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ENG 223-01 (WI)
Spring 2011
Will Dodson
Office Location: EUC 222U
Email:
Office Hours: MW 2:00-3:00 and by appointment
ENG 223-01 (WI)
Writing of Essays
MW 3:30-4:45
MHRA 2210
COURSE DESCRIPTION
ENG 223 is a course in reading and writing the essay, with particular attention to style and voice. “Essay” derives from the French word essayer, meaning “to try” or “attempt.” An essay is an attempt to make sense of one’s thoughts in conversation both with oneself and with a public audience: typically an essayist articulates a perspective and explores a topic, whether or not he or she advocates a point of view and/or action. The essay has become the principal form of communication by critics, activists, and academics, and as the blogosphere grows exponentially, the essay remains the foundation of personal, creative, and civic discourse.
In this course, you will learn to:
- To foster an appreciation for and awareness of the cultural work of essaying for public audiences.
- To develop the ability to speak knowledgeably about how essays are put together and how they function as texts.
- To gain practical experience reading nonfiction critically and charitably.
- To recognize what is required to produce effective nonfiction through focused practice.
- To develop reading and responding skills to effectively engage in feedback and peer-review.
- To leave this course with not only a portfolio of interesting writing, but also a developed identity as a writer.
As a class you are going to immerse yourselves in a rich and diverse literary genre and explore its characteristics and techniques. You will explore the origins of the essay form in ancient Eastern and Western cultures, the influence of the French essayist Montaigne, and the contemporary essay in print, on websites, and in the blogosphere.
REQUIRED TEXTS & MATERIALS
D’Agata, John. The Lost Origins of the Essay. New York: Graywolf Press, 2009.
ISBN: 978-1555975326
In addition to this book, I will provide readings from other sources both online and in print. I will provide some in hard copy form; others you will need to download and print from Blackboard or a web URL I provide.
COURSE EXPECTATIONS
Readings
Careful annotation of our readings is one of the skills we will be developing in this course, and you must have a physical copy of your reading with which to work. You must have the appropriate texts with you for each class, and failure to do so will result in me counting you absent for that day. I tend to give short reading quizzes every class.
Attendance
College should be considered a job like any other. If you repeatedly miss work, you get fired. Your attendance in class is obligatory, and that includes not just physical presence but preparation (i.e. doing your homework) and participation. Because much of your grade depends on writing assignments described in class and your in-class writing and workshop participation, each absence hurts you in a variety of ways at once.
You are not required to give me a reason for missing class. There is no such thing as an “excused” or “unexcused” absence. Actual emergencies are rare. In the event you have an actual emergency, I will help you keep up with class. If you miss class for any reason other than an actual emergency, I suggest you ask a benevolent classmate for your missed assignments.
As per UNCG policy, students are allowed three absences without a grade penalty. For every absence beyond those allowed, students will be penalized one-half letter grade. Students who miss six classes on a two-day schedule will fail the course. You are, by state law, allowed two excused absences due to religious holidays, which do not count toward your total [allowed absences, as defined by your policy]. If you plan to miss class because of religious holidays, you must notify me in advance of your absence.
Civilized Behavior
Unless you have an actual medical or family emergency, there is no excuse for missing class or for tardiness. I dislike tardiness particularly. I begin each class with a short lecture, and that lecture contains material you need for class. If you enter class late, you disrupt not only my train of thought, but also that of your classmates. Do not enter class late.
No cell phones, Bluetooth (Blueteeth?), Blackberrys, iPhones, iPods. Turn them OFF before class. If I see you text messaging I will ask you to leave class, and you will be counted absent for that day.
You may bring bottled water or soft drinks to class, but please do not eat during class. We’re talking to each other, and snack food tends to inhibit conversation. Cooked foods, moreover, tend to fill the room with an unpleasant aroma.
Respect one another. Lively discussion is the goal of the course, but remember to treat one another with respect. Do not interrupt speakers, and do not insult your peers. Disagreements are great, but discussion will be polite. I do not tolerate any language that is sexist, racist, or homophobic. Everyone is entitled to her or his own view, but we will not discuss issues using discriminatory language.
Laptops
Laptops may be used in class only by students having a special need for purposes of note-taking or other classroom activities. Students with such a need should make specific arrangements with the instructor. No student may use a laptop in class without a prior arrangement with the instructor.
Submitting Written Work
All written work must be typed, in standard margins, double-spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman font, and stapled. If multi-page work is not stapled, you may not submit it. Do not come to class with loose pages and ask me if I have a stapler. I do not have a stapler. Find a stapler before class, and staple your pages together in the proper order. Don’t dog-ear your pages.
If you are not in class, YOU MAY NOT SUBMIT YOUR WORK. Work may not be dropped off in my mailbox, and you may not e-mail papers to me. Work is taken up in class the day it is due, and that is it. If a major essay is due on a certain day, and you are absent, you may not turn in your essay. You get a zero. If you know you need to miss a class that has work due, let me know ahead of time and you will be allowed to turn in your work EARLY. Not late.
If you have a serious family or medical emergency, you may be forced to miss class without working it out ahead of time. Such a situation requires you to email me (and all your other teachers) as soon as possible, i.e., within a day or two, to alert me to the situation. Look at class as you would any job; if you have an emergency that requires you to miss work, you call in to work and let them know. If you don’t, you get fired. College courses are no different. If you have an emergency, you have my sympathy. But you must let me know in a timely fashion in order to avoid penalty.
Preparation and Participation
I expect you to have read your assignments and brought any required written work with you to class, including multiple copies for workshop days. I also expect everyone to participate in class discussion. You must also perform all in-class writing assignments, even if the assignment itself is ungraded. Failure to live up to my expectations will be reflected in your grade.
GRADING
I will base your grade on your performance in the following assignments. I will have assignment sheets describing each in detail. NOTE: You will keep all your paper drafts and writing assignments (in-class and homework) in a portfolio for submission at the end of the year. You will also write a 2-3 page metacritical portfolio introduction in which you discuss how you have worked with the process of writing and revising, why you select your material and how you arrange it in your portfolio, and how your portfolio demonstrates the quality of your work. Again, I will give you specific information about what I’m looking for when the time comes.
I will provide handouts detailing expectations for each essay, as well as guidelines of good essays to help you in your writing. Brief descriptions follow below:
Essay 1: Personal 15%
Essay 2: Social 15%
Essay 3: Cultural 15%
Portfolio: 10%
Short essays (6):30%
Participation/Workshops: 15%
Essay 1: Personal
This essay will describe, narrate, or explain a topic specific to your own life. Note that “Personal” does not necessarily mean “momentous.” You are as free to write about your experiences doing your laundry as you are to write about love or death. The primary objective is to derive a point from your topic, whether an ideal or principle, or simply the significance of minute observation.
Essay 2: Social
Your second essay will widen its scope from the personal to the social. You will address a topic relevant to a community or communities in your life. This topic can be philosophical, political, moral, or trivial. The objective will be to make a sustained analysis of the topic and articulate a clear perspective.
Essay 3: Cultural
Your third essay will widen scope again, this time to the level of culture. Your topics can range from pop culture—a movie, TV show, song, celebrity, athlete, etc.—to global issues—war, economics, democracy, environment, etc. You will include research as necessary to contextualize your analysis and opinions.
Short Essays
You will write six short (2-3 page) essays on various topics we develop in class. Some of these essays may help you generate ideas and phrasings that you will use in your major essays.
I expect to see the following in your short essay writing:
Spontaneity. These are exercises in which the goal is to be open to ideas and associations. The focus should be on generating and pushing thoughts, not necessarily completing them. Write without stopping; write without worrying.
Reflection. These essays are not diaries. They do not merely report, but constantly ask the question, what is the significance of what I have encountered?
Synthesis. Reach out, hook up with other material from other classes, from your
personal experience, from books you’ve read, movies you’ve seen, songs you’ve heard. Free associate, speculate. Be aware of yourself as a learner.
Participation and Workshopping
I expect regular participation in class discussion, both by your presence in the classroom and your vocal contributions to class discussion.
You will also workshop drafts of your essays in small groups. I expect you all to be rigorous and fair critics, and provide each other with useful feedback that demonstrates not only that you’ve read your classmates’ work, but also that you’ve thought carefully about their writing in order to provide constructive criticism.
Spelling and grammar in final drafts
I do expect certain conventions of formal writing to be met. For example, your spelling should be perfect in the final drafts of your essays. Your computer’s Spell Check is NOT going to catch everything, especially common mistakes like confusing words. Spell Check, for example, will not catch these:
your/you’re
since/sense
to/too/two
their/there/they’re
then/than
its/it’s
which/witch
And so on. Use your roommates, use the Writing Center (see below), use each other, use a writing guide. You must catch your mistakes before I do.
The essay form encompasses many styles and dialects. You will not be required to conform to the conventions of academic (or “standard”) English. You will, however, be required to be consistent in the conventions of the styles you choose to adopt. We will discuss this topic extensively in class.
In-Class Freewrites
We will regularly engage in writing activities in class on various topics. I recommend you save these writings, as you may find them useful in producing your essays.
Writing Center
The Writing Center is located in 3211 HHRA, and can be reached at 334-3125 or No matter what your level of writing proficiency, it is always a good idea to get an outside perspective on your writing. You must visit the Writing Center AT LEAST once for EACH of your three primary essays. I highly recommend everyone visit the Center early and often for each assignment.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is founded upon and encompasses the following five values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility. Violations include, for example, cheating, plagiarism, misuse of academic resources, falsification, and facilitating academic dishonesty. If knowledge is to be gained and properly evaluated, it must be pursued under conditions free from dishonesty. Deceit and misrepresentations are incompatible with the fundamental activity of this academic institution and shall not be tolerated” (from UNCG’s Academic Integrity Policy). To ensure that you understand the university’s policy on academic integrity, review the guidelines and list of violations at < I expect you to abide by the Academic Integrity Policy.
Students With Disabilities
Students with documentation of special needs should arrange to see me about accommodations as soon as possible. If you believe you could benefit from such accommodations, you must first register with the Office of Disability Services on campus before such accommodations can be made. The office is located on the second floor of the Elliott University Center (EUC) in Suite 215, and the office is open 8am to 5pm, Monday - Friday. Telephone: 334-5440; e-mail: .
CALENDAR
Monday, January 10
Introduction to course; Syllabus
Wednesday, January 12
Read:D’Agata, “To the Reader”
Ziusudra, “The List of Ziusudra”
Monday, January 17MLK Day; No Class
Wednesday, January 19
Read:Ennatum of Akkad, “Dialogue of Pessimism”
Heraclitus, “I Have Looked Diligently…”
Theophrastus, “These Are Them”
Monday, January 24
Read:Mestrius Plutarch, “Information about the Spartans”
Seneca, “Sick”
Tshipala, “Questions and Answers”
Wednesday, January 26
Read:T’ao Ch’ien, “The Biography of Mr. Five-Willows
Li Tsung-Yuan, “Is There a God?”
Monday, January 31
Read:Li Shang-yin, “Miscellany”
Sei Shonagon, “The Pillow Book”
Yoshida Kenko, “In All Things…”
Wednesday, February 2
Read:Petrarch, “My Journey…”
De Sahagun, “Definitions…”
Monday, February 7
Read:Swift, “A Modest Proposal…”
Wednesday, February 9
Read:Washington Irving, “The Voyage” (BB)
Monday, February 14
Read:Montaigne, “Of Practice” (BB)
Wikipedia’s entry on Michel de Montaigne
Wednesday, February 16
Read:Baudelaire, “Be Drunk”
Dino Campana, “The Night”
Monday, February 21
Read:Antonin Artaud, “Eighteen Seconds”
Fernando Pessoa, “Metaphysics…”
Wednesday, February 23
Read:Albert Camus, “Return to Timpasa” (BB)
Monday, February 28
Read:Virginia Woolf, “The Death of the Moth”
Frances Ponge, “The Pebble”
Edmond Jabes, “Dread of One Single End”
Wednesday, March 2
Read:Huxley, “Religion and Time” (BB)
Monday, March 7SPRING BREAK
Wednesday, March 9SPRING BREAK
Monday, March 14
Read:Carson, “The Marginal World” (BB)
D’Amasio, “Descartes’ Error” (BB)
Wednesday, March 16
Read:Jung, “Psychology and Literature” (BB)
Morrison, “Memory, Creation, and Writing” (BB)
Monday, March 21
Read:Ana Hatherly, “Tisanes”
Octavio Paz, “Before Sleep”
Julio Cortazar, “The Instruction Manual”
Wednesday, March 23
Read:Clarice Lispector, “The Egg and the Chicken”
Angelou, “Caged Bird” (BB)
Monday, March 28
Read:Natalia Ginzburg, “He and I”
Pat Conroy, “On Being a Military Brat” (BB)
Wednesday, March 30
Read:John Updike, “Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu” (BB)
Monday, April 4
Read:Kamau Brathwaite, “Trench Town Rock”
Wednesday, April 6NO CLASS
Monday, April 11
Read: Peter Handke, “Suggestions for Running Amok”
Marguerite Duras, “The Atlantic Man”
Samuel Beckett, “Afar a Bird”
Lisa Robertson, “Seven Walks”
Wednesday, April 13
Read:Joan Didion, On Los Angeles (BB)
Monday, April 18
Read:Wendell Berry, “Thoughts in the Presence of Fear” (BB)
Wednesday, April 20NO CLASS
Monday, April 25
Read:Vonnegut, “Here is a Lesson in Creative Writing” (BB)
Vonnegut, “Do you know what a humanist is?” (BB)
Wednesday, May 43:30Final Portfolios due