English 383RW (Studies in Women’s Fiction/Contemporary Women Writers)

Spring 2018
Dr. Caroline Schwenz
cschwen@emory.edu

Logistics:

Class Time: Monday/Wednesday from 11:30-12:45AM

Class Location: Math and Science Center N302
Office Hours: Monday/Wednesday from 2:00-4:00PM
Office Location: Callaway Center N104

Course Description:

This course explores key figures and concepts in women's literature. The course will discuss how the inclusion of female
voices in the literary canon changes the way we view history, culture, politics, and society. Topics explored in the course
include: Western and minority feminisms, gender identity, sexual violence, mother/daughter relationships, body image,
sexuality and queerness. The authors we will read include: Virginia Woolf, Jamaica Kincaid, Toni Morrison, and Alison
Bechdel. This is a W course so students should expect to write several short 2-page papers. Two of these papers will be
developed into a longer midterm and final assignment .

Course Outcomes:

In this course, students will…

 Explore key concepts in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies, such as the social construction of gender, notions
of privilege and oppression, intersectionality, and feminist praxis.
 Connect those WGSS concepts to key figures in women’s literature, marking the ways that women’s literature
reinforces and resists them.
 Articulate the relationship between the content of literary works and their formal qualities in writing and
discussion.
 Compose essays using literary studies methodology, in particular close reading and application/engagement with
critical theory. Midterm and final essays will make use of historical and literary research in addition to close
reading and critical theory.
 Engage in the process of radically revising and expanding short written pieces in order to explore a topic in the
course more deeply.

Required Texts:

1. Jamaica Kincaid’s Lucy. ISBN: 9780374527358

2. Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home: ISBN: 9780618871711
3. Toni Morrison’s Sula. ISBN: 9781400033430
4. Threshold Concepts in Women’s and Gender Studies. ISBN: 9781138788800

All Other Course Material Will Be Made Available Through Course Reserves

Assignments:

Short Essays

The requirements for a W course are: 1) students must compose 20 pages of writing over the term, 2) engage in revision,
and 3) see writing as a central focus of the course. Accordingly, you will write 6 2-page papers over the course of the
term. These papers will have a focused prompt that guides you toward thinking about a key theme in the course readings.
Most will ask you a question that will prompt you to connect your textbook reading to a literary work we have read in the
last two weeks. These short pieces are an opportunity to practice key literary studies methodologies, such as close reading
and application of theory. They are also an opportunity to engage more deeply with the course readings outside of class.
You will be expected to revise two of your short papers, one becoming your midterm essay and the other your final paper.

Reading Quizzes

In weeks where you do not have an essay due, you will have a reading quiz. These quizzes are not designed to be difficult,
rather they are designed to incentivize keeping up with the reading. Questions will cover basic plot and thematic elements
of the literary works we read. I will also include questions related to our textbook reading. The quizzes are mostly
multiple choice or fill-in-the-blank but will have one or two short answer questions. You will not have to analyze a work
for the quiz.

Midterm Essay

Your midterm essay is open topic, but should build upon ideas you explore in one of your short essay assignments. The
midterm essay will be 6-8 pages in length and is a literary analysis. Literary analyses are argument-drive. They feature a
thesis that draws connections between thematic, conceptual and formal elements of a literary work. They use historical
information, theory, and close reading to support their thesis. Most importantly, they use a discussion of BOTH the formal
and conceptual elements of a work. This means you must analyze quotes at points in your essay. Humanities fields tend to
use MLA citation, so I will expect that you use that here.

Final Essay

Your final essay will be similar to the midterm in that you will revise one of your short essays into a longer literary
analysis. The final paper will be 7-9 pages and can draw from any of the short writing assignments you completed. I will
expect for the final that you take the time to have at least 2 literary scholarly resources in your paper (excluding the course
textbook and essays we read in class). We will have a library day, where I discuss useful databases and physical
resources. You may also consult the reading lists in your textbook for further examples of strong scholarly articles. You
will use MLA citation and have a thesis that draws upon conceptual and formal elements of a literary work on the course
syllabus.

Participation

Participation grades are based upon attendance, tardiness, and attentiveness in class. Please see my attendance policy for
further details about how attendance will affect your participation grade. Attentiveness is measured in a number of ways:
participating in class discussion, participating in small group work/discussion, listening and engaging with class
discussion, taking notes, and thinking about course material. One is inattentive when using electronics inappropriately (to
carry on an outside conversation, check Facebook, respond to emails), chatting with your neighbor while others are
talking, sleeping, and leaving the classroom for prolonged periods of time. I tend to take.5-1 point off of your participation
grade (out of 10 points) for each infraction, which seems small, but will add up over time.

Assignment Weights:

Short Essays (6) 20%

Midterm Essay 25%
Final Essay 25%
Quizzes 20%
Participation/Class Discussion 10%

Final Exam Period Information: This course will not have a final exam. Instead, students will be required to turn in
their final paper on the day designated as the course’s exam day (May 8). You do not need to be on campus to turn in your
final paper and can do it through Canvas.

Policies:
Electronics Policy: Each term I teach I struggle with the question of electronics. As you all know electronics can be a
great tool for learning but they can also be a distraction that inhibits learning. This class will allow the use of computers
and tablets with the caveat that if I notice inappropriate use (checking Facebook, chatting to friends, etc.) your
participation grade will suffer. Cell phones are not allowed. Be mindful that participation is 10% of your grade so regular
electronics violations will prevent you from receiving an A in the course. Furthermore, generally students who are
distracted in class will see their grade suffer in other places such as homework because they miss important information
discussed.

Attendance and Participation: Because this class is a discussion-based class, I do expect regular attendance. That said,
we all have days when, for one reason or another, we cannot make the time commitment. You will be allowed to miss up
to 3 classes this term without penalty. If you miss more then 3 classes, I will start taking percentage points off your final
grade. 1 percentage point will be taken for each additional missed class. This means if you have a 94 in the class and miss
5 classes, your grade will slip down to a 92 giving you an A- instead of an A. If you have to miss class for sports, campus
events or because of a disability, you will not be subject to the same attendance rules. Please discuss with me at the
beginning of the term if you know you will miss more than 3 classes. If something arises in the middle of the term that is
causing you to miss classes, please come to me so we can work out a new policy for you.

Participation in this class is key to the course’s success. Each of you have something to contribute and I don’t want to
miss the opportunity to hear what you have to say. Participation is measured in many ways. I am looking for students who
speak in class discussion, who are attentive to what other classmates are saying, and who are willing to interact and work
with their peers.

Late Work: In life we will always be subject to and oppressed by deadlines. Developing time management skills is
essential to your success in the working world. For that reason all deadlines in this class will be enforced. I will take a half
a letter grade off for each day an assignment is late.

You cannot ask for an extension once a deadline has passed unless you have a significant reason for needing one—You
find yourself in the hospital after breaking an arm, a family member falls ill suddenly, your dorm catches fire with your
computer in it, etc. BUT, I will grant extensions to those who ask for it 48 hours prior to the due date of an assignment
and who provide me with a new deadline. If you have enough forethought to know you won’t make a deadline, you can
have your extension.

Academic Integrity: The Honor Code is in effect throughout the semester. By taking this course, you affirm that it is a
violation of the code to cheat on exams, to plagiarize, to deviate from the teachers’ instructions about collaboration on
work that is submitted for grades, to give false information to a faculty member, and to undertake any other form of
academic misconduct. You agree that the instructor is entitled to move you to another seat during examinations, without
explanation. You also affirm that if you witness others violating the code you have a duty to report them to the honor
council.

I take plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty seriously. Should I suspect that you engage in academic
dishonesty in this course, I will refer the case to Emory’s Honor Council. You may also receive an F on the assignment(s)
in question.

Accommodations and Resources:

Writing Center and ESL Programs: Tutors in the Emory Writing Center and the ESL Program are available to support
Emory College students as they work on any type of writing assignment, at any stage of the composing process. Tutors
can assist with a range of projects, from traditional papers and presentations to websites and other multimedia projects.
Writing Center and ESL tutors take a similar approach as they work with students on concerns including idea
development, structure, use of sources, grammar, and word choice. They do not proofread for students. Instead, they
discuss strategies and resources students can use as they write, revise, and edit their own work. Students who are non-
native speakers of English are welcome to visit either the Writing Center tutors or the ESL tutors. All other students in the
college should see Writing Center tutors. Learn more and make an appointment by visiting the websites of the ESL
Program and the Writing Center. Please review tutoring polices before you visit.
Emory Counseling Services: Free and confidential counseling services and support are available from the Emory
Counseling Center (404) 727-7450. This can be an invaluable resource when stress makes your work more challenging
than it ought to be. http://studenthealth.emory.edu/cs/

Disability Accommodation: Emory University makes reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities. Students
should provide documentation to the Access, Disabilities Services and Resources Office in 110 Administration Building
of their disability related needs.  For guidelines and information, please contact by email: adsrstudent@emory.edu.  Any
student eligible for academic accommodations based on a disability should bring the formal accommodation
communication (letter or email) to the attention of the instructor. Note that accommodations are NOT granted
retroactively. Please arrange a meeting with your instructor at the start of the semester or as soon as the accommodation
plan has been finalized.
Class Schedule:

Week 1
Wednesday (1/17) Introductions and Syllabus, Why “Women’s Texts”?: A Case for Wonder Woman

Homework: Read “Introduction” in Threshold Concepts, and Alice Walker’s “Saving the Life
that is Your Own: Model’s in the Artists Life” from In Search of Our Mother’s Gardens
Week 2
Monday (1/22) Some Definitions, Models, and Examples (Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 55” vs. Elizabeth Barrett
Browning’s “Sonnet 13)

Homework: Read Grace Nichols’s “Weeping Woman,” Virginia Woolf’s “Chapter 1” from A
Room of One’s Own
Wednesday (1/24) Women and Modernism, Representation, Art, Models

Homework: Read Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home (page 1-54), “An Interview with Alison
Bechdel.” Hillary L. Chute. Modern Fiction Studies. Vol. 52:4 (Winter 2006)
Sunday (1/28) SHORT ESSAY 1 DUE @MIDNIGHT
Week 3
Monday (1/29) Bechdel and Literary Models, Research and Family

Homework: Read Fun Home (55-86)

Wednesday (1/31) QUIZ 1, Fun Home, Bechdel Test, Introduction Concepts

Homework: Read Fun Home (87-120), and “Introduction: Graphic Narrative.” Hilary L.
Chute and Marianne DeKoven. Modern Fiction Studies. Vol 52:4 (Winter 2006)
Week 4
Monday (2/5) Is the graphic form feminist? What makes a graphic novel novel?

Homework: Read Fun Home (121-150) and Threshold Concepts “Chapter 2: The Social
Construction of Gender” (24-47)
Wednesday (2/7) Identity Constructions and Form

Homework: Read Fun Home (151-186), Threshold Concepts “Chapter 2: The Social
Construction of Gender” (48-70)
Sunday (2/11) SHORT ESSAY 2 DUE @MIDNIGHT
Week 5
Monday (2/12) Gender Identity and Sexuality in Fun Home

Homework: Read Fun Home (187-232)

Wednesday (2/14) QUIZ 2, Gardens and Identity in Fun Home

Homework: Read Toni Morrison’s Sula (Foreword, 1-29) and Threshold Concepts’ “Chapter
3: Privilege and Oppression” (71-90)
Week 6
Monday (2/19) Place and Structural Racism

Homework: Read Sula (30-78)

Wednesday (2/21) Female Relationships (Mothering and Friendship)

Homework: Read Sula (79-113), and Threshold Concepts (91-111)

Sunday (2/25) SHORT ESSAY 3 DUE @ MIDNIGHT
Week 7
Monday (2/26) Sula and Nel (Birthmarks, Betrayal, Roles)

Homework: Read Sula (113-149)

Wednesday (2/28) QUIZ 3, The Artist, Curiosity, Death

Homework: Read Sula (150-174) and “Revolutionary Suicide in Toni Morrison’s Fiction.”
Katy Ryan. African American Review. Vol. 34:3 (Autumn 2000)
Week 8
Monday (3/5) Community Suicide and the National Suicide Day

Homework: Prepare a draft of your midterm for the revision workshop

Wednesday (3/7) REVISION WORKSHOP DAY/Library Resources
Sunday (3/11) MIDTERM ESSAY DUE @ MIDNIGHT
Week 9
Monday (3/12) SPRING BREAK
Wednesday SPRING BREAK
(3/14)
Read Jamaica Kincaid’s Lucy (page 1-41), Threshold Concepts (112-131)
Week 10
Monday (3/19) Antigua and New York, Transnational Child Care

Homework: Read Lucy (42-83)

Wednesday (3/21) Mothers and Mothering

Homework: Read Lucy (84-131) and Threshold Concepts (131-152)

Sunday (3/25) SHORT ESSAY 4 DUE @MIDNIGHT
Week 11
Monday (3/26) The Self and Others

Homework: Read Lucy (132-164) include Wordsworth’s “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”,

and Ian Smith’s “Misusing Canonical Intertexts: Jamaica Kindcaid, Wordsworth, and
Colonial ‘absent things’”
Wednesday (3/28) QUIZ 4, Flowers and Landscapes

Homework: Read Margaret Atwood’s “Rape Fantasies,” Carson McCullers’s “Instant of the
Hour After,” and Threshold Concepts (153-170)
Week 12
Monday (4/2) Short Stories: Unclear Conflicts and Open Endings

Homework: Read Jhumpa Lahiri’s “Hell-Heaven”

Wednesday (4/4) Mothers and Daughters, Returned CLASS CANCELLED

Homework: Read Jhumpa Lahiri’s “Hell-Heaven”and Threshold Concepts (170-186)

Sunday (4/8) SHORT ESSAY 5 DUE @MIDNIGHT
Week 13
Monday (4/9) MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS

Homework: Read Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find”

Wednesday (4/11) QUIZ 5, Georgia Writer, Georgia Landscape

Homework: Read Carmen Maria Machado’s “The Husband Stitch,” and Dirk Zimmer’s “The
Green Ribbon” from In a Dark, Dark Room: And Other Scary Stories (don’t watch last 2
seconds, scary scream)
Week 14
Monday (4/16) Fairy Tales and Horror Stories

Homework: Read Ms. Marvel Vol. 1 No Normal episodes 1-3 (available for free on Kindle
with Amazon Prime or I have put the book on physical course reserves) and “The Writer
 Behind a Muslim Marvel Superhero on Her Faith in Comics”
Wednesday (4/18) American Heroes and Jersey City

Homework: Read Ms. Marvel Vol. 1 No Normal episode 4-conclusion

Sunday (4/22) SHORT ESSAY 6 DUE @MIDNIGHT
Week 15
Monday (4/23) Intersectional Superheroes

Homework: Watch Wonder Woman, and TBD reading on Wonder Woman

Wednesday (4/25) QUIZ 6 (questions cover all material), Literary Models, Superheroes, and Representation
FINALS
Monday (4/30) PEER REVIEW WORKSHOP DAY AND MAYBE BOLAND
LAST CLASS DAY
Wednesday (5/8) FINAL PAPER DUE @MIDNIGHT