Syllabus for Images of Women in Literature: ENG. 245

ENG245: Images of Women in Literature

Professor van Slyck: vanph@lagcc.cuny.edu

E103N x5660

Office Hours T/TH  10:30 and by appt.

Blog:Eng245ImagesofWomeninLit.blogspot.com

Course Pack Table of Contents and Sequence of Readings

1.     Syllabus

2.     Strong Writing Guidelines

3.     Blog Scoring 

4.     Anatomy of an Essay

5.     Essay Outlines

INTERROGATING 19^TH CENTURY IMAGES

6.     Trifles, Susan Glaspell (and background)

7.     “The Story of An Hour,” Kate Chopin   (read in class—day 1)
FILM SCREENING: Double Indemnity

8.     “Desiree’s Baby,” Kate Chopin

9.     “Rapaccini’s Daughter,” Nathaniel Hawthorne (and criticism)

10.  “The Necklace,” Guy de Maupassant

11.    Washington Square, Henry James (film)

12.  “The Lady with the Little Dog,” Anton Chekov

13.  “The Yellow Wallpaper,” Charlotte Perkins Gilman (and “Feline Behavior in YW”)

14.  “Victorian Women: The Gender of Oppression

            INTERROGATING POSTCOLONIAL IMAGES:

15.  “Everyday Use,” Alice Walker (YouTube images; essay by Walker)

16.   “The World’s Greatest Fisherman,” Louise Erdrich  

17.  “1937,” Edwidge Danticat

18.  “Life,” Bessie Head (and notes on exile/identity)

20.  “The Youngest Doll,” Rosario Ferre (and background article)
21.   "The Danger of a Single Story," Adichie (YouTube);Postcolonialism Glossary

Film Screening: Moolade

INTERROGATINGMODERN/CONTEMPORARY IMAGES:

22.   “Boys and Girls,” Alice Munro 

23.   “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” Joyce Carol Oates

24.  “A and P,” John Updike

25.   “On Meeting My 100% Woman One Fine April Morning,” Haruki Murakami

26.   “We Should All Be Feminists," Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (YouTube)

Film Screening:  Girlhood or Her

ENGLISH 245: Images of Women in Literature

Catalogue Description

This course is designed to familiarize the student with the ways in which the role of women has been portrayed in literature. By identifying various stereotypes and certain recurrent themes, students will be made aware of how literature reflects and sometimes determines societal expectations. Works by both male and female authors will be examined including such authors as Henrik Ibsen, D.H. Lawrence, Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, Edward Albee, Sylvia Plath, Mary Gordon, Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, and Audre Lorde.

WRITING ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADE DISTRIBUTION:

1.     Blogs (approximately 6): a set of questions will be posted for most readings and film screenings 20% (blogs not accepted after due date for class discussion)

2.     Essay #1: comparison/contrast—a theme in two texts:  20%

3.     Essay #2: visual essay—incorporate an image; connect to text:  20%

4.     Final reflection: 20%

5.     Class presentations/participation:  20%

TENTATIVE SYLLABUS: SUBJECT TO REVISION

Tuesday, Jan. 5

Introduction: Our images of women: pictures, poems and a text: “American Girl,” “Barbie,” “Phenomenal Woman,” ” “Biosexist Observations”and “The Story of an Hour.”

Joining our blog: create gmail account.

Thursday Jan. 7:

Film screening: Double Indemnity

Homework for Tuesday: “Trifles” and “Desiree’s Baby” (going forward homework will always be what is listed for next class)

Tuesday, Jan. 12

“Trifles” and “Desiree’s Baby”—questions in course-pak
blog due Midnight Jan. 11

Thursday Jan. 14

“Rapaccini’s Daughter”

Blog post due Wed. Jan. 13, midnight

Tuesday, Jan. 19

“The Necklace”

Film screening: Washington Square, Henry James

Thursday, Jan 21

“The Lady with the Little Dog” and “The Yellow Wallpaper”

Post paper thesis on blog for Tuesday

Tuesday, Jan. 26

“Everyday Use” and first essay planning (see coursepak)

Thursday, Jan. 28

Essay due

Film screening: Moolade

Tuesday, Feb. 2

“The World’s Greatest Fisherman” and “1937”

Thursday, Feb 4

“Life” and “The Youngest Doll”

Introduction to Essay #2 (see coursepak)

Tuesday, Feb. 9

“Boys and Girls” and “A and P”

Essay thesis on blog for in-class review (no submission—points off essay)

Thursday, Feb. 11

“Where Are You Going; Where Have You Been?”

Essay #2 due—peer critique; revision due Feb 16

Tuesday, Feb. 16

Last class: film screening: Her or Childhood

Thursday, Feb 18

Submit reflection based on 3 texts:

What are most important things you learned in this class?  Refer to at least three texts and support your reflection with examples.