The American Experience as Told through Autobiographies UGS 302 (61815)...Fall 2016...TTh 12:30-2 pm...cal 22 Michael Craig Hillmann, Course Instructor Calhoun 400, office hours: TTh 9:30-11 am, and by appointment mchillmann@austin.texas.edu, mchillmann@aol.com, 512-475-6606 (UT office), 512-653-5152 (cell) Autobiographical writing has particular significance in American culture, which means that its study might shed light on the American experience in two ways: first, the American content of the writing; and, second, the probable American self-revelation in the stories that American writers tell about themselves. The American Experience as Told through Autobiographies course examines the Americanness of American autobiographical writing and also treats features and qualities of autobiography as narrative. Course work involves the close reading of the following classic American autobiographical writings presented in chronological order after a quick look at biography, seen as an essentially different literary species, and at the history of autobiographical writing, seen as a context for the appreciation of the distinctiveness of American contributions to the species. W.R. Thayer s Theodore Roosevelt: An Intimate Biography (selected chapters). Mary Rowlandson s A True History of the Captivity & Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson Benjamin Franklin s Autobiography. Frederick Douglas s Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Walt Whitman's Song of Myself. Gertrude Bonnin s Impressions of an Indian Childhood & An Indian Teacher among Indians. Edward Bok s The Americanization of Edward Bok (Chapter 1). Henry Adams s The Education of Henry Adams (Chapters 1 and 2). Maya Angelou s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Sylvia Plath s The Bell Jar. Richard Rodriguez s Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez. Joan Didion s The Year of Magical Thinking (selected chapters). In conjunction with required reading and class discussion and to further student appreciation of the process of autobiographical writing, students prepare and submit eight 2-page writing assignments during the course of the semester. The assignments can present autobiographical anecdotes, reflections on course texts, impressions of university life, examination of individuality, characterization of American culture, and the like. Such writing can involve recommended sessions at the Undergraduate Writing Center (FAC 211, call 512-471-6222 for appointments). In the class session immediately after submission of each writing assignment, class discussion takes place on the subject of a handout list of sample statements from the writing assignment in question. The course aims to increase student familiarity with: 1. A handful of major ideas and themes in European writing from Plutarch to Rousseau. 2. Ways to appreciate narrative writing, especially biography and autobiography. 3. The historical backdrop and cultural context of American autobiographical writing. 4. American autobiographies reflecting the diversity of American perspectives, among them: male and female, Native, White, African, and Hispanic Americans, and post-civil War immigrants from Europe and Asia. 5. Ideas about specifically American features of American culture leading to individual definitions about what makes the American experience American. 6. Techniques to help improve writing skills. 1
7. Fair ways of making use of other people s facts and ideas (rule of thumb: the use of other people s words or ideas in one s writing calls for citation of the source of those words or ideas and quotation marks around specific statements originating with others. 8. University academic conversation, involving attendance at a relevant university lecture and subsequent class discussion of it, preferably the Fall 2016 University Lecture Series lecture called Election 2016 on September 19th from 7 to 8 pm, with students unable to attend the lecture able to view a video of it on the UGS web site. 9. Research resources at UT Austin, involving a visit to the Harry Ransom Center (and preparation of an oral report on the Elliott Erwitt Home around the World exhibition there) and a visit to the Blanton Museum (and completion of an assignment sheet on the American art there). Visits to the LBJ Museum and Library and the Bullock Texas State History Museum are also recommended. 10. Ways of assessing potential sources of information on subjects that students study, especially Internet resources, involving a presentation at Perry-Castañeda Library during the class hour on November 22nd by Digital Pedagogy Librarian Amber Welch on a courserelated subject and completion of a report. The bases for course grades are: Completion of almost daily open-book and other exercises usually on the subject of previously assigned texts (20% of the course grade), with submitted answers serving as a course attendance sheet. Non-submission owing to absence from class on religious holy days or holidays or because of illness or other emergencies does not count toward grades or as an absence. Presentation of oral reports and participation in class discussion (10% of the course grade). Submission of eight, 2-page writing assignments (4% of the course grade each). Completion of two review tests (20% of the course grade each). The grading scale used in the course is: A (93-100), A- (90-92), B+ (87-89), B (83-86), B- (80-82), C+ (77-79), C (73-76), C- (70-72), D+ (67-69), D (63-66), D- (60-62), and F (0-59). The course has no final examination. Students who miss a class, an open-book exercise, a recitation, an oral report, or a review test because of illness or in order to observe a religious holy day will have the opportunity to complete the missed work. Students with disabilities may request appropriate academic accommodations from the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement, Services for Students with Disabilities at 471-6259 (voice) or 232-2937 (video phone) or http://www.utexas.edu/diversity/ddce/ssd. The required course texts, five of them available in paperback editions at UT bookstores, are: Classic American Autobiographies (Signet Classic, 2003), edited by William L. Andrews. The Bell Jar (Bantam Books, 1963) by Sylvia Plath. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Bantam Books, 1970) by Maya Angelou. Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez (Dial Press, 1982) by Richard Rodriguez. The Year of Magical Thinking (Vintage Book, 2005) by Joan Didion. A Brief Guide to Avoiding Plagiarism. Online at: http://www.utexas.edu/cola/centers/cwgs/ _files/pdf-4/ai2012.pdf. And an Autobiography Course Packet (200+ pages, available online in a shared Dropbox folder, containing: selected chapters from W.R. Thayer s Theodore Roosevelt: A Biography, Chapters 1-3 of Edward Bok s The Americanization of Edward Bok, Chapters 1 and 2 of Henry Adams s The Education of Henry Adams, Song of Myself by Walt Whitman, and relevant chronologies and checklists. The American Experience as Told through Autobiographies UGS 302 (61815) Course Schedule and Assignments Fall 2016...TTh 12:30 2 pm...cal 22 2
1 Th Aug 26 Course Goals and Activities Discussion. Exercise 1: Americanness in American Culture: Top Ten Lists Group Discussion. (In-Class) Writing Assignment #1. Assignments: Read Theodore Roosevelt: A Chronology. Read W.R. Thayer s Theodore Roosevelt: A...Biography, Preface, Chapters I and IV-V. Read Suggestions about Oral Reports. 2 T Aug 30 Exercise 2: Open-book questions about Thayer s Theodore Roosevelt, Preface, Chapters I and IV-V. Suggestions about Oral Reports. Thayer s Theodore Roosevelt, Preface, Chapter I, Chapter IV, and Chapter V. Thayer s Theodore Roosevelt as Biography and as an American story. Assignments: Read W.R. Thayer s Theodore Roosevelt: A...Biography, VII and XXIV-XXV. 3 Th Sep 1 Exercise 3: Open-book questions about Thayer s Theodore Roosevelt: A...Biography, VII and XXIV-XXV. Thayer s Theodore Roosevelt, Chapter VII, Chapter XXIV, and Chapter XXV. Biography vis-à-vis Autobiography 1. Assignment: Read Mary Rowlandson s A True History of the Captivity and Restoration, Classics, pp. 20-45. 4 T Sep 6 Exercise 4: Open-book questions about Rowlandson s A True History of the Captivity and Restoration, pp. 20-45. A True History of the Captivity and Restoration, pp. 20-45. Assignments: Read Rowlandson s Captivity and Restoration, Classics, pp. 45-69. Prepare Writing Assignment #2. 5 Th Sep 8 Submission of Writing Assignment #2. Exercise 5: Open-book questions about Rowlandson s Captivity and Restoration, Classics, pp. 45-69. Rowlandson s A True History of the Captivity and Restoration, pp. 45-69. Biography vis-à-vis Autobiography 2. Assignments: American History: A Chronology from Its Beginnings to 1776. Benjamin Franklin s Autobiography, Classics, pp. 71-107. 6 T Sep 13 Exercise 6: Open-book questions about Franklin s Autobiography, Classics, pp. 71-107. American History: A Chronology from Its Beginnings to 1776. Benjamin Franklin s Autobiography, Classics, pp. 71-107. Assignments: Franklin's Autobiography, Classics, pp. 107-156. Benjamin Franklin: A Chronology. 7 Th Sep 15 Exercise 7: Open-book questions about Franklin's Autobiography, Classics, pp. 107-156. Benjamin Franklin: A Chronology. Franklin's Autobiography, Classics, pp. 107-156. Assignments: Franklin's Autobiography, Classics, pp. 156-199. Attendance on September 21st or 22nd at a session of the Fall 2015 University Lecture Series. 8 T Sep 20 Exercise 8: Open-book exercise about Franklin's Autobiography, Classics, pp. 156-199. Franklin's Autobiography, Classics, pp. 156-199. Assignments: Read Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass 1, Classics, pp. 229-250. Scan African American History: A Chronology. Prepare Writing Assignment #3. 9 Th Sep 22 Submission of Writing Assignment #3. Exercise 9: Open-book questions about Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass 1, Classics, pp. 229-250. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass 1, Classics, pp. 229-250. Assignment: Read Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass 2, Classics, pp. 251-290. 10 T Sep 27 Exercise 10: Open-book questions about Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass 1, Classics, pp. 251-290. 3
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass 1, Classics, pp. 251-290. Assignments: Read Walt Whitman's Song of Myself, Sections 1-20. Read Walt Whitman: A Chronology. 11 Th Sep 29 Exercise 11: Open-book questions about Whitman's Song of Myself, Sections 1-20. Whitman's Song of Myself, Sections 1-20. Assignments: Read Read Walt Whitman's Song of Myself, Sections 21-33. Read A Brief Guide to Avoiding Plagiarism, Online at: http://www.utexas.edu/cola/centers/cwgs/_files/pdf-4/ai2012.pdf. 12 T Oct 4 Exercise 12: Open-book questions about Whitman's Song of Myself, Sections 21-33. Walt Whitman's Song of Myself, Sections 21-33. Assignment: Read Walt Whitman's Song of Myself, Sections 34-52. 13 Th Oct 6 Exercise 13: Open-book questions about Whitman's Song of Myself, Sections 34-52. Walt Whitman's Song of Myself, Sections 34-52. Review discussion for Review Test #1. Assignments: Study for Review Test #1. Writing Assignment #4 is a review-test essay question. 14 T Oct 11 Review Test #1 Assignments: Read Gertrude Bonnin s Indian Childhood/Indian Teacher 1. Visit to the HRC s Frank Reaugh: Landscapes of Texas and the American West exhibition. Watch video clips of Daughter of Dawn on YouTube. 15 Th Oct 13 Exercise 15: Revisiting Review Test #1 questions. Discussion of Review Test #1. Gertrude Bonnin s Indian Childhood/Indian Teacher 1. Assignment: Read Gertrude Bonnin s Indian Childhood/Indian Teacher 2. 16 T Oct 18 Exercise 16: Open-book Exercise about Bonnin s Indian Childhood/Indian Teacher 2. Gertrude Bonnin s Indian Childhood/Indian Teacher 2. Assignments: Read Read The Americanization of Edward Bok, Chapter 1. Prepare Writing Assignment #5 on the Landscapes of Texas and the American West exhibition. 17 Th Oct 20 Submission of Writing Assignment #5. Exercise 17: Open-book questions about The Americanization of Edward Bok, Chapter 1. The Americanization of Edward Bok, Chapter 1. Assignment: Read The Education of Henry Adams, Chapters 1 and 2. 18 T Oct 25 Exercise 18: Open-book questions about The Education of Henry Adams, Chapters 1 and 2. The Education of Henry Adams, Chapters 1 and 2. Assignment: Read Maya Angelou s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Prologue and Chapter 1. Read Maya Angelou: A Chronology. 19 Th Oct 27 Exercise 19: Open-book questions on I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Prologue and Chapter 1. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Prologue and Chapter 1. Assignment: Maya Angelou: A Chronology. Read I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Chapters 2-19. 20 T Nov 1 Exercise 20: Open-book questions on I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings 2-19. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, 2-19. Assignment: Maya Angelou: A Chronology. Read I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Chapters 20-35. 4
Prepare Writing Assignment #t6. 21 Th Nov 3 Submission of Writing Assignment #6. Exercise 21: Open-book questions about I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Chapter 20-35. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Chapters 20-35 Assignment: Read Sylvia Plath s The Bell Jar, Chapter 1-10. Scan American History: A Chronology, 1946-2010. 22 T Nov 8 Exercise 22: Open-book questions about Plath s The Bell Jar, Chapters 1-10. The Bell Jar, Chapters 1-10. Assignment: Read The Bell Jar, Chapters 11-20. Read Sylvia Plath: A Chronology. 23 Th Nov 10 Exercise 23: Open-book questions about Plath s The Bell Jar, Chapters 11-20. The Bell Jar, Chapters 11-20. Assignment: Visit to the Blanton Museum to view American paintings (on a distributed checklist). Read Richard Rodriguez s Hunger of Memory, Prologue and Chapters 1-3. 24 T Nov 15 Submission of Writing Assignment #7. Exercise 24: Open-book questions about Hunger of Memory, Prologue and Chapters 1-3. Hunger of Memory, Prologue and Chapters 1-3. Assignment: Read Hunger of Memory, Chapters 4-6. Read Richard Rodriguez: A Biographical Sketch. 25 Th Nov 17 Exercise 25: Open-book questions about Hunger of Memory, Chapters 4-6. Hunger of Memory, Chapters 4-6. Richard Rodriguez: A Biographical Sketch. Discussion of Writing Assignment #7. 26 T Nov 22 Exercise 26: Attendance sheet at PCL. Session at PCL 2.340 on Researching Autobiographies with Digital Pedagogy Librarian Amber Welch.. Assignment: Prepare for and take Review Test #2, including an answer to a question relating to the PCL session. Review Test #2 take home, due as an e-attachment by Monday, November 30, at 6 pm. Assignment: Read Joan Didion s The Year of Magical Thinking 1. 27 T Nov 29 Exercise 27: Open-book questions about The Year of Magical Thinking 1. Discussion of Review Test #2. Joan Didion s The Year of Magical Thinking 1. Assignments: Read Joan Didion s The Year of Magical Thinking 2. Prepare Writing Assignment #8. 28 Th Dec 1 Submission of Writing Assignment #8. Exercise 28: Open-book questions about The Year of Magical Thinking 2. Joan Didion s The Year of Magical Thinking 2. American Values, Ideals, and Issues in Course Texts Group Exercise Lists. Autobiography and journals in American lives. mch 081016 5