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| Reasoning &
Writing in the College Fall 2002 Writing about: English Language and Literature Women
Warriors: Examining Cultural Representations From Britomart to G.I. Jane
and Beyond… Women warriors, both real and fictional, have long been fighting wars upon the cultural battlefield. Often women have fought just for the right to fight for what they believe in. But what makes a woman a warrior? Are women warriors really different from their masculine counterparts? How are women warriors imagined, specifically in literature, film, and other visual media, over time and in different milieus? In this course we will examine a multiplicity of cultural representations of women warriors ranging from the undefeated Britomart in Spenser’s Faerie Queene to Demi Moore’s sacrificial marine in G.I. Jane, and beyond to some real-life fighters. We will also look at classical antecedents such as the Goddess Diana and the Amazons and some of the most recent configurations of mercenaries and spies such as Charlie’s Angels, the Bond women, and Laura Croft. Through critical readings, film screenings, class discussion, and four written essays, we will address issues of gender, race, biology, class, and cultural politics that are raised through examining representations of women warriors. Students will be required to engage critically with the material and to actively strengthen their argumentative skills though journals, peer reviews, essay revisions, self-assessments, and in-class writing workshops. Creating
History and Heroes: Manipulations of Biography William Wallace was
a Scottish hero with impeccable morals and physical strength bordering
on the superhuman; Charles Van Doren was a tremendously attractive yet
naïve university professor who was manipulated into destroying his
own career by the television industry; the Marquis de Sade was a raving
lunatic with a penchant for abusing women and a perpetual erection--or
so modern cinema would have us believe. Eighteenth-century poet Thomas
Chatterton was an angelic and "marvellous boy," victimized by
a cruel and class-centered literary community, or a philandering scoundrel,
depending on which biography one chooses to peruse. In this course, we
will examine the distance between fact and representation with regard
to biography. If we have learned anything from television shows such as
"Hollywood versus History," it is that liberties are frequently
taken with biographical representation. What might be the motivation for
such distortions of life stories? Do they serve a political, social or
literary agenda? What is the difference between a manipulation of facts
for the purpose of making a point and a fallacy? We will begin by comparing
historical accounts of a variety of biographies with their distorted literary
or cinematic counterparts and creating journal entries which reflect our
perceptions of the differences between the two and the potential reasons
for those differences. Through revision, editing, peer workshops, and
class discussions, these reactions will be developed into several short
papers. One longer, final research paper will consider the history of
biographical representation of a particular figure. Beauty and Precision
- Writing with Style A reader's mind is filled with verbal memories, successions of solemn encounters with language, as it were. Achieved stylists are the best models for writing; in their works, feelings and ideas are conveyed most precisely and beautifully. If such successful endeavors humble aspiring writers, they can also empower them. Literature, as Toni Morrison remarked in her Nobel Lecture, is language kept alive; language turned "instrument through which power is exercised." Language is not merely the writer's primary material; it is also the "instrument" he or she uses to shape the material. Like any precision tool, it requires sharpening and frequent care . . . for fear that it might lose accuracy and betray its owner's ambitious designs. In this light, we will encounter a variety of authors--Morrison, Mansfield, James, Queneau, Carver, and Breton, to name a few--and focus on close readings of works, mostly literary. We will analyze different stylistic strategies and discuss the effect of rhetorical choices applicable in your own writing. This class rests on the students' regular, rigorous and enthusiastic commitment to weekly writing assignments, formal papers and oral participation. There will be no final exam. Writing
Youth: The Making and Re-making of Youth Identity in American Culture,
or From the Mouths of Babes An article entitled "The Global Teenager" in the Winter 1989 issue of Whole Earth Review found that by the mid-1990's over half the world's population would be under the age of twenty. So, who are these people? What does it mean to be a "youth" in the U.S.? One's youth, or particularly one's teen years, is a time of making one's identity, solidifying who one is. This class will investigate how, in the process of forming that identity, young people in the United States are confronted by representations of youth in literature, film, and other mass media -- images and models that attempt to define youth and youth culture, at times, from a very skewed perspective. We will use popular essays, some literature and film, and critical essays to examine these definitions of youth, and, hopefully, you will learn to express for yourselves how accurate and how influential those representations are. You will be expected to write several essays on the topics discussed, and some class time will be devoted to writing workshops, as well as peer reviews and revisions, as ways to develop and clarify ideas or arguments. There will be no final exam. Representations
of the American Soldier This course will examine how the American soldier has been represented in writing, photographs, music, and film. In written and spoken arguments, students will analyze matters of gender, race, and class in relationship to the soldier's role in war and in American society in general. They will also examine questions of truth and responsibility, which often take the form of a struggle between private thought and public speech. Throughout the course, students will observe the effects of the experience gap between veterans and civilians, both during war and after soldiers return home. Students will study the stylistic strategies and rhetorical choices the artists make to produce effective work and attempt to apply them to our their writing. This won't just be a matter of listening to and telling war stories; it will be a challenging, rigorous, and hopefully powerful course. Students will write several short papers and one long research paper, as well as revisions, informal writing, peer reviews, and self-assessments. Student participation is critical; the success of a course like this depends on students' enthusiastic commitment to both written assignments and oral participation. Cultural/Historical
Representations of Race and Gender As its title suggests, this writing course will focus on a variety of cultural and historical representations of race and gender, ranging from 20th century fiction to contemporary advertising, television and film. The course will be guided by, but not limited to, the following questions: how have early 20th century, as well as contemporary authors represented gender and/or race in their fictional work? How is an author’s representation of gender and/or race affected by his/her own gender and/or race? How do these representations compare to those found in contemporary advertising, television, and film? What do these representations suggest about their respective cultural and historical contexts? Based on these representations of gender and race, have we made any progress towards equality? Students will be asked to do in-class presentations, as well as informal/exploratory writing. Students will write a variety of papers of roughly 4-5 pages, one on each of the four media mentioned above. One of these will be an 8-10 page research paper. In the writing and revising of each of these papers, peer-feedback and self-assessment will play a prominent role 20th Century Literature
To Film This course will explore
twentieth century literature and its adaptation to film. We will address
such questions as: What appeals to readers about each work, and what makes
it appropriate for film? What are the limits or possibilities of the adaptation?
How does the transformation from the printed page to the silver screen
alter the story, the characters, or the message of the work…and why? Detective Fiction From its beginnings, the detective novel has fostered a unique relationship with its readers. While it seduces us with colorful characters and distracting details, it challenges us to exercise our powers of logic, of critical thinking, and of the examination of conflicting evidence in order to answer the burning questions of Whodunit? And Why?! Let us savor the fact that "forensics" is a term encompassing the seemingly disparate fields of rhetoric and debate and the scientific disciplines of fact-finding and analysis practiced by medical examiners and other detectives. Indeed, the techniques of analysis common to both disciplines are essential to one and all in a world composed of floods of information and mere trickles of knowledge. In this class, we will not only engage in "Watching the Detectives" of the hard-boiled and film noir traditions as they grapple with issues of race, class, gender, sexuality, nationality, and (dis)ability as played out against the backdrops of their historical moments; we will become detectives ourselves, employing the tools of literary research skills, seminar discussions, writing workshops and peer reviews as methods of developing and clarifying ideas and arguments and expressing them in clear and lucid prose. The writing projects assigned in this class are designed to enable students to analyze their own strengths and weaknesses as writers and to generate strategies for self-improvement and for the constructive criticism of their peers' work. Students will assess their own and their colleagues' drafts in writing as part of the peer review process. The skills perfected in these workshops will help students as they prepare the analytical essays and the argumentative research paper that comprise the bulk of the class's assignments. Crumbling Castles
and Fainting Maidens: the Essential British Gothic Literature It's a scene with which we're all very familiar: the young woman is all alone in some exotic location, disheveled and wearing a flimsy dress. Suddenly she looks up, gasping in shock as someone-- a vampire, a stitched-up monster, a dark-haired and sinister man-- enters the room, gazes at her for a moment, then strides quickly over just in time to catch her as she faints in terror. Beautiful maiden, foreign locale, threatening male figure: this triad has proved a fascinating combination for audiences everywhere. So where did it all begin? Gothic Literature. Through writing, research, and discussion, this course will explore the crumbling spires and cobweb-festooned hallways of the British Gothic genre. Through books such as Matthew Lewis' The Monk, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, and Anne Radcliffe's Mysteries of Udolpho, we will critically examine the ways in which the genre utilizes gender roles, locale, and monstrosity in order to achieve its effect. Several short papers and one long research paper will be required, and students will revise papers after meetings with the instructor and peer review groups. Writing in Camelot Arthurian literature and film is, perhaps more than any other story-telling cycle in our culture, an organic and constantly growing entity. It has consistently expanded from 1136 —the date of the composition of Geoffrey of Monmouth’s History of the Kings of Britain,—and is still growing today. The motif is as much a part of contemporary popular culture as it is a part of our medieval heritage. From this viewpoint, we will read modern adaptations of the Arthurian legend by T.H. White, Bernard Cornwell, and Wendy Mnookin, as well as excerpts by Mary Stewart and Marion Zimmer Bradley, and through these readings enter into a context of writing and research. How does one write about popular culture in an academic fashion? Especially in such a sprawling body of sources, how can one narrow a topic for discussion in a paper or presentation, and keep that topic focused so as to promote the most effective argument? The University of Rochester is home to fantastic resources for Arthurian subjects and our course will include strategies in online and library research, utilizing the Camelot Project and the Robbins Library. Students will have the opportunity to explore the modern adaptations’ connections with their medieval sources through an oral report. Additional assignments will consist of three short papers, peer reviews, in-class revisions, and a longer research paper. From Fairy Tale
to Philosophy: Rhetoric, Audience and Authorial Intent Many popular "children's" books cross and re-cross the line between "juvenile" and "adult" fiction, which leads us to ask: What difference does readership make to the categorization of texts? Why do we persist in calling some works "children's literature", though they have a proportionate adult readership? Is there any real divide between children's and adults' literature, or is the divide arbitrary? And how much control does an author have over her or his text and its interpretations? In this class, we will address the above questions by identifying elements that direct our responses in various works. The syllabus will include fairytales by Oscar Wilde, Alice in Wonderland (Carroll), Christmas Carol (Dickens), Jungle Books (Kipling), Peter Pan (Barrie), stories by Roald Dahl and Enid Blyton, and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Rowling). We will also examine adaptations where relevant. Analysis and comparison, and coherent arguments that present these, will be the ultimate objective of this course rather than fan writing. Evaluation will be based on peer reviews and self-assessments, in-class exercises, and 4 formal and several informal writing assignments. Tolkien, Crichton
and Godwin: Medievalism and the (Re)imagining of the Middle Ages Reading list: Beowulf (trans. Liuzza), Saga of the Volsungs (trans. Byock), The Hobbit (Tolkien), Eaters of the Dead (Crichton), Tower of Beowulf (Godwin), secondary materials provided online or through course reserve. In this course we will investigate the medieval roots of Fantasy Literature by focusing on critical readings of two medieval texts -- "Beowulf" and "Saga of the Volsungs" -- and beginning to understand how modern authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, Michael Crichton and Parke Godwin have reinterpreted those texts in the formation of their own works. We will discuss both medieval literature and the history of its interpretation in order to develop a more informed understanding of the place of Fantasy Literature in the Western Canon; and we will write extensively on these same concepts. Assignments include short papers responding to both primary and secondary texts, informal writing of both a creative and discursive kind, peer reviews, and a formal research paper. The over-arching aim of the course, therefore, is not only to learn new ways of approaching and engaging primary materials but also to learn how to convey newfound knowledge within a professional or academic environment. Class participation and attendance are, of course, mandatory. Admirable Abjection:
Monsters, Misfits, and Malcontents in Film and Literature The abject is that which "does not respect borders, positions, rules. The in-between, the ambiguous, the composite." Abject, monstrous bodies are beings that deviate from the "norm" in form, structure, behavior, or character. As hybrids, they define the limits of cultures and respond specifically to cultural anxieties. They represent what we find both fascinating and frightening. This course aims to introduce students to the concept of monstrosity and abjection from an inter-disciplinary approach. We will analyze representations of abjection and monstrosity in nonfiction, poetry, fiction, and film. By examining numerous narrative forms, students will develop the critical reading, writing and research skills necessary to construct a diverse portfolio of writing, including an extended argumentative essay and a final research paper. Through peer evaluation, self-evaluation, editing seminars and on-going revision, students will strengthen this portfolio throughout the term. Assessment will emphasize the importance of the revision process and participation in class discussion and writing workshops. The goal is to have students emerge from this class as more confident writers who are capable of handling the diverse tasks in composition they will be asked to perform as both students and professionals. Getting the News:
Journalism and Critical Thinking A skirmish in Afghanistan. A scandal in Washington. A house fire in Rochester. A divorce in Hollywood. Which is news, and to what degree, and for how long? Editors and producers answer these questions every day, and in so doing, they shape the stories we tell ourselves about our historical moment. Students in this class will study the ways journalistic judgments are made, and will consider the responsibilities of news consumers to critically read and respond to the stories presented by the media. Students will write about the news, but they will do so as scholars, not journalists; like all CAS 105 classes, this section will focus primarily on developing the writing and argumentation skills that are essential to university work. There will be four formal papers, culminating in a research project. Students will continually assess their own work and respond critically to that of their peers. There will be no final exam. Imagination and
Materiality Imagination is usually conceived of as expressive and subjective, belonging to a realm that is in many ways transcendent or beyond the reach of reason. Through class discussions, in-class writings, and papers, this writing class will interrogate the limits of this view, exploring how different media, genres, and audiences change the way imagination works, is conceived, and understood. These issues will be used as a springboard to exercise students'academic voices, which will be done in informal and formal writings, peer reviews, and self-assessments, with the goal of writing several clear analytical essays and a cogently argued research paper. Our primary text will be large excerpts from the comic, The Sandman, but we will also be examining movies, myths, two of Shakespeare's plays, and critical essays that will help us engage the material foundations of creativity and show how imagination is built from the materials of the everyday. The Heroic Ethos
of Anglo-Saxon Literature The theme of a tightly-knit warrior band is prominent in early medieval Germanic writings, particularly in the literature of our language's earliest ancestor, which we call "Old English" or "Anglo-Saxon." This course centers around the heroic ethos of these warrior bands as they are depicted in Anglo-Saxon literature. My goals for this course are to introduce students to this heroic ethos and to assist them in honing their skills in writing about literature and literary criticism. Our class discussions will encompass such themes as the construction of gender and gender roles, male homosocial bonding, conflicting loyalties, monstrosity, outcasts and Others, the place of women in this male-centered world, and the influence of Christianity upon the heroic ethos. Students will explore these and other issues in their written assignments (four formal papers, each with peer reviews and self-assessments, as well as daily in-class writing exercises). The syllabus will include an array of texts ranging from elegiac poetry to medieval chronicles (we will, of course, study all of these texts in translation). Other assorted requirements for this course include class participation and faithful attendance; there will be no midterm or final exam. Murder, Madness,
and Mayhem: Deciphering Detective Fiction What do Sherlock Holmes and Hannibal Lecter have in common? At the border between the insane and the rational, both illustrate the satisfactions and pitfalls of analysis. In its many guises crime fiction seems to offer to make sense of life, as the detective ties up loose ends and locks up miscreants. At the same time, such stories often subtly expose the irrationalities of criminal, victim, and sleuth alike. Through a selection of short stories, novels, and films we will probe detective stories to discover what possibilities analysis holds for us as readers and writers. We will act as "literary detectives," investigating crime fiction as a genre, with a set of conventions, and as the ultimate questing and questioning narrative that raises issues about social ideals, values, and relations. Examining these texts' preoccupation with interpretation will help focus our discussions on reevaluating assumptions about writing, reading, and analysis. Discussions will in turn provide the groundwork for the writing required for this course. Revision, peer review, and self-assessments, crucial components of the course, will strengthen your access to the writing process and help you acquire the skills to evaluate your own work. Taking Comics Seriously? Writing seriously about comics is hard - there are no definitive models to follow. In this course, we will experiment with a variety of different models, including historical narrative, ethnography, psychoanalysis, analysis of ideological content (how comic books reinforce, interrogate, and subvert gender roles, racial stereotypes and class structures), and formal analysis (of the different ways in which words and pictures are integrated). We will not only learn how to write about the same thing in diverse ways, but how each of these approaches has its strengths and weaknesses. More unusually, we will be looking at how the ways comics are written can help us learn academic styles of reading and writing. We will work with comics across genres, formats, periods and cultures, including early comics by Rodolphe T pffer, classic newspaper strips like Krazy Kat, mainstream "super-hero" titles, underground "comix" of the 1960s and 1970s, graphic novels of the 1980s, web comics, comics for women, Japanese manga, Indian mythological comics, and (possibly) comics from Latin America and the Arab world as well. We will devote a lot of class time to writing workshops, as well as peer reviews and revisions, as ways to develop and clarify ideas or arguments. Several short papers, periodic self-assessments and a final research paper will be required. Literary Seductions:
Love, Lust, and the Rhetoric of Persuasion Scholarly writing is an exercise in the art of seduction. A clear argument, supported by material evidence framed in a concise rhetorical structure is the means both scholars and swains use in seducing their audience to a given end. This course examines that intersection of argument, rhetoric, and evidence so apparent in the language of seduction, and so fundamental in creating the persuasive, analytical writing required in college-level papers. Using a broad variety of works ranging from the biblical Wisdom of Solomon, to Guns 'n Roses Sweet Child O' Mine, as our foundation, we will, through written assignments and in-class discussion, explore the many shapes and structures of persuasion. In general, the reading will concentrate primarily on close analyses of the 'mechanisms' (i.e. the structure, form, and imagery- those elements that make the works tick.) shaping these works. Written assignments, based on class reading and discussion, will focus on style, craftsmanship, and above all, revision and editing. In carefully exploring and analyzing our own analyses of various authors' rhetorical structures, we will begin to understand the diligent and methodical craft of argumentative writing. This, in turn, will provide us, as writers, with both insight and practical experience in the creation of elegant, persuasive argumentation, allowing us, henceforth, to consistently and artfully seduce our readers. "Burn,
Hollywood, Burn": Cinematic Revolutions and Our Assumptions about
the Movies Whether or not we
realize it, we make assumptions whenever we go to the movies. The Hollywood
model determines, to a large extent, our assumptions about narrative and
stylistic form and purpose in film. This course will focus on several
movements in cinema history that challenged the conventions of the Hollywood
model. We will explore various "new waves" (French, Japanese,
British), American experimental films (a.k.a. New American Cinema), and
the Dogma 95 movement. Throughout the course, we will critically evaluate
films (without resorting to "thumbs up" or "thumbs down"
assessments) and utilize these films as catalysts for enhancing our reasoning
skills. Simultaneously, we will implement these reasoning skills both
orally and, in particular, in written form (through formal and informal
writing assignments). In doing so, we will reconsider and reevaluate our
own perspectives in favor of a larger, inclusive outlook. Throughout the
semester, students will engage diverse readings on the classical Hollywood
cinema, the various movements in question, as well as reviews used to
spark students' consideration of particular films. Truth-Tellers
and Other Rabble-Rousers: Dissident Voices from Totalitarian Europe In the totalitarian political climate typified by Nazi Germany, Stalinist Russia, and its Eastern Bloc satellites, words, especially words committed to paper, could be a life or death matter. Despite rigorous censorship and threats of imprisonment, exile and execution, creative individuals like Russian poet Anna Akhmatova and Czech Playwright Vaclav Havel dared to think and write critically. Placing personal conscience above dogmatic loyalty to the State they and their fellow dissidents revealed a deep-rooted need to bear witness to the life-shattering events of their time and reaffirm the power of truth. Students in this course will have the opportunity to explore the literature of dissent by reading, discussing, and most importantly, writing about representative works encompassing a variety of literary genres (poetry, essays, memoirs, and novels). Written assignments will include in-class writing, response papers, and three short papers designed to help students interact with the material as well as place it in political and historical contexts. Peer review and revision of these shorter assignments will be an intrinsic part of the course leading to a final research paper, which will enable students to build upon their earlier work, thereby further facilitating the revision process essential to effective writing. Describing the
Holocaust: Literary Approaches to a Tragedy In his book The Drowned and the Saved, the Holocaust survivor Primo Levi described a civil society as one that safeguards the well-being of its most vulnerable members. The Holocaust was, from this perspective, one of the greatest tragedies of human history. This course teaches argumentative writing using auto-biographical narratives of the Holocaust -- such as Levi's --, while challenging students to critically analyze and evaluate sources using a variety of literary genres, as well as art, music, and film. Course themes will focus on the role of literature in defining the identity of victims and perpetrators, and will include sufficient historical background to contextualize the material. You will be expected to write three shorter essays of 4-5 pages each. Revisions of these first three essays, which will be facilitated through class workshops, peer review, and self-assessments, will enable you to understand the interaction between interpretation of texts, writing, and the critical reading of your (and your peers') work. The course work will culminate in a clearly constructed, well-argued research paper from 8-10 pages on a topic of your choice, but within the scope of the course. Dangerous Words
and Ideas: A History of America's Search for Subversion Are ideas really dangerous? To what extent can the written or spoken word be considered politically subversive? Is there such a thing as too much freedom of thought and expression? Is the free-market of ideas the best defense against dangerous or offensive arguments? This course will explore these questions through the history of America's attempt to define and control sedition. The dictionary defines sedition as the acts or words tending to upset or overthrow the authority of a government. In this class, we will concentrate on words, both spoken and written. Beginning with the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 and continuing through to our own era, we will examine certain instances of anti-sedition and the ways in which free speech and political stability have lived an uneasy co-existence. Our examination will be carried out via class readings, various writing assignments (both formal and informal), peer critiques, self-assessments and revision workshops. Writing will be the means through which we will explore course material, construct arguments and share insights. Course requirements will include three short papers that will be reworked and refined in revision workshops. Finally, students will be assigned one longer research paper (8-10 pages). Punk
Rock: Politics, Philosophy, and Music This course will use the movement known as "punk" to explore not only the music, but the philosophy and the politics surrounding the music. We will start with a brief history of punk and ask, "What circumstances in the US and Britain led to the development of punk rock as a genre of music?" From there, we will look closer at the culture of punk and examine issues such as anarchy, media representation, and DIY. Finally, the current state of punk will be analyzed and we will ask, "Is punk dead?" This course will emphasize writing throughout with workshops, peer-evaluations, self-evaluations, student journals, and, in particular, a comparison of punk to other musical genre and an analysis of the message the songwriter is trying to send through his/her music. Writing
to Effect Social Change When the internal reactions to societal injustices are powerful, translating those feelings into words can seem a daunting task. The leaders of many moral movements put their own feelings into words that not only resonated with others, but also served as an inspiration and catalyst for action. Through an examination of the personal and political writings of influential thinkers, this course will not only explore the power of the written word, but will challenge students to harness their own thoughts on contemporary issues into compelling and well-reasoned essays. These short papers will be subject to peer review as well as critical self-assessment to gauge the effectiveness of the argument. Students will become adept at determining which writing styles are most appropriate in varying contexts and will direct the short essays to a variety of audiences, including a final research paper on a topic of the student’s choosing to be sent to an appropriately-chosen elected official. These short essays and culminating position paper will apply the principles of critical thinking and analytic writing to issues that evoke strong emotions within the students. This solidifies the message that the written word is not only a powerful means of self-expression but a necessary and effective component of social and political change. Minds, Brains,
and Science Fiction This course is devoted to considering some problems about the philosophy of mind that emerge in two works in science fiction--Anthony Burgess's A Clockwork Orange and Arthur C. Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey. We will focus on the nature of human action (including free will) and whether computers can think (philosophy of artificial intelligence). Our guide through the philosophical issues will be John Searle's Minds, Brains, and Science. Other essays on these topics in the philosophy of mind will also be read. A result of taking the course should be that the students develop an appreciation for how a literary genre can motivate philosophical problems. Students ought to come away from the course valuing the process of researching and writing that is central to all researchers in any research community. Through reading, class discussion, writing, critiquing their peers, and self-critique, the students should learn how writing and argument are tools for investigating and improving their understanding of information and concepts. The students will write several short papers, one long research paper, and revisions on their research paper. The end result should be that the ability of students to communicate by writing, clear, well-organized argumentative essays will be improved. Jazz and Writing Jazz is a unique form of American music characterized by syncopated rhythms and improvisation. Good pieces of jazz music have a set of common qualities (e.g., originality, harmonic diversity, compositional innovations, etc.). Likewise, good pieces of writing have a set of common qualities (e.g., clarity, conciseness, grammatical soundness, etc.). In this section of CAS 105, we will explore the elements of good writing through a study of aesthetic philosophy, music, and literature.The focus of this course is on improving your ability to organize and present your thoughts in a clear and concise manner. Students will be required to participate in revision and editing workshops, and read texts on writing and jazz. Writing assignments will consist of formal and informal analytical essays, and a final argumentative research paper. It is hoped that by the end of this course you will be able to express your thoughts in words and phrases in much the same way that John Coltrane expresses his thoughts in notes and measures. No prior musical or philosophical training is required for this course. Adolescent
Storm and Stress: Fact or Fiction? The popular media and the general public have consistently perpetuated the notion that adolescence is a time of upheaval and conflict. In reality, most teens and parents maintain close, warm relationships and maintain positive communication. Through writing and research, this course will explore and interrogate these contrasting views of adolescence. Integration of both popular media and academic sources will result in a number of short papers, eventually culminating in a longer final term paper. Instruction will guide students in writing papers that demonstrate clear communication of ideas and the development of sound arguments. Additionally, students will be introduced to proper use of the American Psychological Association style of manuscript preparation, an important skill needed for all students in all disciplines, especially those studying psychology or other social sciences. Classroom activities will include discussions, peer reviews, and assessments of the student’s own writing processes. Writing about Science and Technology Being
Digital/Digital Writing "Computing is not about computers anymore," writes Nicholas Negroponte of the MIT Media Lab. "It is about living." As we work and live in our increasingly digital age, we tend to ignore the gigantic transformations that are taking place. Sure, our correspondence is moving faster with e-mail, and 50 cable channels have exploded into 500. But the really important transformations are both more basic and more revolutionary than all that. As computers change the way we live, they will change the way we talk to one another, and they will alter the ways in which we write. This course will explore the possibilities of being digital—and, perhaps more importantly, writing digitally. Our readings—many written by researchers of computer technologies—will speculate on the social and artistic implications of technology. The class will experiment with different methods of writing both on- and off-line to determine the key principles for interesting and effective writing. Those experiments will be explored in three shorter papers and one longer research paper—all of which will be aimed at developing confidence as writers and thinkers in the new millennium. This course will be using computers throughout the semester, but no prior special knowledge of computers is expected. Imagining the Internet Cyberspace. The Global Village. Hackers and hive minds. Through written papers and discussions, we'll address how our ideas about mass communications and the Internet have been shaped by science fiction writers like William Gibson and philosophers like Marshall McLuhan. We'll discuss Neuromancer and other works of cyberpunk fiction and film, and at earlier philosophical concepts of mass communications. But while reading these texts, we can't forget the modern realities of chat rooms, email, and instant messenger, and our real-life experiences with these communications tools will also be a focus for the course (and for papers), allowing us to explore the pitfalls and pleasures of predictions. As we work on writing technique and discuss our writings in class, we'll think about whether our ideas about how to represent technology will be relevant to college students in 2052. The course will require several short papers as well as one long research paper, including both responses to the readings and personal reflections on the role of communications in our lives. We'll conduct peer review sessions during the writing and revision process, and learn how to assess our own writing. CAS 105: Reasoning and Writing in the College is a course to familiarize you with the writing skills that you will need at the college level. We'll be working on several different sorts of papers, reflecting the variety of writing you'll be expected to produce throughout your undergraduate experience. In class, you'll learn to use class discussions and peer review groups to help you revise and improve your writing. By the end of the semester, we'll also have explored many of the online resources that the University of Rochester has to offer, as well as those of other online communities. Exploring
Futures of Science and Technology Recent advances in the areas of artificial intelligence, human cloning, bioinformatics and other technologies have led to both excitement about new human possibilities and fear of the dangers associated with these technologies. In this course, we will join the ongoing critical conversations about new technologies by reading both critical essays and science fiction stories that deal with our technological future. We will also examine the communication strategies most commonly used in science and technology writing of various kinds. Although our class will begin by discussing pre-selected examples of technology writing, students will be encouraged to choose their own readings about science and technology in the second half of the semester. Students will learn critical thinking skills and writing strategies that will be beneficial throughout their academic careers in the sciences or the humanities. Future Imperfect:
Utopia and Dystopia in Speculative Fiction How would you write the future of the world? For many speculative thinkers, the future is a bleak dystopia where murderous androids run amok in a perpetually rainy metropolis; where genetic engineering determines social hierarchies; where ultra-violent gangs rule the streets; and where human societies are controlled by giant computers. In this writing seminar, we will examine the works of writers and filmmakers whose cynical visions of the present impelled them to create bleak futures. What social, political, and historical events informed their apprehensions? What are the potentials for the realization of their fears? Our investigations will be conducted through assignments and activities designed to develop your critical thinking and writing skills. We will build on your writing slowly but surely by moving from shorter papers to longer essays, incorporating our findings from class discussions and field research along the way. You will also write informal responses, give a class presentation, participate in peer reviews, and learn to assess your own writing. At the end of the semester, your writing will be published on a web site designed by the class in a collaborative final project. Dangerous Words
and Ideas: A History of America's Search for Subversion Are ideas really dangerous? To what extent can the written or spoken word be considered politically subversive? Is there such a thing as too much freedom of thought and expression? Is the free-market of ideas the best defense against dangerous or offensive arguments? This course will explore these questions through the history of America's attempt to define and control sedition. The dictionary defines sedition as the acts or words tending to upset or overthrow the authority of a government. In this class, we will concentrate on words, both spoken and written. Beginning with the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 and continuing through to our own era, we will examine certain instances of anti-sedition and the ways in which free speech and political stability have lived an uneasy co-existence. Our examination will be carried out via class readings, various writing assignments (both formal and informal), peer critiques, self-assessments and revision workshops. Writing will be the means through which we will explore course material, construct arguments and share insights. Course requirements will include three short papers that will be reworked and refined in revision workshops. Finally, students will be assigned one longer research paper (8-10 pages). Getting
the News: Journalism and Critical Thinking A skirmish in Afghanistan. A scandal in Washington. A house fire in Rochester. A divorce in Hollywood. Which is news, and to what degree, and for how long? Editors and producers answer these questions every day, and in so doing, they shape the stories we tell ourselves about our historical moment. Students in this class will study the ways journalistic judgments are made, and will consider the responsibilities of news consumers to critically read and respond to the stories presented by the media. Students will write about the news, but they will do so as scholars, not journalists; like all CAS 105 and CAS 105E classes, this section will focus primarily on developing the writing and argumentation skills that are essential to university work. There will be four formal papers, culminating in a research project. Students will continually assess their own work and respond critically to that of their peers. There will be no final exam. How She Did Whodunit
Right: The Works of Agatha Christie Who says "she done it right"? Just about everyone. Outsold only by Shakespeare and the Bible, Agatha Christie’s popularity and influence have spanned almost a century. In reading her works, we will examine how Christie uses the genre of detective fiction to address issues of race, class, and gender. We will read essays debating the feminist (and anti-feminist) interpretation of Christie’s works as well as of the genre itself. We will also read works by authors who have been influenced by Christie or have adapted her stage plays into novels. How have these authors taken Christie’s voice and made it their own? What does it mean to be a pseudo-Christie? What does it mean to take a finished work and recreate it in another genre? In a series of response papers, essays, and a final research project, you will evaluate and respond to issues raised in both primary and critical texts and come up with original arguments. Peer review sessions, small group activities, and general class discussions will allow you to participate in a critical dialogue and develop the skills you need to formulate clear and convincing arguments. In other words, get ready to use "your little gray cells." Children's Literature In this course we
will consider and evaluate our responses to children's literature, while
drafting, peer reviewing and revising a series of argumentative essays
and a final research paper. Children's literature began to flourish in
the nineteenth century as new attitudes about childhood developed. Throughout
the semester we will discuss the social and literary development of children's
literature, while returning to some general questions: "What do such
representations of childhood tell us about ourselves and our upbringing?
How have these influential narratives become a part of our writing and
thinking? What value do these stories have for both adults and children?"
The readings will include selections of nineteenth century British poetry
and prose: William Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience, Christina
Rossetti's Goblin's Market, Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures
in Wonderland, and Anna Sewell's Black Beauty. We will also
explore Rare Books extensive collections of children's books.
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