XIDS 2100
8-8:50 a.m. MWF
Spring, 2006
Dr. Angela Insenga
Website: http://www.westga.edu/~ainsenga/
Office: 319
Pafford
Office phone:
678-839-4864
“Under the Threat of
Extermination”: Moderns, Modernity, and
Modernisms
Course Description:
Born in 1923, close to the
height of Modernism, American author Norman Mailer would look back over two
decades later and ruefully note, “The sickness of our times for me has been
just this damn thing that everything has been getting smaller and smaller and
less and less important, that the romantic spirit has dried up, that there is
no shame today. We're all getting so mean and small and petty and ridiculous,
and we all live under the threat of extermination.” Indeed, many British,
American, and Irish Modernist artists looked around them and felt everywhere a
bleakness that pervaded—a sickness of spirit. Even a sidelong glance at almost
any definition of Modernism provides us with descriptors that match Mailer’s
sentiments. Modernism is “fragmentary”; it “divides,” “alienates,” and
“dislocates”; and it is a “period of immense uncertainty.” During a time of
such great advancement in all social, artistic, and philosophical arenas, what
could have caused such backlash, such pessimism? What did Modernists have against
modernity? How did their creations reflect dissatisfaction with their
world and the desire to fashion a new one? Our course seeks to answer these and
other questions through an examination of several types of art objects created
during the Modernist era.
General Learning Outcomes of All XIDS
Classes:
v
To establish an
understanding of the interrelationships among the arts and ideas.
v
To give the
student a framework inclusive of the historical settings, cultural forces, and
philosophical wellsprings that contribute to the
production of artistic works.
v
To experience
participating in the performance of a creative, collaborative work of art.
Required Texts:
v
Books you will
need to buy:
Introducing Modernism. (Chris Rodrigues)
The Garden Party and Other Short Stories. (Katherine
Mansfield)
The Great Gatsby. (F.
Scott Fitzgerald)
The Short Stories. (Ernest Hemingway)
Mrs.
Dalloway. (Virginia Woolf)
Tender Buttons. (Gertrude Stein)
Dubliners. (James
Joyce)
v
Texts that
will be either online or on reserve at the library:
“The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock” (Eliot)
found at:
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/5616/prufrock.html
“Big Blonde” and poetry (Dorothy
Parker)—on reserve
Major Assignments/Percentage Breakdown:
v
Daily reading quizzes (20%)—five, plot-based questions at the beginning of
each class
v
Five cultural events (15%)—over the course of the semester, your participation
in/attendance at five cultural events along with a written reflection piece for
each event you choose is required. I have compiled a vast list of options from
which you may choose, and I give you more specifics about what to write at the
top of that list. All five of the reflection pieces are due at mid-term.
v
Two major tests
(40%)—a combination of multiple choice, text and term identifications, and
either short answers or one large essay, depending on class vote. See your syllabus for examination dates.
v
Major-specific essay on notable, Modernist figure
(15%)—for this five-page minimum, MLA
documented project, you will choose a notable figure in the Modernist era, one
related to your major or interests. In your actual essay, you will discuss not only who the person was but how s/he contributed
to the Modernist era. Lastly, you will
discuss how the person is relevant to your major field of study or interest
area. You will want to create an
argumentative thesis that answers all of these questions above and argues a
relevant point. For example,
“Virginia Woolf was a visionary, female writer whose literary innovations
contributed to an entirely new understanding of the way novels are constructed;
her use of stream of consciousness and refusal to acknowledge ‘plot’ affected
critics and students for decades to come” or “Roger Fry’s Post-Impressionist
exhibit at the Grafton Gallery in 1910 shocked the artistic community and
ushered in a type of painting that still affects those who study art today.” Each of you must turn in a Works Cited page
with your essay, and you MUST cite all sources/quotations. See the plagiarism policy below, please. I
can help you choose “notable figures,” but I expect that you will choose
someone who you are interested in, someone who illuminates your understanding
of the era and of the history of your field.
Examples of some “notable figures” off the top of my head: Woolf for English majors, Keynes for
economics/business majors; G.E. Moore for Philosophy; Bertrand Russell for
Political Science; Dali, Cezanne, Picasso or Fry for art majors; Freud for
Psychology majors, Parker for journalism
students, etc. There are scores of other people, too, many of which you will
read about and I will mention.
v
Presentation on major-specific project (10%)—you will make a handout for the entire class that
outlines your paper’s findings. During
your 10 minute presentation, I expect you to share with the class why you chose
the topic of your essay, what you found out about how the person relates to
your field, and any other interesting ideas/facts. Making a concerted effort to connect the
person to our course discussion/topics is important, too. Using visual aids, video, audio, Powerpoint,
etc. is strongly encouraged, though you are only required to have a
handout. You must let me know a week in
advance if you need equipment not already in the classroom.
Attendance:
This class is a
discussion-based, collaborative course.
For that reason, attendance is mandatory. You may have no more than six
absences. I usually do not differentiate
between excused and unexcused absences, and when you are absent it is not
necessary for you to call, e-mail, or inform me. The
only absences I will excuse up front are university-documented trips and court
dates with documentation. If you
accumulate more than six absences before the final drop date (March 2nd),
I will administratively withdraw you from the course. If you achieve more than six absences after
the drop date, you will receive a failing grade for the course. Plain and
simple: we have a big job to do, and a
large portion of our job depends on your prompt attendance. Three tardies equal one unexcused absence. You are tardy if we have begun the quiz.
I take attendance by grading
the daily reading quizzes. Make sure,
then, that you turn in a quiz every class period at the designated time. If you arrive late and we are still quizzing,
jump in at the number we are on; however, do not expect to have the quiz
repeated for your benefit.
Make-Up Work:
I will give no make-up
quizzes. Group work will be turned in by those who
participate in class, and there is no way to make up group work. In-class
writing assignments/tests cannot be made up except under dire circumstances. If you feel you have an extenuating
circumstance, you must see me to discuss your problem.
Late Work:
You must see me in conference
if you wish to discuss extenuating circumstances surrounding late work. As a general
rule, I do not accept late work. Do not place late work outside of my office
door without consulting me; I will not accept the work.
Special Needs:
Any student who requires
special accommodations should bring the appropriate paperwork to my office
during the first week of the semester so that we can devise a plan for your
success.
Plagiarism and Collusion Policy:
From the English Department’s
website: “The Department of English and
Philosophy defines plagiarism as taking personal credit for the words and ideas
of others as they are presented in electronic, print, and verbal sources. The
Department expects that students will accurately credit sources in all
assignments. An equally dishonest practice is fabricating sources or facts; it
is another form of misrepresenting the truth. Plagiarism is grounds for failing
the assignment and/or course. You can
also be subject to a university disciplinary review, and the university
requires professors to report any reported cases of plagiarism in writing to the
appropriate VPAA. Other university policies for handling cheaters are found at
the following internet URLs: The
Faculty Handbook http://www.westga.edu/~vpaa/handrev/ and Student
Uncatalogue: "Rights and Responsibilities" http://www.westga.edu/handbook/”
Please note: “excessive collaboration” includes having
family members, friends, or significant others edit your work. This means that no one should “fix” your
grammar for you or “write in” sentences/sources/documentation for you. This sort of behavior is cheating and will be
treated as such. We will collaborate in
class, and you have the
NOTE: I
realize that, occasionally, “life happens,” that problems
beyond your control can crop up once in a while. Never hesitate to discuss problems/issues
with me if you feel that your circumstance is dire. With honest communication, many issues can be
resolved.
Administrivia:
v
I reserve the
right to amend this document with further handouts.
v
You may e-mail
me, make appointments, come by during office hours, or contact me at the office
to ask questions. Make sure you have
read the assignments carefully or have consulted this document before calling
or coming by to ask me a question that you could answer yourself.
v
From time to
time, I may utilize a listserv to contact the entire class via e-mail. You should be aware of this, and should make
use of your UWG account for this and other university-related information.
v
Please turn off all cell phones and/or beepers upon entering
this classroom.
v
Please turn off Ipods and remove Ipod earbuds upon entering
our classroom
v
If you attend
class without your text, know that it
is an automatic absence. You
will be free to stay in class, but without a text, you are officially “not
here.”