1/9

First Class: what creative reading means and where we are going.

1/11

Applied Reading: Do a reading log for a text you love—and prepare to share the text with us in class. For reading log description link here.

The ‘text’ need not be a book and need not be print—it does need to mean something to you.

Post your log to Blackboard discussion.

1/14

Reading Lessons: Introduction + chapter 1

+ reading log posted to BB

How would you describe your own approach to reading texts--do you have a method?

Pay attention to Jakobson's communication model and what this means for reading.

When does a reading go too far?

Some keywords: text, palimpsest, representation, communication

1/16

Reading: Heart of Darkness [at least chapter I if not more]

 no reading log required--but do take note and notice (perhaps start a log for Friday): What are you encountering thus far? What do you see and hear?

1/18

Reading: finish Heart of Darkness

+ reading log [focusing on whole text]

 this log should be at least 1 page: give your attention to what you notice about this text and what you wonder--all the questions you want to ask it, and thus raise in class.

1/21

Reading Lessons: chapter 2

+ reading log

how meaning is conveyed rather than what the meaning is

1/23

Applied Writing: initial draft/ideas [1 page at least] for 1^st essay

+ selections from Bedford Handbook:

Formalism, New Criticism, Russian Formalism, Structuralist Criticism

1/25

Writing workshop: full draft of first essay

1/28

Writing due: Essay #1

Posted to Blackboard

1/30

Reading Lessons: Chapter 3

+ reading log

notice how deconstruction looks at things in similar ways with structuralism and formalism, but reaches different conclusions.

[for additional help with terminology, consult the Bedford Handbook]

2/1

Applied Reading:

Heart of Darkness and Deconstruction (Bedford edition of novel pages 185-220)

Which aspects of the essay (a deconstructive reading of Heart) do you find compelling? which do you find less compelling?

2/4

Reading Lessons: chapter 7 + reading log

 consider the ways that your experiences with hypertext (web-based texts) offer analogies for what reader response focuses on.

2/6

Reading: Reader-Response and Heart of Darkness (pages 115-147)

 Which aspects of reader response do you find compelling? which do you find less compelling?

Reading group: Reader response and/or Hypertext

2/8

Applied Readings: Hypertext

Read "The Reader in Question" a hypertext about hypertext reading:

http://www.cyberartsweb.org/cpace/theory/canete2/rodneyov.html

 notice the 'links' between hypertext and some of the literary theory we have been studying.

2/11

Focus on the integration of your critical connection

2/13

Essay #2 Due: deconstructing/reconstructing Heart of Darkness.

Post to Blackboard Assignment section

2/15

Mini-Break: no class

2/18

Reading Lessons: chapter 6

+ reading log

2/20

Applied Reading: Cultural Criticism and Heart of Darkness (258-271)

note: you need not read the essay that follows this introduction. Instead come in ready to discuss/present ideas for how you would do a cultural studies approach to Heart of Darkness.

2/22

Applied Reading: Film

Find, read, critically evaluate an article about or involving "Apocalypse Now"

Find and read an article having something to do with 'Apocalypse Now' that might offer us some insight into this text. Post a reading log that offers a 1 page summary of the article and its insight. What kind of critical approach to the film does the article take?

2/25

Midterm

Part 1 will be identification of key ideas from the four approaches: you will not use your texts or notebook for this section.

Part 2 will be an essay response applying these approaches to a reading of Heart of Darkness; you will be able to use texts and notebook for this section.

A review of key concepts and characteristics of the approaches we have explored in reading: identifying and applying those concepts.

formalism/structuralism, deconstruction, reader response, cultural studies.

2/27

Reading: The Things They Carried

[first three stories, through 'Spin']

no log required for this assignment

2/29

Reading: The Things They Carried

[the next four stories, through 'How to Tell a True War Story']

+ reading log

Note: We will not meet in the classroom. You must post your log by the beginning of class time; then respond to the logs from your reading group (connect to what they notice, answer questions) before 5 pm.

The reading groups are:

[1]Cassie, Miriam, Bea

[2]Katie, Kathryn, Denise, Michelle

[3]Laura, Amanda, Catherine, Stephen

 According to O'Brien, what is a true war story? How does this complicate our reading of his stories?

3/3

Reading Lessons: chapter 4

+ reading log

Note: We will not meet in the classroom. You must post your log by the beginning of class time; then respond to the logs from your reading group (connect to what they notice, answer questions) before 5 pm.

 What does psychoanalysis do with/for literary interpretation that is different from the other approaches? similar to them?

3/5

Reading: Things [through 'Church,' if not further]

 What might a psychoanalytic reading do with Things? Where would you go?

3/7

Reading: Things [through 'Good Form']

+ log

3/10

Reading Lessons: chapter 5

+ log

3/12

Keep reading for Friday.

In class we will do some experimenting with ideas for the third essay.

3/14

[spring break after this class]

Reading: Finish Things

  We will be focusing on the final story "The Lives of the Dead"

3/24 [no class: last day of spring break]

3/26

Writing workshop: full draft of essay due

 For this essay, we will be focusing on the 'vision' component: establishing your thesis (refining that thesis) setting up your introduction/conclusion--and reinforcing the integration of secondary sources.

3/28

Writing due: Essay # 3

3/31

Applied Reading: Feminist and Gender Criticism (Bedford Heart of Darkness, pages 148-169). + Bring in a 'text' of your choice that interests you for some aspect of gender criticism. Be prepared to present the text and help us follow the critique.

No log required.

4/2

Applied Reading: Sylvia Plath, three poems:

"Daddy," "Lady Lazarus," "Morning Song"

http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/11

 Read all, but select one to spend more time with and re-read; prepare to help us with it. Consider how you would approach the poem critically (based on any of the approaches we have studied) and what you might do with it. Be prepared to lead us in a discussion/lesson for at least 5 minutes concerning the poem you selected and your critical insights.

4/4

Reading Lessons: chapter 8

+ reading log

 The reading is brief. Use your log to begin to focus your attention on the final essay. What might you do with that (read the assignment) and which critical approach(es) might you take and why? Add these thoughts to your log.

4/7

Brainstorming for research essay. Come with further ideas and possibilities. We will meet in the library.

[begin library research]

4/9

Research: Proposal due

 Your proposal should be a 1-2 page sketch of what you have, by this point, decided to focus on and what you have started to research. The proposal should include:

1]Overview: your focus and likely thesis at this point--what you are getting into and why; including disucssion of your critical approach: make a connection to at least one discussion of the critical approach (in Bedford or Reading Lessons) that is relevant to your approach. Think of this as a hypothetical introduction that will likely change.

 [2]Resources: listing (mla citation) of secondary resources found thus far; summary of one resource that seems important, how/why you might use it

[3]Questions: list any questions you have about your project or research at this point and about which you would like feedback, from me and/or a peer.

4/11

Research: annotated bibliography due

For a description and sample of annotated bibliography:

http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/skill28.htm

 A bibliographic listing (using MLA citation format) of 5-10 resources that you have thus far researched. For each entry you will provide a short paragraph (4-5 sentence) annotation: a summary of the resource and its focus, briefly describing and evaluating it--how it is relevant and significant to your topic. Post to Blackboard. You will also be turning in a clean/final version of this with your essay.

4/14

Research: exploratory draft due

 Post to Blackboard.

This initial draft should be at least 2 pages. Remember to focus in at this stage on the heart of the reading, not worry too much about the intro/conclusion.

4/16

Further reading/re-reading: Additional research.

We will meet in smaller groups for conferences with me: come prepared to discuss and look at your work in progress--both questions you have and answers you have found for your essay thus far.

Meet in classroom:

1.45: Katie, Stephen, Michelle

2.00: Cassie, Catherine, Amanda

2.15: Laura, Kathryn, Bea

2.30: Miriam, Denise

Research for an additional resource that you can use to develop your essay (something to help you elaborate, explain, justify): write a one page full summary/evaluation of the resource and post to Blackboard.

4/18

Research: further draft due

 Post to Blackboard. This should be a full draft--integrating research and including your introduction and conclusion as they stand at this point.

4/21

 Research: the most complete version of your draft, ready for the final stages of editing. Include with this your annotated bibliography

Post to Blackboard by 1.45. Then, before 3pm, you will respond to the postings from your writer's group: focusing on editing and mechanics and the presentation. Identify where they need to clean things up, including effective and accurate citation format.

[will not meet in class]

4/23

Research essay: final version due

Post to Blackboard by 1.45pm.

[will not meet in class]

Work on your presentation for Friday. You might try a practice run with your writer's group.

4/25

Literary conference: we will meet in the classroom for your presentations

4/28

[last class]

We will circle back: bring in another example of a text you love, that is meaningful to you

 Will discuss and work on your final portfolio

 Final Exam:

Thursday May 1, 12.45

 Your final exam will be a final conference with me and the presentation of your portfolio. I will schedule conference times in advance.

 Final Conferences (in my office)

11.45: Bea

12: Katie

12.15: Kathryn

12.30: Denise

12.45: Cassie

1: Catherine

1.15: Amanda

1.30: Laura

1.45: Miriam

2: Stephen

2.15: Michelle