English R1A

Other Readings and Media

"Gary Snyder, Mountains and Rivers Without End

Eleni Sikelianos, The California Poem

Constance Hale, Sin and Syntax"

Description

In this course we will explore the poetic representations of California?s wilderness. From the photography of A.P. Hill and Ansel Adams, to the letters, reports, and journal entries of Clarence King and John Muir, we will examine how an environmental consciousness grows out of the diverse poetic attitudes towards the wilderness and the wild. There will be three writing assignments in the class. First, you will write a literary interpretation of an individual poet or poem. Second, you will compile a nature-log, combining journal writing, poetry, photography, sketching, collage, etc. Third, drawing from your journal and our readings, you will compose an expository essay on an environmental issue or problem that California faces.