The Literature of War in the 20th Century

Instructor

Ms. Blumer

Phone

202 537-2927

Office

H428

E-mail

pblumer@cathedral.org,

Office
Hours

2:50 3:30 pm Monday - Friday

Text, Materials, and Resources:

All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque, A Farewell to Arms by Ernest
Hemingway, The Wasteland by T.S. Eliot, Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut, The Things They
Carried by Tim OBrien, and selected readings from The Sorrow of War by Bao Ninh, Trauma
and Recovery by Judith Herman, Unclaimed Experience by Cathy Caruth, The Great War and
Modern Memory by Paul Fussell, selected poems, contemporary articles, and essays.
Course Purpose and Description:
This course investigates the specific use of literature as a means of recording and
understanding the trauma of war in a way that cannot be otherwise expressed. Through the
lenses of trauma theory and historical record, students will explore such themes as national
identity, trauma, rejection of social systems, political power, alienation, dislocation, and
communication in novels, essays, and poetry by acclaimed writers. Selected readings
investigate different perspectives of major conflicts, and ask students to recognize both
universal and disparate elements of wartime experiences. In addition, the course seeks to
explore the specific cultural effects that various wars have had on the populations that have
fought them.
Enduring Understandings:
Students will understand:

the importance of writing to the expression and comprehension of the trauma of war;
the importance of open dialogue to appreciation and comprehension of new concepts;
the importance of studying literature from a variety of perspectives; and
that they may use different methods, such as close reading and historical analysis, to
understand literature.

the importance of original independent and collaborative scholarship; and

the importance of the expression of ideas through the committed exploration of genre,
style, vocabulary, and syntax.
Essential Questions:
What makes writing an effective vehicle for the expression of wars seemingly ineffable
qualities?
Are there universal experiences of war? What are they?
How can we appreciate literature that reflects what we can never fully understand? Is it
important to do so?
Does literature influenced by specific wars have specific qualities? That is to say, can literature
reflect a conflicts specific characteristics? If so, how?
Course Requirements:

As we do not meet every day, attendance is particularly important. Please let me know in
advance about a planned absence. Unexcused and excessive absences will result in a lower
grade. Consult BOTH your syllabus and me to find out what you have missed. If there are
extenuating circumstances, please talk with me, beforehand if possible.
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You should be in your seat and ready to begin at the scheduled class time. Excessive tardiness
will result in disciplinary action and can affect your grade.

You need to come to class every day with the appropriate text, a notebook dedicated to
your work in this class, and a folder/binder to store returned work and handouts.

In class discussions, everyone should take risks by articulating a hypothesis, defending the
unpopular opinion, or asking the seemingly obvious questions. The most successful way to
learn is through doing. Accordingly, each student should work to make this classroom a safe
space for intellectual experimentation by respecting and encouraging her peers.

Unless specifically stated as part of your assignment, consulting outside sources (i.e.,
SparkNotes, Cliffs Notes, etc.) is not permitted. Tutors and parents may assist with skills, but
not content. If anyone helps you with a paper or assignment, you MUST acknowledge it in
your final draft. You are personally responsible for establishing and maintaining an honorable
learning environment. If you are ever unsure of your ethical obligation, please ask me.

Please feel free to set up a conference with me at any point during the course to discuss your
progress, writing, questions, or concerns.

Learning Objectives:
By the end of the course, the student will have:

extended and deepened her/his reading experience and knowledge of the history and
literature of war;
practiced reading for concrete narrative content and for abstract elements;
examined specific writers and analyzed their works;
demonstrated an increasingly sophisticated ability to write with depth and quality of content,
structural clarity, stylistic effectiveness, and mechanical accuracy;
practiced revising and editing her own writing;
practiced articulating and defending an argument in class discussion; and
developed greater poise and confidence in public speaking.

Evaluation and Assessment:

Work will include a variety of assignments and assessments, including, but not limited to:
homework, group projects, class discussion, oral presentations, essays, tests, and quizzes. I will
calculate grades on a total points basis. Each quarter grade counts 40% of the semester grade; the
final paper counts 20%. Late papers and other formal assignments will receive a penalty of a
third of a grade (e.g., B to B-) for each calendar day late. For excused absences, you have as
many days as you were absent to make up the work.
Unit
Unit 1

Unit 2

Unit 3

Topic

Type of Unit Assessments

Words, words, but they carry the horrors of the

Reading quizzes, close

world: World War I, Modernism, and the

reading, analytical essays,

Trenches
What happened once would happen again:

and collaborative work.

Reading quizzes, close

World War II, the Personal War, and

reading, analytical essays,

Postmodernism

and collaborative work.

Reading quizzes, close

That Part of the Story is My Own: The Endless

reading, analytical essays,

Battlefield of Vietnam

creative writing, and

collaborative work.

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