As I think you may know, I'd given up entirely, thrown it in and was looking forward to dying, that release. But I kept thinking, I'll wait until after the election to kill myself, or wait until this or that happened, usually something down the road a ways, but it was never far from my mind in those dark days, not all that long ago. Now, I'm incomparably better, I have my health back, money in the bank, the right woman for this time of my life, a decent job, blah blah. But I haven't a word since I gave you the collection, waiting for your reaction, that reaction means so much to me. Now, I'm afraid, mortally afraid, I feel it, that if the book were to be published as it is in its present edited form, I may never write another story, that's how closely, God Forbid, some of those stories are to my sense of regaining my health and mental well-being. (Raymond Carver, Letter to Gordon Lish, 8 July 1980, printed in "Rough Crossings," The New Yorker, December 24 & 31, 2007, pp. 92-98.)

This quotation from Raymond Carver's letter reminds us of the great difficulties that writers can encounter and the great sacrifices they make in the name of their craft. Raymond Carver's short stories loom over the middle part of the semester as they loom over the twentieth century in American literature. Perhaps his anxieties, when balanced against the calm voice of his stories, will help us better understand the anxieties of us all as we enter a new millennium.

Course Objective

At the end of this semester, students should be able to present clear, analytical arguments interpreting and evaluating works of literature since 1914 and have an understanding of critical models that apply to literary study. Some students will also emerge from this course with a paper that they can include in their senior portfolios fulfilling the research paper requirement.

Expectations

To accomplish the above objective, students should . . .

. . . show up to class on time and ready to discuss the reading assigned for that day. Excessive absences will have a negative impact on your grade. By the way, please turn off cell phones before entering the classroom. Ringing cell phones are disruptive.

. . . write clear, persuasive analyses of works of literature in the exams and the research paper. Careful revision and proofreading of drafts will be necessary to do well on the paper.

. . . bring a complete draft of the research paper to class on the allotted peer-editing day.

. . . ask questions and comment in class discussions.

Requirements

1. Midterm Exam addressing issues from the first part of the semester and serving as a springboard for the research paper. (on February 25th)

2. Final Exam—cumulative with an emphasis on issues from the second part of the semester. (on May 13th)

3. Research Paper—a minimum of 10 typed, double-spaced pages of literary analysis citing at least 5 different secondary sources a maximum 30% of which can be obtained from the Internet. It must adhere to the MLA documentation style. With further revision, this paper can fulfill the research paper requirement for your English Portfolio. * (due on May 7th)

4. Peer Editing—in class before the paper is due. (on April 30th)

5. Participation in group discussions, attendance, etc.

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.

If you turn a paper in late, your paper will receive a deduction of 1/3 of a letter grade for each business day that it is late. Students who miss exams may not make them up without a valid excuse for the absence. Valid excuses include health emergencies, family crises. If students anticipate missing an exam or a paper deadline for a valid reason and consult with me in advance, I can consider exceptions on a case-by-case basis.

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, honest, 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 "http://www.d.umn.edu/assl/conduct/integrity/". This policy sanctions students engaging in academic dishonesty with penalties up to and including expulsion from the university for repeat offenders.

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 the Kirby Student Center and on the web at "http://www.d.umn.edu/access".

Required Readings

Carver, Raymond. What We Talk about When We Talk about Love. 1981. New York: Vintage, 1989.

Cather, Willa. My Antonia. 1918. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1995.

Erdrich, Louise. Love Medicine. 1993. New York: HarperPerennial, 2005.

Mamet, David. Sexual Perversity in Chicago. 1974. New York: Grove Atlantic, 1994.

Pinsky, Robert. The Figured Wheel. New York: Farrar, Strauss & Giroux, 1996.

Saunders, George. CivilWarLand in Bad Decline. New York: Penguin, 1996.

Stevens, Wallace. Collected Poems. New York: Knopf, 1989.

I will provide a list of supplementary readings in a later addendum to this syllabus.