English R1A

Other Readings and Media

"Herman Melville, The Confidence Man

Albert Camus, The Stranger

Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita

Philip K. Dick, Valis

Diana Hacker, Rules for Writers



Films:

2001: A Space Odyssey

Memento"

Description

"For this course, we will consider the relationship between modern understandings of character (in film and literature) and the development of psychopathology in the 19 th and 20 th centuries. While we will borrow some terms and ideas from psychoanalysis, our primary focus is on literary and cinematic responses to that discipline and its relationship to our idea of �character.� We will begin with a few short pieces of 19 th century fiction (included in a course reader) and will then examine a handful of longer 19 th and 20 th century novels and films (see below) which variously incorporate and/or react against the pathologizing of the psyche.



This course aims to develop students' practical fluency with sentence, paragraph, and thesis-development skills with increasingly complex applications. A short essay is normally assigned at the beginning of the semester to assess the students' writing skills. Students will be assigned a minimum of 32 pages of writing, to be divided among a number of short essays (2-4 typewritten pages), and will be required to revise at least three of these essays. Since this is a writing course, be prepared to write (and revise) in abundance; however, it is my firm belief that good writing stems first from good reading, so you will also be expected to read much.



NOTE: We will be viewing two films for this course, so we will arrange screening times outside of regular class time; those of you unable to attend the arranged times will be expected to view assigned films on your own time (in Media Resources or at your own expense from a rental outlet). A course reader including additional readings and materials not listed below will also be made available."