Syllabus

English 2001-003—American Gothic Fiction

Fall 2017

Course and Faculty Information

Location: Swift 619

Instructor: Dustin Fisher

Course Number: ENG 2033 Email: fisherdu@mail.uc.edu

Class Time: Tu/Th 9:30-10:50 a.m. Office: McMicken 212 Tu/Th: 8:00-9:00 a.m.

Required Texts

Jackson, Shirley. The Haunting of Hill House. 1959. New York: Penguin, 2016.

ISBN: 9780143129370

O’Connor, Flannery. Wise Blood. 1949. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2007.

ISBN: 9780374530631

Lehane, Dennis. Shutter Island. 2004. New York: Harper Collins, 2009.

ISBN: 9780061898815

Levin, Ira. Rosemary’s Baby. 1967. New York: Pegasus Books, 2010.

ISBN: 9781605981109

James, Henry. The Turn of the Screw. 1898. New York: Dover. 1991.

ISBN: 9780486266848

Course Description:

This course will primarily focus on contemporary American Gothic Literature and investigate the genre’s influences and gradual transition into modern horror. We will explore and analyze multiple thematic elements found in several twentieth-century gothic texts and attempt to understand what external factors may have brought about such works and how they have influenced modern culture. Throughout the semester the class will investigate the cultural anxieties reflected throughout the texts in order to decipher the broader spectrum of a literary tradition that is—and has been—a cornerstone to American culture for decades.

Course Goals:

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

Actuate close reading and analytical skills crucial to interpreting literary texts
Recognize important themes and motifs present in Gothic texts
Engage with secondary sources—both provided by instructor and individually researched—in order to develop crucial cultural and historical contexts to the reading
Identify major authors, their work, and literary importance within the genre
Critically deduce key social and cultural anxieties reflected in the texts
Compose an academic essay that clearly articulates an original thesis supported by primary and secondary sources that engages with the discourses found in the American Gothic tradition

Assignments and Projects:

Assignment	Due Date	Grade Weight
Attendance and Participation		15%
Unit Quizzes		15%
Midterm Analysis Essay	October 5	20%
Group Contextual Presentation	Assigned Throughout Semester	10%
Final Critical Project	December 5	40%

Grading Scale:

A=94-100

A-=90-93

B=84-89

B-=80-83

C=74-79

C-=70-73

D=64-69

D-=60-63

F=59 and below

Late Work Policy:

Due to the nature of this course, there will be few graded homework assignments. The two major written assignments—the midterm analysis essay and final critical project—will be due during the weeks of midterm and final exams. Late work will be accepted, however, it will be deducted ten percentage points from the overall grade. Simply put, the highest grade that can be received on a late assignment is 90%.

With this policy in mind, I am a human being and understand that emergencies sometimes impact everyday life. If there is an extreme case that is barring you from turning an assignment in on time please email or visit me during office hours to discuss alternative options. Be advised, I will make a professional judgment on whether or not an extension will be granted; for example, studying for another class’s test or sleeping past your alarm and forgetting to write an essay will not be granted an extension or illicit professorial pity. Best piece of advice: turn the work in on time.

Attendance and Participation:

This course relies heavily on classroom discussion of the literature and texts. A discussion lead both by the instructor and students will help in understanding the work that is being studied. When a class is missed so is the critical knowledge and key concepts that will aid in success within the course.

Students will be allowed two unexcused absences (that’s a week of class!). Each additional unexcused absence will result in the loss of five percentage points from the overall attendance grade. As with late work, if there is an emergency or pressing issue please email or visit my office hours to discuss the situation.

Aside from coming to class, students must also engage in class work and discussion. Simply sitting in the back of class staring into the great void will not gain full participation credit in the course. If I don’t recognize you at the end of the semester, there is a problem.

WordPress

In-lieu of utilizing Blackboard’s discussion board, I have established a WordPress blog page for assigned discussion posts. In the past I have had great success with such a site for quick posts that may pose questions regarding the texts or extend topics beyond lecture. These assigned posts will be given at the end of class and count as participation credit. As with absences, two posts can be missed before points are deducted from your overall participation points. These posts will not be overly complex and merely require a short response of 500-800 words.

WordPress Site: https://englishamericangothic.wordpress.com/

Classroom Conduct and Technology Policy:

We are all adults in an active learning environment and I expect everyone to act accordingly. Literature is an interpretive art, and I encourage classroom discussion of the texts. That being said, not everyone’s interpretation will align with their peers’ and I require that everyone respects and acknowledges dissenting opinions and views. I take disrespect seriously and will not tolerate such actions. If there is a serious issue, I reserve the right to dismiss you from the class.

Modern technology is a wonderful thing, but there is a time and place for cellphones and laptops and, unfortunately, this class is not one of those times. Please refrain from accessing laptops and cellphones during class time. If there is an emergency and a phone call or text absolutely cannot wait until after class, quietly excuse yourself from the classroom to make such a call.

There will be multiple short texts that I will post to Blackboard and I expect that you have a printed hardcopy at the beginning of class in order to appropriately discuss the work.

Another quick note: Coming to class unprepared illustrates a level of disrespect for texts, the authors of such work, and the instructor. If I feel that the readings are not being done outside of class I reserve the right to conduct pop-quizzes at any time. The literature is, hopefully, enjoyable reading and I expect that it is done prior to the beginning of class.

Plagiarism:

Plagiarism is a serious academic offense and will not be tolerated. The penalty for plagiarism, either intentional or unintentional, will result in an automatic F in the course and a letter detailing the offense will be added to your permanent academic file. Cheating on in-class quizzes will result in an F for the offender’s overall quiz grade.

Blackboard:

This course will utilize Blackboard as an active learning tool and primary method for announcements. Be sure to check the course’s site daily in order to stay current. If class must be cancelled for emergency or weather issues, the instructor will post the announcement to Blackboard as soon as possible.

University Writing Center: A valuable resource for you: individual help on your writing by trained peer tutors. As a University of Cincinnati student, you may take advantage of the Writing Center’s services on your own.

For more information on the Writing Center please visit:

https://www.uc.edu/aess/lac/writingcenter.html

Disability Services

If you have a disability and require assistance of any kind, please contact Disability Services to receive the verification you need to inform your professors and receive any necessary accommodations. Disability Services is located at 210 University Pavilion, 513-556-6823, disabisv@ucmail.uc.edu.

Computer Assistance

UC has 24-hour computer labs and printers. http://labs.uc.edu/labHours.php

Counseling & Psychological Services

If you are facing personal problems or stress that is affecting your ability to concentrate on your academics or your quality of life, Counseling & Psychological Services provides confidential counseling, outreach programs, and related services for UC students. http://www.uc.edu/counseling.html

Title IX
Title IX is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of your actual or perceived sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation. Title IX also covers sexual violence, dating or domestic violence, and stalking. If you disclose a Title IX issue to me, I am required forward that information to the Title IX Office. They will follow up with you about how the University can take steps to address the impact on you and the community and make you aware of your rights and resources. Their priority is to make sure you are safe and successful here. You are not required to talk with the Title IX Office. If you would like to make a report of sex or gender-based discrimination, harassment or violence, or if you would like to know more about your rights and resources on campus, you can consult the website http://www.uc.edu/titleix or contact the office at 556-3349.

Assignments:

Unit Quizzes:

There will be six quizzes throughout the semester that will cover both the readings and classroom lecture material. Each quiz will consist of short answer questions and will be taken at the beginning of the designated class.

Note: Only five quiz grades will be recorded; this means the lowest grade will be dropped from the record.

Group Presentation:

A series of short presentations will be conducted throughout the semester. These presentations will be done in groups of two or three and engage with the assigned reading for that particular class. A signup sheet will be distributed in week two and groups can choose topics accordingly. Each presentation should be a minimum of ten-minutes and actively encourage discussion through posing specific questions or submitting original analysis surrounding the text. The idea of the presentation is to begin and lead a thoughtful class discussion.

Midterm Short Essay:

In-lieu of a midterm exam, a short four-page essay will be composed. The essay will engage a selected primary text and address an assigned prompt. Students will be allowed to choose their prompt and text to engage with and will simply actuate close reading and literary analysis to construct an argument.

Prompts will be presented to the class a week prior to the due date. The essay should be typed in 11-12 point Times New Roman font, double spaced, and utilize accurate MLA format.

Final Critical Project:

Because this course is an elective, multiple majors are represented within the classroom makeup. Keeping this in mind, I understand that not every student wishes to write a traditional essay for a final grade. In essence, I am willing to accept more creative “projects” that may better fit your interests or major. For instance, a secondary-education major may choose to create a detailed week-long lesson plan of a specific author or text studied throughout the semester. The lesson plan should emphasize the importance of the texts, lessons that cover specific themes, etc. (this is just one example).

Although this is more of a project than an “essay,” keep in mind that I will be using a general rubric that will evaluate everyone’s work equally. I will still be looking for a thesis, general arguments, and ability to accurately communicate the arguments throughout the project. Students must address some thematic element or concern discussed throughout the semester. It is highly recommended that you begin thinking about a topic early as a brief topic proposal will be collected two-three weeks prior to the end of the course so that I can address any concerns regarding the project. It is also advisable to discuss potential topic ideas with the instructor as early and often as possible. More information will become available throughout the course.

–Warning—

A Brief Note on the Texts: Due to the nature of Gothic and horror fiction, some of the course’s texts contain objectionable material that may include—but not limited to—graphic violence, racist language, disturbing sexual conduct, gore, graphic nudity, etc.

A large part of dissecting and enjoying Gothic and horror fiction is that the texts tend to explore the darker aspects of the human condition. Our attempt, as adults and free-thinking college students, is to better understand humanity through these darker texts (and let’s be honest, who doesn’t enjoy feeling squeamish from time to time?). We will be discussing these aspects of the texts in detail and I hope it merits some thought-provoking discussions and analyses.