ENC 1102: Writing
About Literature
Instructor: Cathlena Martin |
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ENC 1102 Course Objective: Section 4424 Objective: Departmental Policies
This course meets the Gordon Rule requirement of 6000 words written work that will receive feedback and a grade. All work must be completed to satisfy the Gordon Rule. UF Computer and Software Requirement The following is the official UF policy on the student computer requirement:
Absence policy: Required Texts and Materials: Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud The Classic Fairy Tales: A Norton Critical Edition edited by Maria Tatar An MLA handbook is highly recommended. Helpful materials available on-line: Assignments: Short essays (500 words each/two pages): These short essays will build to your larger comparison/contrast paper. Writing about Structure: This essay will focus on our look at the various Little Red Riding Hood stories, poems, and films. According to Vladimir Propp’s Morphology of the Folktale, fairy tales have particular standardized components that combine to create what we know as the fairy tale. Little Red Riding Hood is no different. You will pick one version of "LRRH" and explain the structure using Propp's functions as a vocbulary to work from. In doing so, you will question what makes this revision a "LRRH" version and if that structure were changed would we still be able to recognize the story of "LRRH." Purpose: to examine the structure of fairy tales through the example of LRRH and dissect what makes them universally archetyped. Also, to determine why a story is can be considered a LRRH revision. STEP ONE: You will choose two LRRH texts (one can be from the selection that we read, but one needs to be a text you find on your own) and examine the structural similarities or differences. This will give you the base you need by looking at one "original" version to then branch off and solely discuss your found LRRH revision. STEP TWO: After writing your comparision between the "original" text and the revised text, you are just going to focus on the revised text. This does not mean that you completely scrap the "original" text, because you only know something is a revision by comparing it to the original. But, now that you have a better grasp on how the two texts compare, you can go more in depth and focus more on the revisionist text. In looking at that revisionist text, you will be asking yourself the following questions: How do I know that this text I found IS a revision of LRRH? What functions/characteristics are present to indicate a LRRH theme and structure? What does this particular version add to the fairy tale and why? Writing about Character: This essay will focus on our look at the various Snow White texts. There are numerous characters in Snow White to work with, but you will need to choose one character out of one particular version. After picking a character, develop a central trait or major characteristic and explain your character’s growth or change. What is unique about this character in relation to other members in the story? You may look at central action, objects, or quotations that reveal primary characteristics. For the paper, you are to choose one character from any Snow White story that we have read or that you found on your own and do a character analysis. What this entails is making an assertion about that person's character (i.e. Snow White is a naive character that deserves to die) and then back it up with textual evidence from the story (three times she fell for the witch's trap, she didn't listen to the dwarves, she was such a weak character she had to have seven supporting actors, etc.). Reference the Gilbert and Gubar essay as an example. This paper requires one outside source not including your primary text. Writing about Setting: This essay will focus on our look at the various Bluebeard texts and the central idea of a hidden chamber. Setting is the natural, manufactured, political, cultural, and temporal environment, including everything that characters know and own. Characters may be either helped or hurt by their surroundings, and they may fight about possessions or goals. You will pick one version and discuss how the setting interacts and affects one particular character. You may discuss setting as symbolic, realistic, used to structure the work or used to accentuate particular qualities or influence of a character. This paper requires one outside source not including your primary text. Comparison/Contrast Paper: A comparison shows how two or more items are similar, and a contrast shows how they are different. In this situation, the compare/contrast essay must consider both the similarities and the differences found in a fairy tale of your choice. This can be achieved through either a subject-by-subject comparison or a point-by-point comparison. Your essay should be six pages (1500 words), have three outside sources not including your primary texts, and comply with standard MLA format. This paper will lead into the construction of your comic revisionist fairy tale. Comic frames: For this creative attempt, you and a partner (or two) will create a fairy tale-esque comic in comic frame fashion. We will have studied structure, character, and setting by the time you create your comic. Each of these areas will be important to integrate into your comic. Use both Fables and Castle Waiting as good examples. Please note that this is not simply a reproduction of a fairy tale, but your own personal revision. We have read several versions or the same tale type, so your scene should not be a direct lift from a story or film. In your creation, you will utilize the archetypes that are necessary to recognize a story as "Snow White" or as "Little Red Riding Hood." For example, if you decide to recreate the scene in which Little Red first meets the wolf, you might set the scene in a club or on University Avenue in order to revise the scenario of seduction. You will not be graded on your artistic ability, but the more professional and clean it looks the better. You will present your comic to the class during the last two days. Accompanying this assignment will be a written paper (500 words/two pages) explaining the choices you made in your revisionist telling, narrative, structure, setting, and characturization. Movie Review Journal: Each week we will watch one movie that is a revision of a fairy tale. You will be responsible for attending the screening and then writing a review of the movie. Some topics you may want to include in your journal: how did they revise the “original,” how did the movie portray or enhance character and setting, did the structure of the movie follow the structure of the “original.” Each movie review will be one page and a half pages (375 words). There will be one movie review for each week; therefore, six reviews total. They are to be turned in the Wednesday following the screening. I would advise writing them Monday night while the movie is still fresh in your mind. Grade Policy: Assignment Point Value U of Florida Grade Scale |