Major American Authors: Vengeance and Forgiveness
English 128.006
TR 3:30 – 4:45
Spring 2012
Bingham 317
Instructor: Kelly Ross
Email: kbross@email.unc.edu
Office #: Greenlaw 406
Office Hours: Monday 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm, Wednesday 2 pm to 3 pm, and by appointment
Required texts:
Catherine
Maria Sedgwick, Hope Leslie. Dover.
ISBN 9780486476872
Herman
Melville, Moby-Dick. Penguin. ISBN
9780142000083
William
Faulkner, Absalom, Absalom! Vintage.
ISBN 9780679732181
Toni
Morrison, A Mercy. Knopf. ISBN
9780307264237
Websites:
Course
blog: <http://majoramericanauthors.blogspot.com/>
Poems will
be available on the course Blackboard website:
<http://blackboard.unc.edu/>
Grading:
(10%)
Discussion facilitation
(15%) Blog
posts and comments
(15%)
Reading quizzes and participation
(10%) Paper
1
(15%)
Mid-term exam
(15%) Paper
2
(20%) Final
exam
Calendar:
T 1/10 Introduction;
blog sign up
Emily Dickinson, “Mine Enemy is Growing Old”;
Wendell Berry, “Enemies”;
Ezra Pound,
“A Pact”; Lucille Clifton, “Let There Be New Flowering”
R 1/12 Hope Leslie, Preface – V. I, Ch. VII
Everyone: introductory post due by noon Saturday
(1/14)
T 1/17 Hope Leslie, V. I, Ch. VIII – V. II, Ch.
II
Seneca, “On Clemency” [on Bb]
R 1/19 Hope Leslie, V. II, Ch. III – V. II, Ch.
IX
Group A: post by 9am Thursday; Group B: comment
by noon Saturday
T 1/24 Hope Leslie, entire novel
R 1/26 Moby-Dick, xxiii - 89
Group B: post by 9am Thursday; Group A: comment
by noon Saturday
T 1/31 Moby-Dick, 90 - 181
R 2/2 Moby-Dick, 182 - 284
Group A: post by 9am Thursday; Group B: comment
by noon Saturday
T 2/7 Moby-Dick, 285 - 372
R 2/9 Moby-Dick, 373 - 460
Chapter from Payback, David P. Barash and Judith Eve Lipton [on Bb]
Chapter from Payback, David P. Barash and Judith Eve Lipton [on Bb]
Group B: post by 9am Thursday; Group A: comment
by noon Saturday
T 2/14 Moby-Dick, 461 - 552
Draft workshop on paper 1
R 2/16 Moby-Dick, entire novel
Group A: post by 9am Thursday; Group B: comment
by noon Saturday
T 2/21 Walt
Whitman, excerpts from “Song of Myself”; “Reconciliation”
Paper 1 due
R 2/23 Emily
Dickinson, “I think just how my shape will rise,” “The Clouds their Backs
together laid,”
Group B: post by 9am Thursday; Group A: comment
by noon Saturday
T 2/28 Emily
Dickinson, “To do a magnanimous thing,” “As the Starved Maelstrom laps the
Navies”
Excerpt from The Human Condition, Hannah Arendt [on Bb]
R 3/1 Mid-term
exam; no blog posts or comments due
T 3/6 Spring Break – No Class!
R 3/8 Spring Break – No Class!
T 3/13 Absalom, Absalom!, 1-54
R 3/15 Absalom, Absalom!, 55-108
Group A: post by 9am Thursday; Group B: comment
by noon Saturday
T 3/20 Absalom, Absalom!, 109-163
Chapter from Between
Vengeance and Forgiveness, Martha Minow [on Bb]
R 3/22 Absalom, Absalom!, 164-217
Group B: post by 9am Thursday; Group A: comment
by noon Saturday
T 3/27 Absalom, Absalom!, 218-272
Excerpt from Totality
and Infinity, Emmanuel Levinas [on Bb]
R 3/29 Absalom, Absalom!, entire novel
Group A: post by 9am Thursday; Group B: comment
by noon Saturday
T 4/3 Ambrose
Bierce, “Revenge,” and Robert Frost, “Mending Wall”
Chapter from Radical
Acceptance, Tara Brach [on Bb]
R 4/5 TS
Eliot, “Gerontion”
Group B: post by 9am Thursday; Group A: comment
by noon Saturday
T 4/10 Carl
Sandburg, “Grass,” and Sylvia Plath, “Lady Lazarus” and “Daddy”
Draft workshop on paper 2
R 4/12 William
Carlos Williams, “Asphodel, That Greeny Flower”
Group A: post by 9am Thursday; Group B: comment
by noon Saturday
T 4/17 A Mercy, 3-42
Paper 2 due
R 4/19 A Mercy, 43-115
Group B: post by 9am Thursday; Group A: comment
by noon Saturday
T 4/24 A Mercy, 116-167
T 5/1 Final Exam at 4pm
Course Description and Objectives:
Are there offenses so
horrific that vengeance is justified? Or should we always cultivate mercy and
turn the other cheek? These questions raise issues of justice, ethics, and
compassion that lie at the very heart of several disciplines, such as
philosophy, theology, psychology, medicine, and law, as well as literature. We
can debate the abstract virtues of forgiveness or research the legal history of
vigilante justice, but we can also talk more concretely about the physiological
effects that anger and acceptance have on our bodies. The literary texts we
will read in this course explore vengeance and forgiveness in the United States
from the first encounters between Europeans and native Americans in 17th-century
Massachusetts to contemporary poets struggling to absolve absent parents. We
will enrich and deepen our interpretations of this literature with essays on
vengeance and forgiveness by leading thinkers in an array of fields.
We may not agree on a
definitive answer to the questions we investigate, but over the course of this
semester we will formulate reasoned hypotheses and test them in our on-going
conversation, learning from one another. I will lecture occasionally and
briefly, but the class will be discussion-based; I will therefore rely on your
active and thoughtful participation. I want you to enjoy the class and bring
your own ideas and questions so we can investigate the issues that concern you.
This course is designed with non-English majors in mind, so we will guide our
readings with specific questions and problems rather than a concern for
defining the American literary canon.
Along the way, however, we will learn about historical literary
movements and the techniques of literary criticism.
This course aims to:
· introduce you to a variety of questions,
problems, and analytical techniques that structure and guide the study of
literature,
· challenge you to develop and defend your
interpretations of a sampling of American literature,
· improve your academic writing and critical
reading skills,
· and encourage your passion for literature (or, if
you’re a bit skeptical about literature right now, help you discover your
passion)!
Course Requirements:
You are responsible for completing daily reading
assignments, attending class, regularly participating in class discussions,
posting and commenting on the course blog, facilitating one discussion, writing
two papers, and taking two exams.
Please
follow these guidelines when formatting your assignments:
· 12-point font (Times New Roman or something
similar—no weird, hard to read fonts)
· Double spaced
· 1-inch margins (please don’t try to stretch your
paper to meet the length requirement by messing with the margins or font
size—it’s very easy to spot)
(10%)
Discussion facilitation
Your
overall job as facilitator is to keep the class discussion focused and
relevant, direct the group towards topics of interest and importance, and
encourage participation from all students. Broken down, your responsibilities
are the following:
1. Carefully read all assigned readings, as
usual.
2. Before class, read your classmates’ blog posts and write an outline for the
discussion.
As you read your classmates’ posts, think about how
you want to structure the discussion for the day. Is there one hot topic that a
majority of the class seems eager to talk about? That might be a good leadoff
question. You may want to group similar posts into general themes, so that you
can ask follow-up questions as the discussion progresses. What general patterns
or trends do you notice in the posts? You don’t have to let the majority rule,
however; if you read a particularly fascinating or provocative question on a
topic no one else has addressed, you can choose to spotlight that.
3. Initiate
class discussion by posing a question to the group. To start, choose something
that you think will get everyone engaged.
4. Monitor the flow of conversation, and
intervene when appropriate.
When a discussion is going well, it will often
facilitate itself; if the conversation moves on to a different (but still
relevant and productive) topic, don’t feel that you need to interrupt it. If
other students in the class have questions or issues they would like to raise, you
are welcome to entertain them. Remember that you are acting as a facilitator,
not as a teacher or presenter. On the other hand, there will inevitably be
lulls or disruptive tangents in the conversation; these are the times to
refocus the group and perhaps turn to a new discussion question.
5. Encourage participation from all students.
Probably the best way to accomplish this is to
make a concerted effort—throughout the semester—to get to know everyone in the
class. Among other things, this means learning names. When we all know each
other, and are able to speak directly to one another, this will make it easier
for all of us to participate equally, stepping back if we tend to talk more,
stepping forward if we tend to talk less. On the day you facilitate, the most
common, active role you will probably take in this regard is keeping an eye out
for typically quiet students who have something to say… Invite them to speak!
6. Add
notes summarizing the class discussion to your outline and post this summary to
the course blog by the end of the day.
(15%)
Blog posts
The first
week everyone will post an introduction so that we can get to know each other
and test that the blog is working. Starting on Jan. 17, group A (I’ll assign
groups in class) will post to the class blog no later than 9am on Thursday
(please post earlier in the week if possible), while group B will comment on
one of the blog posts no later than noon on Saturday. The following week, the
groups will switch: B will post and A will comment.
When
it’s your turn to post, you should write at least 2 paragraphs (approximately
200 words total) and should examine some specific aspect of the text. For
example, you might explore the motivations of a key character, do a close
reading of a short segment of prose or verse, speculate about how the author
might have handled a particular part of the text differently, trace the use of
a recurring theme or image through several places in the text, explore the
philosophical or historical implications of an author’s assumptions, or examine
the connections among texts we’ve read earlier in the course. Your writing can
be informal, but not unintelligible—you’re not sending a text message. Think of
these posts as brainstorming for points you might want to raise in class.
When
it’s your turn to comment, choose a post that intrigued you and respond to the
author’s point. For example, you could add another example to support her point
or offer a different reading. Please don’t simply agree without elaborating
(e.g. “Nice post! Good point!”). Respectful disagreement is fine; rudeness or
attacks are not. Comments should be at least 1 paragraph (approximately 100
words).
I
will grade these posts for completion. No post is required the final week of
class (4/24) and you have one free pass if you need to skip a week. By the end
of the semester, everyone should have written 6 posts (including your
introduction) and 6 comments.
(15%)
Reading quizzes and daily participation
I will give
10 unannounced reading quizzes throughout the semester to check that you are
keeping up with the reading.
Participation
is more than simply speaking in class. First, you must be prepared before class
by completing all the reading and homework assignments. Second, your comments
in class should be thoughtful and relevant. Think about our class discussions
as conversations; just as you wouldn’t monopolize a conversation with your
friends or steer it away from an interesting topic, please don’t derail a
productive discussion to introduce some new topic.
Your
participation grade will also depend on your active, on-task participation in
small-group and individual activities, such as free writing. If you tend to be
shy in large-group discussions, these other in-class activities are a chance
for you to demonstrate your engagement in the class (however, you should make
an effort to participate regularly in large group discussions as well—it’s an
important skill to develop).
(10%)
Paper 1 (4 pages total)
Scene
(2 pages)
Choose a
character from Hope Leslie or Moby-Dick and write a 2-page scene in
which the character either forgives or exacts revenge on another character who
has wronged him or her. Your scene must be in the style of the original novel;
you must emulate the narrative voice and the dialogue of Hope Leslie or Moby-Dick.
Writer’s Memo (2 pages)
After you have written
your story, reflect on your writing process. Think about the narrative voice
you developed. How did you adjust your own voice to mimic Sedgwick’s or
Melville’s? What rhetorical features did you notice in the original novel that
you imitated in your scene? What formal and stylistic choices did you make? How
did those choices shape your explanation of the event? What are the benefits
and disadvantages of the style you imitated?
These questions are
prompts for reflection; you won’t have room to answer all of them in your memo,
but they might help you get started. Your memo should be an analytical
document, not a mere transcription of your writing process.
We will conduct an
in-class writing workshop on 2/14; bring 2 copies of your draft to class on
that day.
(15%)
Mid-term exam
Close
reading is an important methodology of literary criticism; it presupposes that
careful, sustained attention to the same text over a period of time will reward
the reader with insights and observations that were not apparent on a first
and/or hasty reading. We will cultivate this attention to the text in our class
activities, and you will demonstrate your proficiency in close reading on the
mid-term exam.
You will
write two short essays (25 minutes per essay) and an annotated outline for a
third essay (25 minutes). For the 2 essays, I will give you several passages
from the texts we have read in class and you will choose 2 on which to write. I
will also give you a short poem on the theme of vengeance and forgiveness that
we have not read in class. Rather than write a full essay on that poem, you
will close read it, marking up the text with your notes and observations, and
write a detailed outline of an interpretive essay.
(15%)
Paper 2 (4-5 pages)
In your second paper,
you will develop an argument about how revenge or forgiveness functions in one of
the literary texts we’ve read in class. You should respond to one or more secondary texts (e.g. a scholarly article) in your interpretation.
We will meet
individually to develop your topic based on your own interests and background.
We will also hold an in-class writing workshop on 4/10; bring 2 copies of your
draft to class that day.
(20%)
Final exam
You will spend the exam period on 5/1 revising your second paper based on
feedback from your classmates and me and on your own reflection. I will return
your essays with my comments on the last day of class (4/24). Before the exam,
reread your essay, read my comments, and create a revision plan for the 3-hour
exam period. This revision plan may take whatever format you find most
helpful—for example, outline, freewriting, cluster, or idea map—but bring a
hardcopy of your revision plan to the exam period. The revision plan will be
worth 10% of your grade, so it should document substantive prewriting work.
I will evaluate the development of your argument and ideas in this revised essay as
compared to the paper you turned in on 4/17. Your goal is not merely to
lengthen your essay by adding a few more examples, nor to polish the language,
but rather to rethink your argument from a fresh critical perspective. The UNC
Writing Center’s handout on revision says it best: “Writing is a process of
discovery, and you don’t always produce your best stuff when you first get
started. So revision is a chance for you to look critically at what you have
written to see if it’s really worth saying, if it says what you wanted to say,
and if a reader will understand what you’re saying.” Part of your task during
this exam will be managing your time: concentrate on big-picture issues such as
argument and organization, but make sure you leave yourself time to proofread.
Don’t forget to bring your laptop to the final
exam! You will email me the revised paper before you leave the classroom.
Due Dates and Attendance:
The
due dates for papers are indicated on the syllabus. I will not accept any late
papers. If you are unable to attend class on the day an assignment is due, put
it in the box on my office door before class begins.
Attendance
in class is mandatory. More than two absences will adversely affect your grade
and any student who accumulates more than seven absences over the course of the
semester will receive a failing grade. If you have extreme circumstances that require
you to miss several classes (i.e. mononucleosis, the death of a close relative,
etc.) please let me know as soon as possible. Please note that there is no
distinction between excused and unexcused absences.
Office Hours:
My
office hours are time set aside specially for you and I can’t encourage you
enough to use that time. Of course you should come see me if you’re having a
problem with the readings or the assignments, but you are also welcome to drop
by to continue an in-class discussion, work on your writing, or just to talk.
You don’t need to make an appointment for my scheduled office hours, but if
those hours are not feasible, email or speak to me before or after class to
schedule an appointment. I need at least 24 hours notice for appointments, and
please give me plenty of notice if you need to cancel or reschedule an
appointment. I am also available to answer quick questions via email, but I
will not comment on drafts over email.
Honor Code:
The
Honor Code covers more than just plagiarism and, as a UNC student, you are
expected to adhere to the entire code. I take plagiarism very seriously and I
will report all violations of the Honor Code to the Honor Court. If you are
worried that your work may be in violation of the Honor Code I highly recommend
that you come to my office hours to discuss the matter before turning in
the paper.
Writing Center:
The
UNC Writing Center is an invaluable resource staffed by knowledgeable,
enthusiastic tutors who work with you one-on-one to improve your writing. They
also have handouts and an online tutoring service on their website.
<http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/>
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