Texts       The New Century Handbook, 2nd ed. (Hult & Huckin, eds); The Bluest Eye, Morrison; July's People, Gordimer; The Metamorphosis, Kafka

"I'm not what I think I am and I'm not what you think I am.  I am what I think you think I am." George H. Meade

Who are you, really?  In this course we'll read narratives from several disciplines, including case studies, poetry, fiction, television, film, photography and painting.  We'll focus on images of transformation, metamorphosis, disintegration and other challenges to simple constructs of self and identity.

Through our reading and writing, fieldwork and class discussions, we'll discover how various cultural and historical forces construct, reconstruct and de-construct our notions of self, identity and relationship to a variety of social worlds.  

This course will also emphasize the practice of a number of abilities important to college achievement as well as to life-long learning: reading (print and non-print media), writing, speaking, listening, research, word processing and learning-to-learn.

Course Introduction.  The myth of narcissism.  How is a sense of "self' constructed?  

Readings: "The Myth of Narcissus" (handout); "Song of Myself," Whitman (excerpt, handout); "The Street," Paz (handout); "Extreme Isolation," Davis; The New Century Handbook: preface; pp. 1-97; glossaries

"Who Am I? Puttin' on the Ritz": Dating, mating, stylin' and presenting the self to authority figures.

 Readings: "The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life," (Goffinan handout); short story (handout) 

Writing assignment #3 on presentation of self due 9/26     Wednesday, 9/19: Guest speaker: Mary Ellen Carroll, Director, Center for Service Learning  

Monday, 10/1, Bibliographic instruction, DML electronic classroom

"Who Am I Really?  The Transformation of the Self by Others"  

The Bluest Eye  

July's People  

The Metamorphosis  

10-15         10/29-12/5

"Am I Who I Think I Am?  The Transformation of the Self by the Self' Black Like Me (excerpts)

Tootsie

Class Presentations:

Images of Transformation on Television (excluding "monsters and freaks") Images of Transformation in Painting or Photography

"Monsters" and "Freaks": case studies

"Monsters" and "Freaks": film

The "Wild Child" Phenomenon

Gender identity: transvestism, transsexualism, crossdressing

 Assignment #5, Research-based paper on The Metamorphosis. Due 11/14 Assignment #6, Written report on class presentation.  Due 12/5

 Final Examination: Friday, 12/14, 10:10 a.m. The final portfolio is also due on this date.

 Writing Assignments

Please submit on the dates shown on the syllabus or assignment handouts.  Choose two papers from formal or informal writing assignments to revise and submit in the final portfolio.  Once you've decided you'd like for a paper to be part of your final portfolio, you may begin the revision process, redrafting the piece until it is "public" writing.

Pat will have scheduled hours in the Writing Center (to be announced; other times may be possible by arrangement).  Come in and discuss your writing-in-progress with him.  Regular consultation with Pat is expected and credited in the revision portion of your grade.

(Revisions returned with comments if submitted 11/28 or before)

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act, I will make every effort to meet the reasonable accommodations request of students with documented disabilities (see Dr. KoKo Oyler, ext. 494 1).  If you require specific accommodations, please let me know.

Except in the case of participation in athletics or forensics events off campus or serious illness or injury documented in the Student Life office, all absences are unexcused.

                         0 absences                        +2%

                        1-2 absences                     +1%

                        3 absences                        no credit

                        4 absences                       -5%

                        5 absences                       -10%

                         6+ absences                     -20%  

Labor Day: 9/3; drop/add period ends: 9/4; Mass of the Holy Spirit: 9/20, Fall Faculty Conference:  9/28, Mid-semester holiday: 10/22-10/23, last day to withdraw from classes: 11/4;Thanksgiving: 11/22-11/26

Representing the work of others as your own, whatever the source (scholarly essays, internet, student work, purchased papers, etc.) will result in failure of the course.

Interim writing assignments  25%

Revisions  10%

(both quantity and quality evaluated)

Portfolio  15%  

(present two of your best pieces of writing: prepare them professionally, and write with a variety of purposes and audiences in mind)

Class participation  5% 

(includes attendance and group work)

Oral Presentation and written report  10%

Quizzes and informal assignments  10%

Midterm  10%

Final  15%

Links

Website for The New Century Handbook

http://www.alongman.com/hult

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