“To be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” Nelson Mandela
The pursuit of freedom lies at the heart of both political struggle and great writing. In this course, we’ll explore different forms that freedom—and the pursuit of freedom—take in literature. Questions we’ll look at include: What is the relationship between personal and political freedom? How does one resist oppression? What does it mean for the human spirit to be truly free? The reading list will feature Henry David Thoreau’s “On the Duty of Civil Disobedience,” Ta-Nehisi Coates’s Between the World and Me, and Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Notes from Underground. Other possible texts include Zhuang Zi, Jeannette Walls's The Glass Castle, as well as selections from James Baldwin’s essays. This course will have informal weekly writing assignments, in-class analytical essays, and—time allowing—a personal essay.
MAIN TEXTS (in the order in which we'll read them):
"On the Duty of Civil Disobedience" by Henry David Thoreau
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Other texts, time allowing
LEARNING GOALS:
To learn how to read a text closely.
To acquire the basic terminology of textual study.
To develop a powerful and personal style of expression in both analytical and creative writing.
To learn to think critically about the world and your value system.
To acquire the skills needed to be an effective speaker and listener.
To enjoy literature and the discussion of it.
To deepen your understanding of the nature and complexity of the term "freedom."
To acquire more freedom in your own life.
You need not be an expert in literary studies to succeed in this class. I do, however, expect you to participate actively and to keep up with all assigned reading and writing. From week to week, readings will vary in difficulty and length. Writing assignments will vary as well—there will usually be more writing in weeks when the readings are less extensive. I encourage you to budget your time accordingly.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Participation: Since this is a seminar, participation is an extremely important component of the course and everyone must be prepared to talk. It is my firm belief that everyone has important and interesting ideas to voice in class and that a seminar works best when its members explore these ideas together rather than worry about being “right” or “wrong.” I also believe the most successful seminars are ones that are student—not teacher—centered. In other words, students talk to one another and raise questions as well as answer them. This necessitates careful listening, a vital and undervalued skill in our society.
Each class meeting, I will appoint a scribe to record the day’s discussion. Specifically, s/he will write down points made and questions raised. Sometimes, I will also appoint a moderator, whose job is either to start the conversation that day and/or to keep the discussion focused and make sure everyone is included. Finally, I'll also appoint a map-maker, to chart our discussion. I'll be reviewing these charts at the end of the semester and giving you a participation grade accordingly.
Writing: You will write both analytical essays and--time allowing--a personal essay for this class. In addition, we'll be doing a good deal of informal writing (see "Reading Responses" below).
Reading: You must do all the reading for the day it is assigned. I will generally distribute the schedule of readings on a bi-weekly basis. Assignments are subject to revision. I expect you to know what you are responsible for. If I haven’t been clear, feel free to ask questions. Make sure to check the website regularly for updates.
Because we have a new schedule this year, we may--or may not--get to a final text titled The Glass Castle. I ask you to hold off on ordering a copy until the rhythms of our new school schedule--and the pace of the readings--become clear.
Responses: Depending upon the text and our schedule, you'll be writing written responses based on the day’s or week’s assignment. Such responses are not formal essays but are designed to help you think through your ideas in writing and to provide you with an opportunity to exchange ideas informally with your classmates. I will expect you to express yourself clearly and thoughtfully in these responses and to show that you’ve done the reading. Responses will be graded on a satisfactory and non-satisfactory basis.
Reading Quizzes: I may give you quizzes as prompts to classroom discussion in order to help you keep current with weekly reading assignments. These quizzes may be announced or unannounced. They will count toward your participation grade and will only require knowledge of a given day’s assignment.
Final: The English Department is currently evaluating the nature of our finals this year. I will be in conversation with you about this.
Grading Assigning grades is never an exact science, but a rough breakdown is as follows (precise percentages may change):
Essays 50%-75%
Class Participation (includes reading quizzes, vocab quizzes, responses, and journals as well as in-class participation) 15%-40%
* Class participation may count for more this semester
Final Exam 5-15%
I will give analytical essays number grades based on content and mechanics. Responses will be graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. Reading quizzes will be graded numerically.
POLICIES:
Policy Towards Late Papers: As per English Department policy, your grade on a paper is lowered by a third every day the paper is late. If I have not received the paper in four days, you will have to write it as an in-class exercise (graded according to my expectations for the original assignment).
Note: If you have a serious conflict of interest or good reason to hand a piece in late, please discuss this with me ONE WEEK in advance of the deadline. Your grade will, in part, be determined by whether you hand work in in a timely manner.
Note: ALWAYS keep copies of all assignments; you will be responsible if your work is lost or disappears. Students should also save pieces I’ve returned; they can be useful for future writing assignments and for conferences about your writing.
*A quick note about digital delivery: sometimes computers malfunction, sometimes hard drives fail, sometimes internet connections go down. None of these will be acceptable excuses for missing a deadline. Please store your files in multiple locations and donʼt wait until the last minute to complete assignments; thatʼs when problems seem to occur.--from former colleague Adam Gonsalves's syllabus.
Policy Towards Plagiarism: Plagiarism occurs any time a writer copies either the exact phrasing or the general idea of another writer’s work without acknowledging and properly documenting the original source of the borrowed material. In your writing, you should build arguments based on your own thinking about what we have read together. Our class discussions should stimulate your thinking. Do not consult any critical or scholarly works outside of those we use in class. If you have any questions about whether or not you have adequately cited your sources, please see me. Also, please review the school’s policy on plagiarism in the CPS handbook. Keep in mind that plagiarism is an extremely serious matter; if someone has plagiarized—and trust me, I WILL know—I will do everything I can to track down the sources and bring this offense to light. If you’re feeling desperate or stuck, it is far better to talk to me (I am always happy to talk, even at the last minute!) than to risk the consequences of this very grave offense.
English Policy on Academic Integrity: The English Department values individual interpretation, personal creativity, and complete integrity. We expect our students to honor their authentic learning experiences by doing their own work. Our students should not use reading guides or sites (such as SparkNotes) because doing so will short-change the process of learning and understanding. Essays and other written work should be the culmination of intellectual engagement with classroom discussion, the literature, and the personal reflection we so value and prize.
And... all of the following constitute academic dishonesty:
reading an online summary instead of reading the book
reading an online summary after reading the book to review plot or confirm that your interpretations are “correct”
purchasing an essay online and submitting it, in whole or in part, as your own
reading an online essay to get ideas, then paraphrasing a few sentences for your own essay
presenting another student’s (or any other person’s) writing as your own
using an online summary to complete a review sheet
copying someone else’s review sheet
glancing at someone’s quiz to make sure you’re on the right track
asking a student from an earlier period about in-class essay prompts or quiz questions
enlisting a tutor, older sibling, fellow student, parent (or anyone else) to edit your work (as distinct from simply offering you feedback)
using ideas gathered from the margins of an already-annotated book.
The consequences for plagiarism and other breaches of academic integrity are serious. If you have questions about any “gray areas,” ask me.
English Dept Policy on the Use of Violent Language
In order for every student to learn best, the English department strives to provide an anti-racist and equitable classroom environment and curriculum. Our community does not tolerate, nor take lightly, the slurs that arise from homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, misogyny, ableism, or racism. Given the violent and painful history associated with the n-word, no student or teacher will say this word within the context of our school environment, even when reading aloud from an academic text or repeating as part of a song. Teachers and students should refrain from reading aloud, quoting, or writing the word, using instead a referent, such as “n-word,” or, when quoting in print, [n-word].
On Outdated Racial Descriptors
Some of our literary and historical readings may contain racial descriptors that are often experienced in today’s world as outdated or alienating (such as “Negro,” “Oriental,” and, for some LatinX folks, “Hispanic”). Knowing that terms of identity will continue to evolve, and that every person has the right to choose how to identify, the English Department is committed to continual dialogue and learning.
OTHER:
1) Learning and Writing Centers. Both the Writing Center and Learning Center are excellent places to get help with your writing. Amelia Baranger-Hartwig and the writing coaches are eager to help you. I want to stress that writing is a process and that everyone can profit from extra help and/or feedback on their writing.
2) On-line Resources: There are several online resources for writers. One I particularly recommend is that of the University of North Carolina. Their website is University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I would be grateful if you notify me of any other websites you’ve found particularly helpful for your writing.
Appointments: Aside from the above resources, I'm available to work with you individually during mutually free periods or other free times. The best way to schedule an appointment is to talk with me after class or email me.
* A note about emails: In an effort to create a boundary between work and home life, I'm very likely not going to be checking emails after the end of the school day. I will, however, make every effort to get back to you the next day. Please feel free to email me more than once, however, if you don't get a reply. Sometimes my inbox gets so full that I miss an email.
Looking forward to working with you! I always learn as much from you as you do from me. I very much look forward to our work together this semester. In the words of my former colleague John Faggi, "avanti!"