1. Thursday, August 26
- Welcome!
- Begin reading the course documents: the Syllabus, The Guide to Blogging in this Course, The Guide to Commenting in this Course, How to Set Up Your Blog, and the Course Calendar.
- Set up blog.
- Prompt for Post One: Write a literary profile of yourself. What are your earliest memories of literature (including bedtime stories and nursery rhymes)? What are you most recent memories? What's the most significant literary text you've read? In what ways does literature matter? And in what ways does it not matter? Include a picture of yourself (so we can put your face with your name) and/or add a picture for your profile. Blog posts due by midnight before each class hereafter.
- Raymond Carver, "What Do We Talk About When We Talk About Love" (pages 900-910 in The Literary Experience)
- A quiz on the Course Documents will be given in class today.
- "Consent to Comply" Form due.
- First round of comments due this week. Comments due each week hereafter.
- We will meet for class in the Tuscana Ristorante. (See blog for more detailed instructions.)
- Bring some text(s) to discuss on your own per the instructions to be posted.
- Chapter 3: Theme (pages 173-188 in The Literary Experience, including the "note to student writers" on the last page)
- Chapter One and Chapter Two of C. S. Lewis, A Grief Observed
- Visit Tiger Flowers Cemetery. (See blog for more detailed instructions.)
- Chapter Three and Chapter Four of C. S. Lewis, A Grief Observed
- Paul Corrigan, "Darkness, Questions, Poetry, and Spiritual Hope" (download PDF)
- The Book of Joel (PDF text) (Note: Read the version of Joel provided here so that we are all working with the same version of the text.)
- Reread the entire book of Joel
- Bring your painting supplies. (See blog for more detailed instructions.)
- Chapter 2: Character (pages 112-127 and the few sentence at the top of page 128 in The Literary Experience)
- David St. John, "Madam Descartes" (download PDF)
- Jhumpa Lahiri, "This Blessed House" (pages 1064-1078 in The Literary Experience)
- "People watch" for at least 20 min. Sit somewhere where you can watch people, and take written notes on their behaviors, appearances, and so forth, practicing noticing things from the five methods of "characterization" discussed in class. Bring these notes to class to share in small groups.
- Carefully reread Jhumpa Lahiri, "This Blessed House" (pages 1064-1078 in The Literary Experience)
- Special Post One: Character
Based Short Story (See blog for more detailed
instructions.)
- Reread "The Guide to Blogging in this Class." As with all readings posted online, make sure to print this out and bring it to class
- Blogging Portfolio Due for Mid-semester assessment.
- Review for Midterm Exam
- Midterm Exam
- James Baldwin, “Sonny’s Blues” (pages 384-410 in The Literary Experience)
- Francis X. McAloon, "Reading for Transformation . . . " (download PDF)
- Reread select scenes from James Baldwin, “Sonny’s Blues” (pages 384-410 in The Literary Experience)
- Robert Hass, "State of the Planet" (download PDF)
- NOTE: This poem will require careful reading and rereading such as I've been teaching throughout the semester. Please make sure to do this kind of reading before class so that you can come to class prepared to discuss it. If you don't understand a reference, look it up. For instance, you will definitely want to know who Lucretius is. You may also want to know what the Lamont-Doherty Observatory is, what fresco paintings are, and what Venus symbolizes. We will have a reading comprehension quiz.
- Carefully reread all of Robert Hass, "State of the Planet" (download PDF)
- Visit Lake Bonny Park (See blog for more detailed instructions.)
- Mary Oliver, "Messenger," "Walking Home from Oak-Head," and "Six Recognitions of the Lord" (download PDF)
- NOTE: This document contains more poems than you need to read as homework. Some of them we will read in class. You are only responsible for those poems listed here.
- Tom Griffin, The Boys Next Door, Act I
Monday, November 8
- Field Trip to Alliance for Independence, 9:15 AM to 10:15. If you cannot attend this field trip, you must arrange in advance for an alternative assignment to receive credit for participation. (See blog for more detailed instructions.)
- Tom Griffin, The Boys Next Door, Act II
- Tom Griffin, The Boys Next Door, reread at least one select scene of your own choosing that you think represent a core moment in the play, at least 10 pages worth
- Steven M. Fettke, "The Spirit of God Hovered Over the Waters: Creation, the local Church, and the Mentally and Physically Challenged, A Call to Spirit-led Ministry" (download PDF)
- NOTE: At first, this essay may seem long and difficult to read, and you may find it slow to start and a little heavy with jargon in some places. But don't let this fool you. Much of it is quite accessible, and, most importantly, it discusses an essential issue that is often ignored: disability and Christian spirituality. Make sure to read this essay carefully. Focus most on and reread the parts that you do understand. We may have a reading comprehension quiz.
- The Man Who Came to Dinner, a Southeastern theater production to be held at the Polk Theater. 7:30 p.m. Friday, 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2:30 p.m. $10 with student ID. See the university’s Arts and Events Calendar. (See blog for more detailed instructions.)
- Chapter 13 "Symbolism" (pages 1042-1055 in The Literary Experience)
- Flannery O'Connor, "A Temple of the Holy Ghost" (download PDF)
- Prompt for Post for This Day: Write about Flannery O'Connor's story in terms of symbolism and/or in terms of the stages of "reading, interpreting, criticizing" that we discussed in class.
- No class. No blog posts or comments due this week.
- St. Paul, Letter to the Philippians (download PDF) Note: Read the whole thing through at least twice. Also, read the version of Philippians provided here so that we are all working with the same version of the text.
- Prompt for Post for This Day: Write about figurative language in St. Paul's letter. How many metaphors or other instances of figurative language can you find? How might one's perception of the letter's meaning change with an understanding of the figurative use of certain images or phrases?
- Ursula Le Guin, "The Ones Who Walk away from Omelas" (pages 411-415 in The Literary Experience)
- Prompt for Post for This Day: Write about this story.
- Gabriel Garcias Marquez, "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" (pages 1059- in The Literary Experience)
- Prompt for Post for This Day: Write about this story.
- Special Post Two: Interpretation (See blog for more detailed instructions.)
- Review for Final Exam (See blog for more detailed information.)
- Final Exam | Thursday, December 16, 10:00-11:50 am (See blog for more detailed information.)
- Blogging Portfolio Due for Final Assessment
- Commenting Portfolio Due for Final Assessment
