This course satisfies the Humanities Liberal Education Requirement.

Course Overview

In English 1818, students learn about science fiction as a literary genre with a distinct form and history. To improve their strategies for interpreting their works, students will learn some of the basic elements of literary analysis.

This class will teach students to . . .

. . . engage in productive discussions of important works of literature.

. . . expand their understanding of science fiction as a genre, and its thematic, cultural, and historical range.

. . . situate assigned literary works within their larger contexts in culture, ethics, and history.

Grade Breakdown:

Student grades will depend primarily on written work and the understanding of the material that students convey through that work. A command of standard written English and the ability to present an argument will also contribute to the determination of the course grade.

Required Texts

"15 Million Merits." Black Mirror, written by Charlie Brooker and Konnie Huq, directed by Euros Lyn, Zeppotron, 2011.

Asimov, Isaac. The Caves of Steel. 1954. Random House, 1991.

Atwood, Margaret. The Year of the Flood. Doubleday, 2009.

"Be Right Back." Black Mirror. Written by Charlie Brooker, directed by Owen Harris, Zeppotron, 2013.

Frankenstein. Written by John L. Balderston and Mary Shelley, directed by James Whale, performances by Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, and Boris Karloff, Universal Pictures, 1931.

Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein; Or, the Modern Prometheus. 1818. Penguin, 2018.

The War of the Worlds. Written by Josh Friedman, David Koepp, and H. G. Wells, directed by Steven Spielberg, performances by Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, and Tim Robbins, Paramount Pictures, 2005.

Wells, H. G. The War of the Worlds. 1898. Oxford, 2017.

"Will the Real Martian Please Stand up?" The Twilight Zone. Written by Rod Serling, directed by Montgomery Pittman, Cayuga Productions, 1961.

If you are ordering the books on your own, you may find the following ISBNs helpful (for online searches):

Asimov, Isaac. The Caves of Steel. ISBN: 9780553293401

Atwood, Margaret. The Year of the Flood. ISBN: 9780385528771

Black Mirror. "Be Right Back," "15 Million Merits." Both accessible on Netflix and Amazon Instant Video.

Frankenstein (1931 film). Available to students in ENGL 1818 through the UMD Library.

Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein; Or, the Modern Prometheus. ISBN: 9780143131847 (also available online for free at "https://www.gutenberg.org/files/84/84-h/84-h.htm"

The War of the Worlds (2005 film). Available to students in ENGL 1818 through the UMD Library.

Wells, H. G. War of the Worlds. ISBN: 9780198702641

"Will the Real Martian Please Stand up?" The Twilight Zone (Season 2, Episode 28, originally aired on 26 May 1961). Available to view on Paramount+, Amazon, and Apple iTunes.

Grade Breakdown

Expectations

In order to accomplish these goals, students must

• Read all assigned texts carefully in advance of the class day on which we will discuss them.

• Attend class meetings, arriving on time and prepared to discuss the readings assigned for a given day. Students have a responsibility to plan their schedules to avoid excessive conflicts with course meeting times. This is not an online class. Excessive absences will have a negative impact on your course grade.

• Demonstrate a clear understanding of these works in exams and the future technology analysis paper. For additional information about policies governing final exams, see "https://evcaa.d.umn.edu/final-examinations".

• Participate in work on informal assignments in-class (mostly on Tuesdays) and on Canvas (mostly on Thursdays). Tuesday assignments will not involve a Canvas option this semester, so be extra-sure to attend class to receive credit for those. Many informal assignments will be in small groups, so be ready to work with classmates and contribute to their efforts to do well on these tasks.

Written Work. 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.

Writers' Workshop

The Writers' Workshop offers free one-to-one writing support to all members of UMD's campus community. Sessions are held synchronously online or in person with a graduate student or faculty consultant. Feel free to bring any writing project at any stage in the writing process. To make an appointment, visit "https://awlc.d.umn.edu/writers-workshop" or stop by the Workshop's front desk located on the second floor of the Kathryn A. Martin Library. Students in this class have permission to see a Writers' Workshop consultant for assistance on exams as well.

The Tutoring Center

The Tutoring Center on the second floor of Martin Library offers free tutoring sessions for this course. Your tutor will be a high-achieving student trained to assist you. To learn more about the Tutoring Center, find the tutor(s) qualified for this subject area, or reserve a time with a tutor, please visit the Tutoring Center website at "https://awlc.d.umn.edu/tutoring-center". The tutors look forward to working with you!

Late Assignments will receive a deduction of 1/3 of a letter grade for each business day that they are late. Students who miss exams may not make them up without a valid excuse for the absence. Make-up and extra-credit assignments are available on a case-by-case basis and only in the event of extreme circumstances.

Student Academic Integrity. Academic dishonesty tarnishes the reputation of the University of Minnesota Duluth and discredits the accomplishments of its students. Because the university is committed to providing students every possible opportunity to grow in mind and spirit, it must insist on an environment of trust, honesty, and fairness. Consequently, all members of the academic community must regard any act of academic dishonesty as a serious offense. In keeping with this ideal, this course will adhere to UMD's Student Academic Integrity Policy, which is available online at "https://evcaa.d.umn.edu/student-academic-integrity". This policy sanctions students engaging in academic dishonesty with penalties up to and including expulsion from the university for repeat offenders.

Disability Accommodations. Individuals who have any disability, either permanent or temporary, which might influence their capacity to perform in this class, should inform me at the start of the semester. The Office of Disability Resources writes that "[i]t is the policy and practice of the University of Minnesota Duluth to create inclusive learning environments for all students, including students with disabilities. If there are aspects of this course that result in barriers to your inclusion or your ability to meet course requirements—such as time limited exams, inaccessible web content, or the use of non-captioned videos—please notify the instructor as soon as possible." You can contact the Office of Disability Resources to discuss and arrange reasonable accommodations by calling 218-726-6130 or by visiting the Disability Resources website at "http://www.d.umn.edu/access/".

Notetaking. Remember that there are rules against disseminating these notes beyond the classroom community, which you can find at "https://evcaa.d.umn.edu/course-notes-materials".

Attendance. Excessive absences will have a negative impact on the grade that you receive in this course. Excusable absences include "subpoenas, jury duty, military duty, religious observances, illness, bereavement for immediate family and NCAA varsity college athletics." Please contact the instructor about anticipated absences in order to minimize their influence on your coursework. For more information on excused absences, see "https://evcaa.d.umn.edu/excused-absences".

Student Conduct. Respect fellow students and refrain from behavior that might impair their learning opportunities. Any behavior that substantially and repeatedly interrupts the instructor's ability to teach or the students' ability to learn will result in appropriate penalties. Disruptive behavior includes inappropriate use of communications technology in the classroom, such as ringing cell phones, text-messaging, watching videos, playing computer games, reading email, or browsing the Internet instead of note-taking or other instructor-sanctioned activities. For further clarification of UMD policies in this regard, consult the Board of Regents Policy at "https://regents.umn.edu/sites/regents.umn.edu/files/policies/Student_Conduct_Code.pdf".

Another important conduct code addresses sexual harassment, which means "means unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and/or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature," and that policy is available at "https://regents.umn.edu/sites/regents.umn.edu/files/2020-08/policy_sexual_harassment_sexual_assault_stalking_and_relationship_violence.pdf".

Equity, Equal Opportunity, and Affirmative Action. As stated in academic policies: "The University provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs and facilities, without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. The UMD Department of Human Resources & Equal Opportunity is available to all UMD employees, students, and participants in University-related activities to discuss issues or concerns regarding University policies or practices involving potential bias, discrimination, harassment or retaliation that an individual may have experienced or observed." For more details, see "https://regents.umn.edu/sites/regents.umn.edu/files/2019-09/policy_equity_diversity_equal_opportunity_and_affirmative_action.pdf".

Civility. UMD instructors and students have a responsibility to maintain a learning environment that is, as stated in the Teaching and Learning Policy, "respectful of the rights and freedoms of all members, and promotes a civil and open exchange of ideas." The full policy is available at "https://evcaa.d.umn.edu/instructor-and-student-responsibilities".

Mental Health. From academic affairs: "Feelings such as anxiety, anger, depression, low self-esteem, or tension are a normal part of being human and can affect anyone. Sometimes these feelings are temporary and can be eased by rest, relaxation, exercise, good nutrition and the support of trusted friends. At other times, stressors, relationships or past family experiences cannot be managed so easily and become overwhelming. If this happens, and you find it hard to function, you may want to seek professional help. Counseling Services are available at UMD Health Services to assist you.

If you are in need of mental health support when Health Services is closed, or in case of an emergency, please contact The Birch Tree Center's Crisis line at 218-623-1800 or go to the emergency room/urgent care at either St. Luke's Hospital or St. Mary's Hospital. If an ambulance is needed, call 911.

If the emergency is non-life-threatening and you do not have a means of transportation, call Campus Police at 218-726-7000). If you have needs that Counseling Services does not treat, they have a case manager who helps connect students to referrals as well as navigating issues with insurance. You can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus atÊUMD Health Services" at "https://health-services.d.umn.edu/counseling-services".

Learning Outcomes

This class will support the Liberal Education Programs Student Learning Outcomes for Humanities in the following manner:

• Students will apply humanistic methods of inquiry and interpretation to the products/processes of human thought and culture.

  --Our cultural artifacts for this purpose will be science fiction novels, films, and television episodes. Students will learn to ask key questions and build to offer their own persuasive interpretations of these texts in exams and informal assignments. Specific humanistic methods of inquiry will involve discussion of

  • basic literary concepts such as character, plot, theme, genre, and tone.
  • foundational ethical concerns, especially those governing the development and application of technology.
  • historical factors shaping literary expression and ethical understandings of a given time period.

• Students will analyze products/processes of human thought and culture.

  --The reading list for this class includes a rich variety of science fiction works from different time periods and cultural perspectives. Assignments will require students to read these texts carefully, come to well-reasoned conclusions about their meaning, and support these conclusions with specific evidence from the texts.>

• Students will explain how the products/processes of human thought and culture relate to cultural/social/historical context(s).

  --The future-technology analysis paper will require students to adapt ideas from class discussions and activities into more complete arguments that relate these texts to the cultural and historical positions of their authors and readers. It will require students to assemble a literary interpretation and then apply it to a situation beyond the bounds of the text.