It was on a dreary night of November that I beheld the accomplishment of my toils. With an anxiety that almost amounted to agony, I collected the instruments of life around me, that I might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet. It was already one in the morning; the rain pattered dismally against the panes, and my candle was nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open; it breathed hard, and a convulsive motion agitated its limbs.
--Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, 42

As Victor Frankenstein considers his creation, it is easy to imagine any artist looking with similar horror upon her or his life's work. Frankenstein serves as an emblem of any successful creator who fears unleashing powers greater than anything he or she had imagined. And, the fact that he has created a human being somehow adds to the horror. His story establishes a strong precedent for the punishment of creators who violate the divine order by overstepping the bounds of what humans can reasonably create. Like Frankenstein's monster, many of our technological advancements come at the cost of a permanent disruption of our understanding of reality itself.

The works we will study this semester all address the question of reality and its limitations in one way or another. As we read works of poetry, fiction and drama this semester, we will explore our definitions of reality and also familiarize ourselves with many of the elements of literary study in our own age of gods and monsters.

Objectives

When this course is over, students should be able to . . .

. . . explain not only what they think of a work of literature, but also why they like or dislike it.

. . . identify connections between works of literature and the social/historical contexts from which they emerge.

. . . analyze a poem while considering the poet's use of imagery, diction, syntax, punctuation and other tools to convey meaning.

. . . write a persuasive, well-organized argument about a work of literature using correct format and the MLA documentation style.

. . . write persuasive responses to questions about works of literature within the time constraints of an in-class examination.

. . . recall key facts identifying the works of literature that we will study this semester.

. . . present persuasive oral arguments about the meaning and significance of the assigned works in the context of class discussions of the materials.

In order to accomplish these goals, students need to do the following:

. . . read the assigned materials before class discussion of them on a given day.

. . . show up to class every day with questions and observations about the assigned readings.

. . . ask questions and present observations during class discussion.

. . . ask the professor to clarify points about the readings or assignments that are not clear.

. . . take notes in class on material the professor presents.

. . . contact the professor if you run into serious problems outside of class (health emergencies, deaths in the family) that will impair your ability to satisfy these requirements.

. . . devote time and careful attention to written assignments in the class. Students should always revise written work at least twice and then proofread for mechanical errors.

. . . show up to class on peer-editing days with completed, word-processed drafts of their work.

. . . offer classmates conscientious constructive criticism on their working drafts in accordance with the editing guidelines provided by the professor.

. . . devote time to studying before exams. Memorize factual information about assigned works and develop arguments for short-answer and essay questions.

. . . turn in all work on time and completed. Follow guidelines for the work provided by the instructor.

Assignments

1. An analysis of a poem. 3-5 typed pages. DUE OCTOBER 4TH.
2. An essay interpreting a longer literary work. DUE DECEMBER 9TH.
3. A mid-term examination including identification, short-answer and longer essay questions. ON OCTOBER 23RD.
4. A final examination covering the material from the entire semester and following a similar format. ON DECEMBER 17TH FROM 4 TO 5:55PM.
5. Attending class regularly and contributing to class discussion and group activities.
6. Editing a typed, completed draft to class on peer-editing days, and provide classmates with carefully considered comments on their own drafts on those days (working drafts are due in class one week before the final draft is due).

Grade Breakdown

Your grade will depend primarily on your written work and the understanding of the material that you convey through that work. A command of standard written English and the ability to present an argument will also contribute to the determination of your grade. Any infractions against UMD's Scholastic Dishonesty provisions in the Student Conduct Code as stated in the UMD catalogue will receive serious attention and appropriate penalties.

Individuals who have any disability, either permanent or temporary, which might influence their capacity to perform in this class, are encouraged to inform me at the start of the semester. I can make special adaptations of teaching methods, assignments, materials, or testing as required to provide for equitable participation in the course. The Access Center is also available to assist students with disabilities. It is located in 138 Kirby Plaza and on the web at <http://www.d.umn.edu/access>.

Ringing cell phones are disruptive to the class. Please turn of cell phones before coming into the classroom.

Required Texts

Blade Runner. Dir. Ridley Scott. Perf Harrison Ford, Rutger Howard, Sean Young. The Ladd Company, 1982.

Dore, Anita, ed. The Premier Book of Major Poets: An Anthology. New York: Fawcett Book Group, 1996.

Frankenstein. Dir. James Whale. Perf. Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, John Boles, Boris Karloff. Universal, 1931.

Gibson, William. Neuromancer. New York: Ace Books, 1984.

Kerouac, Jack. On the Road. New York: Penguin, 1972.

Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. New York: Oxford U. P., 1998.

Stoppard, Tom. The Real Thing. New York: Faber & Faber, 1987.