in Prose and Film
| Professor Robert
Dunne
318 Willard Hall 832-2756 dunne@ccsu.edu |
|
in Prose and Film |
|
|
Required Reading:
Alger, Ragged Dick
Cather, "Neighbour Rosicky"
(handout)
Ellison, Invisible Man
Faulkner, "The Bear" (in Three
Famous Short Novels)
Gilman, Herland
Johnson, Autobiography of an
Ex-Colored Man
Mamet, Glengarry Glen Ross
Sinclair, The Jungle
Slotkin, excerpts from Regeneration
Through Violence and Gunfighter Nation (handout)
Thorpe, "The Big Bear of Arkansas"
(handout)
Washington, Up from Slavery
Required Viewing:
Baby Boom (1987)
GoodFellas (1990)
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
Little Big Man (1970)
Mildred Pierce (1945)
Stagecoach (1939)
Woman of the Year (1942)
Course Objectives
Cultural myths both affirm
and determine the ideals with which a nation identifies itself. Living
in the United States, we are constantly engaged in and inundated with images
of a variety of myths. Often, however, there is a wide gulf in versions
of myths between formulaic, conventional ideals and the way things actually
are. We will study throughout the course several long-standing cultural
myths, predominantly in twentieth-century prose and films. In particular,
we will examine how some versions of these myths reaffirm conventional
ideals, while others update previous versions in response to changing social
conditions. In studying literary and cinematic versions of these
myths, I hope that we will better understand how the ideals prescribed
in cultural myths change over time depending on their historical and political
contexts, as well as the motivations and visions of the artists who give
them expression.
Assignments:
There will be 3 5-page critical
papers on the works studied in class. In these papers, you will present
sharply focused arguments that may expand upon issues raised in class discussions
or explore other issues not covered. There will also be a 10-12-page
research paper (15-page for graduate students) in which you will discuss
one or two works not studied in class. Due dates for all papers are
noted in the syllabus; the due date for submitting the typed research paper
topic is also noted. You may submit the short papers at any time
up to their due dates. I have appended to the syllabus a list of
literary and cinematic versions of several myths; the list is only meant
to provide you with suggestions for the long paper and is in no way exhaustive.
You will choose the topics for all the papers, and will follow the MLA
format in preparing them. Feel free to discuss topics with me or
give me rough drafts ahead of time.
In addition, students
who already have a bachelor’s degree will give a 15-minute presentation
on any of the works studied in class. These presentations should
touch on issues relevant to the class and demonstrate some familiarity
with outside sources. Please notify me as soon as possible of which
work(s) you wish to discuss.