De Smet Jesuit High School
UMSL English 1120: Topics in Literature
English IV: Best Selling Novels (Authors)
21214
Robert Benjamin Bergman
Phone: (314) 567-3500 ext. 411
e-mail: (My email is up from 7:50 am until 6:00pm.)
Homeroom: 217
Activity Period: 217
Meeting Times: 7:40-7:55 am, 2:50-3:15pm
Course Description:
This elective course is aimed at exploring Post WWII novels which are not covered in other courses, and at studying themes and styles which are current to modern society. The class focuses primarily on reading - six novels, or approximately 2000 pages - for an understanding of the Post-Modern/late 20th early 21st Century individual. Students should plan to read about 30 pages per class day. Student response to the reading is encouraged through frequent class discussion, formal essays, and interpretive or informative projects on subjects suggested by details and themes in the books.
Approach to the Material:
Literature is not only the study of books. It is a study of the human condition at that point in history and how it translates to the modern reader. It is a way to look at the creative past to see our self through the ideas and visions of others and their perspectives of who they were and who we are.
How do you define "Human Condition?"
Social Systems / Philosophical SystemsTechnological Systems / Ecological Systems
Political Systems / Psychological Systems
Economic Systems / Artistic Systems
This is also how you define a Literary Period.
A body of literature that reflects these systems helps identify the period. You cannot separate the literature from the time period. It is a paradox of Example and Definition and how they are interrelated.
Education is making connections. Identify why one thing is related to another -- the interrelationship of all things and its effect on all other things. Understanding Science helps in understanding Literature. Understanding Literature helps in understanding Theology. Understanding Theology helps in understanding Philosophy. Understanding Philosophy helps in understanding History. Understanding History helps in understanding Science. Etc. Etc.English Class is Ignatian . . .
· Jesuit education is a vision which is "Ignatian." The vision certainly, encompasses the entire high school community, and it recognizes that individuals have positive contributions to make to the community.
· Ignatian education allows students to pursue intellectual development to the fullest measure of their God-given talents.
· Ignatian education allows for the full growth of students which leads to action. At DeSmet, students learn that talents are gifts to be developed with the help of God, for the good of the human community.
· Ignatian education is the opportunity for students to explore human values critically and to test their own values experimentally.
· Ignatian education is the preparation for life.
· Ignatian education is love shown in deeds.
· At Jesuit schools, students learn, in light of competition, to distinguish themselves by their abilities to work together, to be sensitive to one another, to be committed to the service of others.
· Students who graduate from Jesuit high schools receive guidance and ongoing formation, we have a commitment to our former students.
Our prime educational objective is to form Men-For-Others, men who cannot even conceive of love of God which does not include love for the least of their neighbors.
We work toward the ideal of the well-rounded Spartan who is intellectually competent, open to growth, religious, loving, and committed to doing justice in generous service to the people of God.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the course students will:
- practice various types of essay writing
- become familiar with some best-selling authors and their works.
- understand the time period and values within a given text.
- focus on the timeless values and relevance of a given text.
- understand and clarify the various meanings of a work.
- grow to appreciate and enjoy the literature as meanings become clearer.
- cultivate writing skills
- review and work on organization, grammar, mechanics, and style as the need appears in their writing.
- reinforce their research skills and use of English sources and MLA form.
- synthesize a variety of materials
- develop articulation and self-confidence
Course Calendar: subject to change – a more detailed schedule will be available, and updated throughout the course of the semester; dependent on what books are chosen.
First Quarter / Second Quarter.The Godfather
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest / Final Synthesis Project
Assessment types:
· Essays.
· One long project and presentation.
· One Synthesis Project.
Learning Materials:
Textbooks:
The Godfather
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
The Students will choose a combination of texts from the following list:
Shibumi
Fast Food Nation
Angles and Demons
Shoeless Joe
The Natural
The Power of One
Fight Club
Band of Brothers
Deliverance
Jurassic Park
Other Readings:
Will be supplied from the class website ( http://resources.desmet.org/bergman/index.htm)
or Moodle.
Supplies:
A fully charged laptop everyday.
Electronic handouts will be found on Moodle.
Course Calendar: (a more comprehensive/specified calendar will be provided on Moodle)
Timeframe / OutcomesStudents will understand the following: / Content
Students will be introduced to the following: / Assessment / Materials
Unit 1
Thriller
Spy
Mafia
Murder Mystery
Conspiracy
Time Frame:
2-3 weeks / - the construction methods used by an author.
- modern concepts of family, sex, violence, and tradition.
- the role of God/Spirituality in modern literature. / - the genre of “thriller.”
- ideas of the American Dream/Western Dream.
- conspiracy against the masses.
- science as a mode of truth telling. / Essays
Projects
Discussion
Presentations / Primary Texts: Shibumi, TheGodfather, Angels and Demons,
Jurassic Park
Secondary Texts: The Great Gatsby,
Films: The Eiger Sanction, Munich, The Godfather Part One and Two,
The DaVinci Code
Unit 2
Sports
Baseball
Boxing / - the grail quest.
- father and son relationships
- the primal use of physical strength in literature / - sports as metaphor for life.
- sports as a bridge between generations.
- sports as a coming of age. / Essays
Projects
Discussions
Presentations / Primary Texts: Shoeless Joe, The Natural, The Power of One
Secondary Texts: Eight Men Out
Films: Field of Dreams, The Natural, The Power of One, Million Dollar Baby
HBO’s When It Was A Game
Unit 3
Psychological
Family
Love
Subconscious
Dissecting Society
Institutions
Time Frame:
2-3 weeks / - an author’s use of narrators – the “I” and its importanct
- concepts of “Truth” – truth to one is not necessarily truth to another
- concepts of the structure of society and how it affects individuals
- ideas of grassroots change. / - use of narrators as vehicles for thought
- questioning the status quo
- definitions of “truth”
- post-modern commentaries
- definitions of “manhood” / Essays
Projects
Discussions
Presentations / Primary Texts: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Fight Club, Deliverance. A River Runs Through It, Tobias Wolf
Secondary Texts: Interviews with authors
Films: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Fight Club, Deliverance
Unit 4
Realistic
Historical Biography
Muckraking
Time Frame:
2-3 weeks / - ideas of grassroots change.
- to the dangers of the industrialized western world.
- problems of war and industry. / - to historical biographical writing.
- to research techniques used in writing. / Essays
Projects
Discussions
Presentations / Primary Texts:
Band of Brothers
Fastfood Nation
Films:
Band of Brothers
King Corn
Food Inc.
A note about Essay writing:
Always follow the writing rules posted on Moodle.
A template will be set up at the beginning of the school year, always use it for this course.
The Project:
Project Presentations
Each student will be required to prepare and present a topic for an entire class period instead of writing a paper for one novel - each researched topic must include the reason it is related to the novel.
The books and topics are as follows:
Shibumi - / History of CIA - / ______History of Basque Country/Language - / ______
Japanese Gardens - / ______
The Godfather - / History of Mafia - / ______
History of Organized Crime in St. Louis - / ______
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - / Merry Pranksters - / ______
Beat Poets - / ______
History of LSD - / ______
History of Psychology - / ______
Shoeless Joe - / History of Baseball - / ______
History of a Baseball Player - / ______
"Black Sox" Scandal - / ______
The Natural - / The Fisher King Myth and Legend - / ______
The Odyssey's Relationship to the Novel - / ______
The Construction of the Romance in the Novel - / ______
The Knights of the Round Table relationship - / ______
Fight Club - / History of Terrorism - / ______
History of Plastic Surgery - / ______
Split Personality Disorder/Schizophrenia - / ______
A River Runs Through It - / Conservation Topics - / ______
Old School - / Lolita by Nabakov, Psychology of this novel - / ______
Ernest Hemingway Life and Times - / ______
William Faulkner Life and Times - / ______
Ayn Rand Life and Times - / ______
Robert Frost Life and Times - / ______
Deliverance - / James Dickey's Life and Poetry - / ______
The Power of One - / History of Boxing - / ______
History of a Boxer - / ______
Shamanism/Mysticism - / ______
History of South Africa - / ______
Jurassic Park - / History of Cloning and Gene Mapping - / ______
History of Chaos Theory - / ______
History of Zoos and Zoological Preserves - / ______
Environmental Protection Agency History - / ______
History of Paleontology - / ______
Conservative Evangelical Christian View of Dinosaurs - / ______
Angels and Demons - / CERN - / ______
Antimatter - / ______
Sistine Chapel - / ______
Bernini - / ______
Galileo - / ______
Hassassins - / ______
Illuminati - / ______
Band of Brothers - / Family History in WWII / ______
George Patton and His Role in WWII / ______
D Day Presentation / ______
Role of African Americans in WWII / ______
Role of Women in WWII / ______
History of Airborne from conception to present / ______
Operation Market-Garden - Why did it fail? / ______
Combat Exhaustion / ______
Red Ball Express / ______
Fast Food Nation / Research a Fast Food Chain other than McD / ______
Research a 100 Mile Food Radius for St. Louis / ______
Explain what the USDA does / ______
Research the history of "Muckraking" in the U.S. / ______
Media of all sorts are possibilities to include in your presentation. If you use a Power Point presentation you are NOT to just read off of your slides, additional information must be presented. You mus submit a two page summary of your research including an annotated bibliography.
Example of an annotated bibliography.
Presentation Evaluation Rubric.
Your total points will include an averaged of peer grading and your two page summary with annotated bibliography.
Best Novels Synthesis Project
300 Points
(100 = 1st Paper, 100 = 2nd Paper, 100 = Introduction, Transitions, and Conclusion)
For your final, a synthesis project will be completed. You will produce a synthesis paper that is a comparison of two separate papers and finding a common thread of discussion. To complete this assignment, students will select two GRADED papers that offer fruitful parallels or contrasts. The new synthetic paper requires:
- an introduction that presents the interest of the comparison and/or contrast of the two analyses;
- an edited version of the final first paper that takes into account corrections and comments;
- a transitional paragraph uniting the two parts of the paper;
- an edited version of the final second paper that takes into account corrections and comments;
- a conclusion that provides a larger context for appreciating the parallels and contrasts that the paper has demonstrated.
Basically, you take the corrected first paper and corrected second paper, find a parallel or contrast, and then write a new introduction, add transitions between the two papers, and write a new conclusion.
What successful students should expect to do in this course:
Responsibilities:
- Work should be completed on time.
- Use your time wisely in class and out of class.
- You will have sufficient time to complete all assignments.
- Always check the schedule and plan your week accordingly. (posted on wipe board)
- Always have your books and materials for class.
Classroom Conduct
Be honest. Be truthful. Be attentive. Be respectful. Be on time. Be prepared.
Follow the rules of the school
Special Needs: If you have a physical, psychiatric/emotional, medical, or learning disability that may impact your ability to carry out assigned course work, I urge you to contact De Smet’s Learning Consultant who will review your concerns and determine, with you, what accommodations are necessary and appropriate. All information and documentation is confidential.
Academic Honesty:
De Smet Jesuit High School is a community of learning in which integrity and mutual trust are vital. De Smet Jesuit works to form Men for Others, who pursue glorifying God through each and every action, hence our use of the Latin motto “A.M.D.G.,” meaning “for the greater glory of God.” Academic dishonesty runs counter to the ethical principles of Christianity and undercuts the spiritual and intellectual ideals of the Catholic Church and the Society of Jesus, upon which our school is founded. There is no greater academic crime you can commit in this school. If you cheat, or engage in acts of dishonesty, you will receive a zero. Worse, you will lose the opportunity to learn from that assignment, and use your talents fully; you will fail to glorify God.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, the following:
· Cheating - The use of unauthorized or unethical assistance to gain an unfair advantage over other students. This includes: working with a partner on an assignment that is supposed to be done individually; sharing questions from a quiz with a classmate who has not yet taken the quiz; obtaining and/or using unauthorized tests aids (cheat sheets, etc.).