Literature 280 Tentative Class Schedule

 

January 11                Introduction to Class/Cover the Syllabus

January 13                Introduction to the Transcendentalists

                                Read: American Transcendentalists as Teachers of their Times and

                                Hippies, Hindus, and Transcendentalists

 

January 18                A Transcendentalist Leader: Ralph Waldo Emerson

                                Read: Self-Relianceand Circles

January 20                A Transcendentalist Leader: Ralph Waldo Emerson-Continued

                                Read: American Scholarand Experience

 

January 25                Introduction to the Beats

Read: Anne Charters Variations on a Generationand The Best Minds of a Generationalso John Clellon Holmes This is the Beat Generation

January 27                Road Trip Rebel: Jack Kerouac

Read: On the Road(Pages 3-107)

 

February 1                Road Trip Rebel: Jack Kerouac-Continued

                                Read: On the Road(Pages 108-208)

February 3                Road Trip Rebel: Jack Kerouac-Continued

                                Read:On the Roadï(Pages 209-310)

 

February 8                Thinking like a Transcendentalist

                                Read: Andrews NortonThe New School in Literature and Religion ,

                                Annie Dilliard Total Eclipse, and Walt WhitmanSpecimen and Collectï

                                (excerpts)

                                Paper #1 Due-Topic: On The Road*

February 10                Thinking like a Transcendentalist-Continued

                                Read: EmersonïThoreauï and ThoreauLife Without Principle

 

February 15                Jack Kerouac and the Jazz Connection/Lawrence Ferlinghetti-Political Beat

                                Read:Essentials of Spontaneous Prose and Techniques of Modern Prose

                                Read: AutobiographyA Tentative Description.., andA Thousand Fearful Words.

February 17                The Beats and Nature: Micheal McClure/Ecology and Zen: Gary Snyder

Read: Peyote Poem,For the Death of a Thousand Whales, Mid-August at Sourdough Mountain, A Berry Feast, and Praise for Sick Women

 

February 22                Transcendentalists and Nature

                                Read: Thoreauï A Winter Walk and excerpts fromWalking

February 24                A Venture into the Woods.-Wear warm clothes and bring a journal for observation.

 

February 29                Introduction to Webquests and MOOS

                                Read: ThoreauWalden

March 3                 Begin working on MOO assignment

                                Read: Thoreauï Walden

 

March 5                 Continue working on MOO assignment

                                Read: ThoreauWalden and Benjamin Hoff's "The Tao of Pooh"

March 7                 *Paper #2-Topic:Transcendentalist Perspective Due and MOO Presentations*

 

March 15                The Main Beat-Allen Ginsberg

                                Read: HowlA Supermarket in California, andSunflower Suntra

March 17                The Main Beat-Continued

                                Read:America andKaddishï

*Extra Credit Option: Watch the film Life and Times of Allen Ginsberg and write a two page response.*

 

March 22                A Transcendentalist Poet: Walt Whitman

Read: Song to MyselfOpen Letter to Ralph Waldo Emerson, Crossing Brooklyn Ferry and I Sing the Body Electric

March 24                Transcendentalists and the Abolitionist Movement

Read: ThoreauïResistance to Civil Governmentand Slavery in Massachusetts

 

March 29                Transcendentalists and the Abolitionist Movement-Continued

Read: ThroeauïA Plea for Captain John Brownï and Seventh of March Speech on the Fugitive Slave Law

March 31                Another Crazy Beat: William Burroughs

                                Read:Junky pages ix-87

 

April 5                   No Class-Spring Break

April 7                   No Class-Spring Break

 

April 12                 Another Crazy Beat: William Burroughs-Continued

                                Read: Junkypages 87-157

                                Read:Naked Lunch pages ix-131

                                *Paper #3 Due-Topic:The Transcendentalist/Beat Connection*

April 14                 AnotherCrazy Beat:WilliamBurroughs-Continued

                                Read:Naked Lunch pages 132-232

 

April 19                 Other, But Equally Important, Transcendentalist Voices

Read: Selections from The Transcendentalists: Margaret Fuller, Elizabeth Peabody, Sophia Ripley, and Bronson Alcott

April 21                 Other, But Equally Important, Transcendentalist Voices-Continued

Read: Selections from The Transcendentalists: Orestes Brownson, Theodore Parker, George Ripley, and Jones Very

 

April 26                 From the West to the East Coast: Other Beat Voices

Read: Selections from The Beat Reader: Kenneth Rexroth, Philip Whalen, and Peter Orvlosky

April 28                 From the West to the East Coast: Other Beat Voices-Continued

Read: Selections from The Beat Reader: Bob Kaufman, Neal Cassady, and Cassady The First Third

Begin working on Webquest Assignment

 

May 3                     Women Beats: Yes They Do Exist!

Read: Women Writers of the Beat Generation and Carolyn CassadyOff the Road pages 1-125

Continue working on Webquest Assignment

May 5                     Women Beats: Yes, They Do Exist! -Continued

Read: Cassadys Off the Road pages 126-230, Hettie Jonesexcerpt fromHow I became Hettie Jones and Jan Kerouac excerpt from Baby Driver

                                Continue working on Webquest Assignment

*Try the Beatnick Questionnaire and see how you rank!*

 

May 10                  Women Beats: Yes, They Do Exist! -Continued

Read: Diane DiPrimas Dinners and Nightmares and April Fool Birthday Poem for Grandpa

May 12                  *Paper #4 Due (Webquest Assignment) and Webquest Presentations*

 

 

May 17                  Final Interviews/Collect Papers and Grades