Classic Lit

Overview and Basic Policies

Welcome to Classic Literature, a course in which you’ll analyze modern and classic texts, along with the films that spring from these books.  Our journey will focus on three archetypal figures: the monster, the madman, and the comic--three figures who will enjoy his or her own trimester, beginning with monsters during the fall marking period, and ending with comics during the spring session.  While on our sojourn through the year, we will also study theories, both literary and cinematic.  The thoughts of others, along with our own observations, will fuel discussions, papers (yes, you’re going to be doing a lot of writing; there’s no escaping the essay) and projects.      

 Regarding the details of the class,

1. Expect reading quizzes—both unannounced and scheduled.
2. Expect vocabulary quizzes and, when necessary, grammar lessons.
3. Arrive on time.  If you accrue three tardies, you will detentionize.
4. Arrive prepared.
5. Send papers before class and eschew weak excuses.  Please don’t tell me you couldn’t save your essay or send me a version.  You will lose points.
6. Late work in general equals fewer points.
7. Participate constructively, even in early May.  In other words, inoculate yourself against senioritis.
8. On film days, make written observations: the movies we watch are not candy literature, to be digested and forgotten like Spielberg’s War of the Worlds, but to be savored, thought about, discussed.
9. Avoid the temptation of Spark Notes, Pinkmonkey.com, and other methods of studying literature without actually reading it.  This caveat includes instant messenger conversations.  It’s still cheating.
10. Don’t plagiarize or cheat.
11. Be nice to each other and to me.

Here are the texts we will use:

In Cold Blood (Summer Reading)

Dracula

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep

Hamlet

“Life is a Dream”

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

"The Importance of Being Earnest" (an e-text)

"Brighton Beach Memoirs"

Vocabulary from Classical Roots E

In this class, we will view assorted films in clips or in entirety; movies will include Edward Scissorhands, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994), Frankenstein (1931), Young Frankenstein, Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), Dracula (1931), Blade Runner, Hamlet (1991), Hamlet (2000), The Importance of Being Earnest, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Duck Soup, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and other assorted films.  

Several of these films are rated R.  Please see the English Department policy regarding films used in class. 

A word about tablets: when using your computer in class, you may have it in laptop or tablet mode, but you must be engaged in the task at hand. Things you may not do: email, surf the net, work on other assignments, etc. Doing these things will result in an automatic detention and a deduction in your participation grade.

 Grades will be earned based on an accumulation of points.  Points earned, divided by points possible, will dictate your trimester average.

If you have any questions, please ask.  Otherwise, enjoy your senior year of English.