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Course description |
Writing Seminar: The City in Literature Brian Baldi Mondays and Thursdays, 1:30 - 2:50, D43
Newark does not equal Los Angeles, which does not equal New Orleans, which does not equal New York. This course examines the role of urban and suburban locations in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, and asks the question: What does it mean for a character to be somewhere? Our inquiry will include discussions about the psychological and poetic contours of place, how a location becomes itself in literature, and how characters resist and succumb to the import of urban and suburban spaces. Texts will include Raymond Chandler’s “Farewell, My Lovely,” Phillip Roth’s “Goodbye, Columbus,” Walker Percy’s “The Moviegoer,” and Paula Fox’s “Desperate Characters.” We will also read various critical essays on historical representations of cities in literature, on city planning and the growth of the suburbs, and the poetics of space, as well as a few poems rooted in urbanity. In the beginning of the semester the essays you write will adhere closely to the assigned texts, but as time progresses you will be increasingly encouraged to write according to your own topical yearnings.
Good writing exhibits clarity of communication and deliberateness of thought. In this class, we will focus on both of these things by scrutinizing the writing choices available to us so that we might better create clear, concise, and emboldened prose. During the semester we will work on three essays and numerous brief writing assignments, which will help you to:
In this course you will be graded on three essays, a number of short responses, and your participation in our community of writers. Your grade will be calculated according to the following breakdown:
The essays include a 5-page close reading of the first book we read, a 6-page critical discussion of course texts, and an 8-page research paper on an approved topic. Response papers should be about a page and a half long, and are meant to spur class discussion. I’ll provide prompts the class before a response is due. Writing community membership includes your willingness to propel class discussions, encourage others to do the same, help edit the work of your peers, and come prepared for every single class. In addition, you will be requiredto attend conferences with me to discuss your progress. These conferences are extremely important. Accordingly, failure to show up for one will be calculated as two class absences. Attendance: Regular attendance and preparation for class are basic expectations of the course. The class does not work unless everyone is here, on time, and prepared. Still, you are allowed three absences. Save them for the occasional emergency or illness. Aside from exceptional circumstances, being sick does not entitle you to extra absences once you have used your allotted three. Each absence beyond that will reduce your final participation grade by a half grade (A- becomes a B+). Furthermore, three instances of tardiness will equal one full absence, and coming to class unprepared (not having done the reading or applicable short responses) will result in an absence. Late Papers: All essay drafts and response papers are due on the days listed on the course calendar. Late drafts will result in a reduction of the final essay grade. Also, absences will not excuse you from an essay due date, so if you anticipate being absent make sure you arrange to have your paper turned in on time. Response papers are meant to stimulate class discussion for the day assigned. As a result, no late response papers will be accepted. Eating: Keep your snacks modest and non-distracting (i.e., nothing manifestly odorous). Formatting: I consider a page of prose to be double-spaced in a Times New Roman 12-point font (or a serif-based font of similar size) with 1-inch margins all around. Always include a title page, but don’t get cute with fonts, and certainly don’t count a title page in your page total. Works cited lists don’t count, either. Course Schedule (subject to change)
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