 292-6065 |
But now I am full of doubt. Nothing is left to me but doubt. I am doubt itself. Who is speaking me? Am I a phantom too? To what order do I belong? And you: who are you? —J. M. Coetzee, Foe |
This introduction to fiction course will focus on the prime motivator of all fiction—if not all literature—conflict. More specifically, we'll look at internal conflicts, or the crises of identity, that are brought about through confrontations with oneself, other individuals, society, or the world itself. From gender conflicts in Virginia Woolf's Orlando, racial issues in Richard Wright's Native Son, and cultural disparities in Maxine Hong Kingston's The Woman Warrior to metaphsyical anxiety in Franz Kafka's "The Metamorphosis," psychological questions in Charlotte Gilman Perkins' "The Yellow Wall-Paper," and all of the above in J. M. Coetzee's Foe, we'll examine the range of issues that force us to question our very being. For our final reading, we as a class will vote on a novel relevant to a computer section—the cyperspace angst of William Gibson's Neuromancer, the ontological questions of Philip K. Dick's cyborg thriller Do Android's Dream of Electric Sheep?,or the spiritual anti-trust polemic of Douglas Coupland's ode to Bill Gates, Microserfs. As we explore these existential themes, we'll investigate other elements of fiction—character, plot, setting, point of view—as they relate to conflict. Finally, we'll use the computers, or more specifically the world wide web, to help us in our studies. Aside from constructing a rudimentary web page resource of our own in an annotated bibliography, we'll learn to use search engines and literary databases, compare on-line primary texts and secondary works of criticism with printed editions and sources.
required
Coetzee, J. M.: Foe (SBX)
Hawthorne, Nathaniel: "Young Goodman Brown" (Main Library Reserves or Eldritch Press)
Kafka, Franz: "The Metamorphosis" (Main Library Reserves or The Kafka Project)
Kingston, Maxine Hong: The Woman Warrior (SBX)
Gilman, Charlotte Perkins: "The Yellow Wall-Paper" (Project Gutenberg)
Salinger, J. D.: "A Perfect Day for Bananafish" (Main Library Reserves)
Sartre, Jean-Paul: "The Wall" (Main Library Reserves)
Woolf, Virginia: Orlando (SBX)
Wright, Richard: Native Son (SBX)
class will vote on final reading from these novels: Coupland, Douglas: Microserfs
Dick, Philip K.: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Gibson, William: Neuromancer (class choice)
Assignments and Grade Distribution
2 web-based discussion responses, 10%
Sign up for two semi-formal papers of 250 words each. One will be on literature (primary text) and should be more focused, developed, and reader friendly than a journal entry. It should analyze and discuss characters, setting, symbols or other significant components and passages in order to come to an interpretation of the work. It should respond critically to the work and ask two questions or identify two issues for class discussion. The other will be on criticism (secondary text). You should find and evaluate a web site (fan or scholarly) and a print source (scholarly journal article or book chapter). Analyze and discuss theses, issues, key terms, and lines of argument of the critical piece. Respond critically to the work and ask two questions or identify two issues for class discussion. Because your peers and I need time to check the web, papers/abstracts for Tuesday's class must be submitted to the course web-based discussion page by noon Sunday, those for Thursday's by noon Tuesday. For further information, see Guidelines for Reading and Writing.
a journal, 30%
Though not formal, these typed, single-spaced entries should at once explore and analyze thetext as well as develop your feelings toward and thoughts of the work of literature. At least 10 journal entries on 5 different works; of these 2 entries per work, 1 entry on your intitial response and interpretation of the text and 1 entry after class discussion that revisits first impressions and discusses new thoughts and feelings and interpretations. At least 5 guided journal entries that focus on a particular literary element in a particular text and how that element informs the identity crisis. Those writing a final paper on an outside work may substitute 2 of the 15 journal entries to develop thoughts in preparation of their paper
an annotated bibliography and group presentation, 10%
Three-person groups will 1) use the web to find 30 sources (15 web and 15 print) that discuss a particular author, literary work, or literary movement of their choosing (i.e., not necessarily on the class reading list), 2) evaluate the best or most significant 20 sources (10 web and 10 print) in a web page that will be posted to this web site for your peers to reference, 3) summarize their overall findings in an oral presentation in terms of a) how the critics interpret the work and what the critics debate about the work and b) a comparison/contrast between web sources and print sources
a final paper, 30%
typed, doulble-spaced; 7-10 pages or 1750-2500 words should extend and develop a conversation regarding an assigned reading, compare and contrast two works based upon issues broach in class discussion, or interpret a work of literature outside of our reading list (subject to my approval). It may develop ideas from journal entries and/or utilize research from annotated bibliography, but does not necessarily have to.
a final exam, 15%
Cumulative, 2 or 3 essay questions.
class participation, 5%
Come to class ready with questions; engage yourself in class discussions.
Attendance
Come to class on time. Any unexcused absence beyond two will reduce your final grade by two-thirds of a letter for each day. Two tardies count as an absence; arriving 15 minutes or more late counts as an absence.
Late Assignments
Turn in assignments on time. There will be a one letter grade deduction per day for all assignments that are turned in late. An extension may be given if absolutely necessary and warranted.
Plagiarism
Don't do it. Using someone else's words, ideas, or work without proper citation and representing it as your own is the most serious of academic offenses. All cases of suspected plagiarism will be reported to the Committee on Academic Misconduct.
Office of Disability Services
If you have any specific needs or concerns, please feel free to discuss the issue with me during office hours. Students with disabilities who need accommodations should be registered at the Office for Disability Services (292-3307).
Writing Center
The staff of the Writing Center serve as readers and responders to writing for English 110, English 367 and other university disciplines. Besides giving feedback, these English graduate students can help with other writing issues such as topic development, organization, coherence, clarity, and self-editing. To make an appointment, call 292-5607 or stop by 485 Mendenhall Labs M/W 8:30-5:30, T/R 8:30-7:30, and F 8:30-1:30.
Student Work
On the Monday after finals week, I will have your final research papers ready for you to pick up. Make an appointment with me to retrieve your work, or I will discard it after two quarters.
This schedule is subject to change, so listen in class and check online for possible revisions.
Introductions and Syllabus Concerns |
Kafka, "The Metamorphosis," Main Library Reserves or The Kafka Project Finding Primary Texts on the Web |
Hawthorne, "Young Goodman Brown," Main Library Reserves or Eldritch Press Salinger, "A Perfect Day for Bananafish," Main Library Reserves Finding Secondary Sources in the Print and on the Web |
| Woolf, Orlando, 13-118 | ||
Woolf, Orlando, 119-226 Evaluation of Secondary Sources in Print |
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Woolf, Orlando, 227-329 Evaluation of Secondary Sources on the Web |
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Sartre, "The Wall," Main Library Reserves Wright, Native Son, vii-92 Comparing Print and Web Sources |
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Wright, Native Son, 93-253 Comparing Print and Web Sources — continued Journals due |
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| Wright, Native Son, 254-397 | ||
catch up day Composing an Annotated Bibliography |
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Perkins, "The Yellow Wall-Paper," Project Gutenberg Composing a Web Page |
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Kingston, The Woman Warrior, 1-110 Composing a Web Page —continued |
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| Kingston, The Woman Warrior, 111-209 | ||
Coetzee, Foe, 1-46 Laboratory time for Annotated Bibliographies Journals due |
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Coetzee, Foe, 47-157 Laboratory time for Annotated Bibliographies |
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catch up day Laboratory time for Annotated Bibliographies |
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| Annotated Bibliographies due by noon | ||
| Annotated Bibliography Presentations | ||
| Gibson, Neuromancer, 1-135 | ||
| Gibson, Neuromancer, 136-271 | ||
Evaluations Final Exam Review Guidelines for Reading and Writing Final Paper due Journals due |
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| Final Exam, 3:30-5:18 |