ENGLISH 1130, SECTION 007, Spring 2010 Instructor: Dr. Jana Davis Phone 323-5943 email: jdavis@langara.bc.ca Office: A302 Office Hours: Mon. 2:30-3:25 pm and 5:30-6:25 pm; Tues. 2:00-3:25 pm and 4:30-5:00 pm, Weds. 11:30-12:25 pm. I am not at the college on Thurs. and Fri. Texts: Courseware, Twentieth Century Poems for English 1130 Giannetti and Leach, Understanding Movies (4th Canadian edition) Haddon, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time (paperback) Boyle, A Friend of the Earth (paperback) This course is an introduction to twentieth-century poetry, novel, and film. The class reads a number of poems and two novels; we see four feature films (but not during class time) and a number of short films (during class time). Classes are composed of lectures, class discussion, group discussion, and short film showings. Learning outcomes: Upon completion of English 1130, the successful student will be able to (1) understand poetry, films and novels, demonstrated through correct use of the appropriate critical terminology and analysis (2) write essays about works from each genre that demonstrate mastery of both form and content B that is, an essay=s insights about a given work must be expressed clearly at the sentence, paragraph, and essay levels (3) participate effectively in classroom or group situations by exchanging information, developing interpretations with supporting evidence, and testing their validity Feature Films: Seeing the feature films is a course requirement; you are required to see them in addition to your regular class times. They will be screened at Langara in Newberry Hall (A130) on the following dates: Man with a Movie Camera Mar. 10 (12:30 and 4:30 pm) and Mar. 11 (6:30 pm) If our class is on schedule, we will see this film only Weds. Mar. 10 at 12:30, then return to the classroom for the rest of the class. The Third Man Mar. 17 (12:30 and 4:30 pm) and Mar. 18 (6:30 pm) All about My Mother Mar. 24 (12:30 and 4:30 pm) and Mar. 25 (6:30 pm) Lost in Translation Mar. 31 (12:30 and 4:30 pm) and Apr. 1 (6:30 pm) The two Wednesday film showings are at 12:30 and 4:30 pm, and the Thursday film showings are at 6:30 pm. You will not be able to attend the 12:30 Weds. showings except the one on Mar. 10 if we have extra class time. If you absolutely cannot attend a particular screening, see the film on video before it is discussed in class the Tuesday after the showing. However, it is much better to see the films on the big screen in A130; you will notice things you would not see on a small screen.
Assignments: Poetry quiz Jan. 13 5% In-class poetry explication Jan. 27 15% In-class essay on Curious Incident Feb. 10 15% Film quizzes (5) Mar. 1, 8, 15, 22, 31 10% total Film essay due Mar. 29 20% Reading quizzes on novels (4) Feb. 3, Mar. 31, Ap 12, 14 5% total Participation Throughout 10% Exam (on A Friend of the Earth) T.B.A. 20% Assignments must be turned in at the beginning of class on the due date. 5% or one mark is deducted each day an assignment is late without an acceptable and written medical excuse; if you ask for an extension a week in advance for a good reason, I will grant it. I will not accept an assignment after the rest of the class=s assignments have been returned. In-class assignments may not be made up except for good and documented medical reasons. Intellectual honesty: I only want your ideas, based on your own reading or watching of the works we study (the primary sources). You can also make use of ideas raised in class. I ask that you read no secondary sources, that is, comments in books or articles, on the Internet, or elsewhere on the works we study. Also, do not allow a tutor or other helper to provide you with ideas or wording for your essay. Not doing such secondary research will avoid the problem of your needing to acknowledge other people=s ideas and wording. It is particularly important that you do not research works you are writing essays on, as you might find yourself echoing the ideas and wording of others without crediting them, which of course is plagiarism. Thinking about the assigned works on your own will also help you develop your critical abilities. Attendance: We move quickly in this course, and regular attendance is very important. If you miss more than two classes, I may ask you to withdraw. The 10% Participation mark is based on students= contribution to class and group discussion, as well as on attendance. To get a passing participation mark, you have to speak, not just be. Jan. 4, 6 OUTLINE Poems: ALoveliest of trees, the cherry now,@ excerpt from ATime and Violence,@ AAunt Jennifer=s Tigers,@ ADesert Places,@ AYou Fit into Me,@ AYou Take My Hand,@ Reading for next week: next week=s poems, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time Jan. 11, 13 Poems:AThe Rose Growing into the House,@ AThe Insusceptibles,@ ANature,@ Abeerbottle,@ The Red Wheelbarrow,@ AThe Balloon of the Mind@ Jan. 13: Poetry Quiz Reading for next week: next week=s poems, Curious Incident
Jan. 18, 20 Jan. 25, 27 Feb. 1, 3 Feb. 8, 10 Poems: AThe Thought-Fox,@ASkip to My Lou,@ AMusée des Beaux Arts@ or catch-up Reading for next week: next week=s poem, Curious Incident AND Poems: AGennifer Catch, seventeen, had the Look@ Jan. 27: In-class Poetry Explication Reading for next week: finish Curious Incident Feb. 1: Reading Quiz on The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time Discussion of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time and writing essays on novels Reading: Giannetti, Understanding Movies Ch. 1 AMedium@ and Ch.2 AStory@ Discussion of Curious Incident Feb. 10: In-class essay on Curious Incident Reading: Giannatti, Ch. 3 APhotography@ and Ch. 4 AMise en Scène@ Feb. 15, 17, 22, 24: NO CLASSES: CLOSURE FOR OLYMPICS Mar. 1, 3 Mar. 8, 10 film Films: Film: The 20th-Century Legacy, Basic Film Terms, Film: The Dynamic Illusion, The Arrival of a Train and other short Lumiere and Edison films, Zea, Mosaic, In the Kitchen, clips from The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and a classical film Discuss film topics including photography, realism, formalism, classical cinema Assign film essays Mar. 1: Film Quiz 1 on Giannetti 1, 2, 3, 4 Reading for next week: Giannetti Ch. 5 AMovement@ and Ch. 6 AEditing@ Films: Silences, Edge Codes Discuss film topics including mise en scène, writing essays on film, and editing Mar. 8: Film Quiz 2 on Giannetti Ch. 5 and 6 and in-class films last week Mar. 10: Class views Man with the Movie Camera at 12:30; class meets after Reading for next week: Giannetti Ch. 7 ASound,@ Ch. 8 AActing@ and Ch. 9 ANonfiction Films@ Mar. 15, 17
Mar. 22, 24 Mar. 29, 31 Apr. 7 Apr. 12, 14 T.B.A. Films: Easy Street, Two Men and a Wardrobe or catch-up Discuss Man with a Movie Camera (Mar. 15), editing, and film noir Mar. 15: Film Quiz 3 on Giannetti Ch. 7, 8, and 9, Man with a Movie Camera, and in-class films last week Films: Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge or catch-up; clip from Target Berlin!, Paul Tomkowicz, TBA; Bambi Meets Godzilla, Daffy in Hollywood, Neighbours, A Close Shave Discuss The Third Man (Mar. 22), animation, and documentaries Mar. 22: Film Quiz 4 on The Third Man and in-class films last week and Discuss All about My Mother and A Friend of the Earth APrologue@ (Mar. 29); discuss Part One of A Friend of the Earth (Mar. 31) Mar. 29: Film Essays Due Mar. 31: Film Quiz 5 on All about My Mother and in-class films last week Mar. 31: Reading quiz on A Friend of the Earth, Part One (no class Apr. 5: Easter) Discuss Lost in Translation Discuss A Friend of the Earth, Part One Reading for next week: A Friend of the Earth Discuss Parts Two and Three of A Friend of the Earth Apr. 12: Reading Quiz on A Friend of the Earth, Part Two Apr. 14: Reading Quiz on A Friend of the Earth, Part Three Exam Exams are held April 20-28 GRADE DISTRIBUTION A+ 95-100 B+ 80-84 C+ 65-69 D 50-54 A 90-94 B 75-79 C 60-65 F less than 50 A- 85-89 B- 70-74 C- 55-59 I mark essays and exams by letter grade and assign these percentages for calculating final marks. Under normal circumstances, students must maintain a passing average on in-class
writing (the poetry explication and the exam), as well as having a passing average overall, in order to pass the course.