Engl 20923, Literature
and Civilization II, sec. 674
Fall 201, MW,
3:30-4:50 PM, Beasley 205
What’s So Funny?
Literature and Civilization II is a course intended to
explore the role of literary, rhetorical, and dramatic expression in the
development of cultural ideas, institutions, and roles. As it is vetted for global awareness credit
(GA), the course is intended to help students develop a critical awareness of
global perspectives. As it is also
vetted for Humanities credit (Hum), the course is intended to help students
analyze texts, examine the nature and value of human life, and construct
relevant arguments.
01/13, M
introduction
01/15, W
What is literature?
What is civilization?
01/20, M
MLK Day
01/22, W
class canceled
01/27, M
Why do people laugh?
What makes people laugh?
01/29, W
Why do people laugh?
What makes people laugh?
Comic Relief, 2-26
02/03, M
Comic Relief,
28-39
02/05, W
Comic Relief,
41-68
02/10, M
Comic Relief,
91-124
02/12, W
jokes, cartoons, and videos
02/17, M
jokes, cartoons, and videos
02/19, W
The Importance of
Being Ernest
02/24, M
The Importance of
Being Ernest
02/26, W
in-class midterm
03/03, M
the greatest comedy film
03/05, W
the greatest comedy film
03/10 M
Spring Break
03/12, W
Spring Break
03/17, M
The Comic Toolbox,
1-57
03/19, W
The Comic Toolbox,
58-115
03/24, M
The Comic Toolbox,
117-161
03/26 W
John Hughes, “58’ Vacation”
03/31, M
Nora Ephron, “A Few Words About Breasts”
04/02, W
April Fools Narrations
Dave Barry, “Tips for Women: How to Have a Relationship with
a Guy”
04/07, M
Cat’s Cradle
04/09, W
Cat’s Cradle
04/14, M
Finding the Funny Fast
04/16, W
funny situations
04/21, M
funny situations
04/23, W
writing limericks
04/28, M
final presentations
04/30, W
final presentations
Requirements:
1) Community
Engagement/Global Awareness: Community Engagement is one of the primary
course components and is required of all students. The basic assumption behind community
engagement is that, by becoming involved in some type of community-engaged activity,
students can gain significant insight into their local surroundings—and into
their own lives. Our community engagement project has a global aspect. For our project you will be paired with an
international student studying in TCU’s Intensive English Program (IEP) at the
beginning of the semester as a conversation partner. You will be required to
meet with you conversation partner a minimum of 6 times during the semester.
2) Blogging: To
document your conversations, and as well to comment on your learning, you are
required to keep an online journal or weblog. With the help of technology at
Blogger (http://www.blogger.com; or
http://wordpress.org), you will build your own web log, or “blog,” and keep an
electronic journal of your experiences as a conversation partner, as a learner,
and more generally as an individual living in a complex world. You will be
expected to write 6 reflections (approximately
length 1 to 2 pages) of your meetings with your conversation partner. These
reflections should not only describe what you did but also your thoughts and
reactions. Since conversation is always a two-way street, you will learn a lot
about your partners as they learn from you, and you are asked to write about
this learning and sharing process in your blogs. Also, since one of the best
ways to learn about a subject is to have to teach it, you will—hopefully—gain
insight and sensitivity into English rhetorical practices, and you will be
expected to comment on these insights. English is not an easy language to
learn!
You are also asked to write 4 reflections (approximately 1 to 2 pages) commenting on your learning
experiences. Obviously, you are constantly learning—in this class, in all your
classes, and outside of class. Every
three weeks or so you are expected to blog about what you have learned in our
class, or possibly in your other classes, that you found interesting, useful,
and/or relevant. What you write is up to you. What I ask is that you reflect on
your learning experiences and assess the value of these experiences in terms of
your own life.
Also, in terms of our class focus, I ask that you write 2 reflections (approximately 1 to 2
pages) about two different incidents in which either you or the people you were
with broke out into fits of uncontrollable laughter. Using your blog, reflect back on not only
what specifically caused the laughter but also how either you or the people you
were with were affected by the laughter incident.
You are also welcome to use your blog to reflect on all of
your life experiences throughout the semester, commenting on whatever moves you
to write. Twelve entries is the minimum
I expect.
Blogging is a less formal form of writing than an essay,
and thus blogs are a good forum to reflect, analyze, vent, explore, and
consider. But blogs are also a more public form of writing and, because of the
technology, an excellent way of sharing, collaborating, and responding. In
addition to posting your own blog entries, you will also be required to post brief responses to a minimum of 10 other
course blogs throughout the semester (approximately 1 to 2
paragraphs). You are welcome to comment
on any of the other course blogs, but please vary the blogs you respond to.
Please do not respond to the same blog (and person). We will use our course blogs as an open online
dialogue to reflect on our experiences in Literature and Civilization II.
Please keep in mind that a blog is not a personal—and
private—diary. Blogs are a public forum,
accessible to anyone who has internet access, so please do not post anything
that you would not share with your classmates and random internet readers.
3) Midterm and
Final Exams: There will be both midterm and final essay exams, and both
exams will have two parts, a take-home essay and an in-class short answer exam.
These exams will not simply test for familiarity with course content, but will
also be used to reflect on your experiences in Literature and Civilization II.
My intention is not simply to quiz your specific knowledge of texts and
authors, but to encourage your critical thinking and self-evaluation.
4) In-Class Writing.
In most classes there will be short writing exercises. The exercises will serve
as a reading check, but they will also be used to generate discussion. They
will be graded on a point scale, with 3 for excellent, 2 for good, and 1 for
acceptable. At the end of the semester you will receive a cumulative score for
your in-class work.
5) Student
Presentations: Humor Around the
World. Throughout the semester we
will examine the cultural differences in humor around the world. You will be asked to help lead our
discussions, and these presentations may be undertaken individually or in small
groups (maximum of 3). Each individual or group will choose a specific class
day and will be expected to make a presentation to the class on a type of
cultural or national humor (English humor, Italian humor, German humor, Swedish
humor, Brazilian humor, African humor, Australian humor, Chinese humor, Japanese
humor, Indian humor, Arab humor, Russian humor, Romanian humor, Icelandic humor
. . .). These presentations should include a brief discussion of what the
individual (or group) thinks are the relevant characteristics of their
subject’s humor (What is French humor and how is it different than English or
American humor?). These presentations should be informative and provocative.
Yet at the same time they should also be enjoyable! I encourage you to consider
creative suggestions for stimulating interest and arousing attention.
Dramatizations may be videotaped, parts of texts acted out, and character roles
performed. Multimedia presentations are always welcome, but I do encourage you
to do something more than the usual PowerPoint presentation. Students are responsible for choosing what to
present and when to present. A brief handout summarizing key points
and pertinent information is required.
6 Student
Presentations: Active Classrooms:
During the semester several classes days have been set aside for students to
locate and research material for class discussions. Students will be asked to bring to class, and
then present, humorous materials that they think are especially interesting for
cultural, social, political, or artistic reasons. These presentations may be undertaken
individually or in small groups (maximum of three).
On
January 15, we will consider two questions: “What is literature? & What
is civilization?” Individually or in
a small group, you will present brief film interviews of 3 people (not in our
class) trying to answer these and/or related questions.
On January
27 and 29, we will consider questions related to humor, such as “Why do people laugh?” & “What
makes people laugh?” Other questions
related to laughter and humor are encouraged.
Individually or in a small group, you will present brief film interviews
of 3 people (not in our class) trying to answer these and/or related questions.
On February 12 and 14, we will examine the humorous
elements in “jokes, cartoons, and videos”
For these classes, you are asked to share and discuss a examples of jokes,
cartoons, or videos that you think are particularly funny, interesting, or
relevant to our class. Please bring your
examples to class and be ready to discuss what kind of humor is being used, how
was it used, and for what audience.
On March 3 and 5, we will consider possibilities for “the greatest comedy film.” Individually or in groups, you are asked to
research films that have been listed as one of the greatest comedy films ever,
and then choose the one that you think the best or funniest overall. In class you must present short clips from
the film and then discuss why you think it’s the greatest comic film
overall. Your task is not simply to
present humorous video clips in class, but to present a persuasive argument to
the class explaining why your film is the best. At the end of the second class
we will vote on the greatest comedy film (and best overall presentation).
On April 21 and 23, we will review “funny situations” you have discovered around campus or in the local
community. Individually or in small
groups, you are asked to photo 3 local situations, locations, and/or settings
that you think is humorous or has the potential to produce humor. You can photograph anything (someone sleeping
in a dorm room, students in a lecture, shoppers in Kroger, people eating in
Dutch’s) that you think as the necessary elements to produce laughter. You must bring your photographs to class and
discuss what in them has humorous potential.
Please note: for
each presentation, two things are required.
First, I will not tolerate
anything obscene, racist, or offensive.
Second, you must offer some critical insight into what you are
presenting. It’s not enough to say,
“this is funny,” or “this made me laugh.”
You must analyze and critique what you found humorous, and, if possible,
classify it. How was the laughter
evoked?
7) Final
Presentations: For your final assignment, I would like you to put together
a presentation that somehow demonstrates what you have learned during the
semester. This presentation should offer a glimpse of your thoughts,
observations, and experiences throughout the past four months in class.
Consider what you have experienced as a learner that was interesting, striking,
memorable, and/or relevant. These projects may include photographs, videos,
sketches, recordings, music, prose, and poetry. You may use Power Point or
present a video, or use other forms of multimodal presentation. Please be as
creative as you like. As with all previous presentations, please consider how
to engage your audience’s attention. Along with your presentation, you must
submit a 2-page justification of your
presentation (please note, only one justification per presentation). These projects may be done individually or in
small groups (maximum of 3). If done as a group project, each person's
individual contributions must be apparent.
What you do in your final presentations is up to you, and
part of the assignment is figuring out what to do. You can focus on a specific
text, or on a combination of texts, or even on an entire series, theme, or
activity that you found informative and interesting. This should be an
opportunity to assess what you have learned.
9) Participation
and Attendance: I am not formally setting an attendance policy, and you are
responsible for your own attendance. I caution you, however, to keep in mind
that assignments and in-class writings cannot be made up or turned in late.
Also, please keep in mind that active participation is a course requirement and
weak participation will lower your final grade. Both written and verbal
contributions will count towards participation.
10) Sense of Humor
and An Appreciation of Irony: Given the course’s subject matter, a
willingness to laugh is essential. I
also ask for your patience, understanding, and good humor. I sincerely wish
that all of us enjoy our work together this semester, and I ask for your help
in making this course a success.
Grading
Scale:
Midterm and Final Exams: 30% (15% each)
Community Engagement Project: 10%
Blogging: 15%
Presentations: 30% (5% Humor Around the World; 5% What is
literature and civilization; 5% Why do people laugh; (5% jokes, cartoons, and
videos; 5% greatest comedy film; 5% funny situations;)
Final Presentations 10%
In-Class Writing 5%
Required Texts:
Comic
Relief: A Comprehensive Philosophy of Humor, John Morreall
The
Comic Toolbox: How to be Funny Even If You’re Not,
John Vorhaus
Anguished
English, Richard Lederer
The
Importance of Being Ernest, Oscar Wilde
Cat’s
Cradle, Kurt Vonnegut
Finding
the Funny Fast, Jan
McInnis
Dan Williams
Scharbauer 3018D and TCU Press
(3000 Sandage)
817-257-5907 (TCU Press),
817-257-4382 (Honors)
Office Hours: Friday, 10 to 12 AM,
and by appointment (Since I work out of two offices, please check in advance
where I’ll be holding my office hours).
Course Outcomes:
--Students will analyze representative texts of significance
and practice critical analysis of these texts
--Students will explore texts in terms of multiple cultural
heritages, aesthetic approaches, and ideological perspectives
--Students will demonstrate critical awareness that problem
solving in the global community requires the integration of a variety of
perspectives
--Students will learn how to evaluate sources from a variety
of perspectives and to use those sources
--Students will demonstrate through reading responses,
informal writing, and class discussion a critical engagement with intellectually
challenging texts
--Students will incorporate additional media into the
composing products produced
--Students will demonstrate strategies of literary analysis
through writing about the assigned texts in class
--Students will identify representative authors and works in
a particular literary tradition
--Students will gain an appreciation of the development of
the short story in a global perspective
--Students will gain pedagogical experience, and develop
greater sensitivity to significant cultural issues, by working closely with an IEP
student.
Academic Conduct:
An academic
community requires the highest standards of honor and integrity in all of its
participants if it is to fulfill its missions. In such a community faculty,
students, and staff are expected to maintain high standards of academic
conduct. The purpose of this policy is to make all aware of these expectations.
Additionally, the policy outlines some, but not all, of the situations which
can arise that violate these standards. Further, the policy sets forth a set of
procedures, characterized by a "sense of fair play," which will be
used when these standards are violated. In this spirit, definitions of academic
misconduct are listed below. These are not meant to be exhaustive.
I. ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
Any act that
violates the spirit of the academic conduct policy is considered academic
misconduct. Specific examples include, but are not limited to:
A. Cheating.
Includes, but is not limited to:
1. Copying from
another student's test paper, laboratory report, other report, or computer
files and listings.
2. Using in any
academic exercise or academic setting, material and/or devices not authorized
by the person in charge of the test.
3. Collaborating
with or seeking aid from another student during an academic exercise without
the permission of the person in charge of the exercise.
4. Knowingly
using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, or soliciting in its entirety
or in part, the contents of a test or other assignment unauthorized for release.
5. Substituting
for another student, or permitting another student to substitute for oneself,
in a manner that leads to misrepresentation of either or both students work.
B. Plagiarism.
The appropriation, theft, purchase, or obtaining by any means another's work,
and the unacknowledged submission or incorporation of that work as one's own
offered for credit. Appropriation includes the quoting or paraphrasing of
another's work without giving credit therefore.
C. Collusion. The
unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing work offered for credit.
D. Abuse of
resource materials. Mutilating, destroying, concealing, or stealing such
materials.
E. Computer
misuse. Unauthorized or illegal use of computer software or hardware through
the TCU Computer Center or through any programs, terminals, or freestanding
computers owned, leased, or operated by TCU or any of its academic units for
the purpose of affecting the academic standing of a student.
F. Fabrication
and falsification. Unauthorized alteration or invention of any information or
citation in an academic exercise. Falsification involves altering information
for use in any academic exercise. Fabrication involves inventing or
counterfeiting information for use in any academic exercise.
G. Multiple
submission. The submission by the same individual of substantial portions of
the same academic work (including oral reports) for credit more than once in
the same or another class without authorization.
H. Complicity in
academic misconduct. Helping another to commit an act of academic misconduct.
I. Bearing false
witness. Knowingly and falsely accusing another student of academic misconduct.
Disabilities Statement:
Texas Christian University
complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 regarding students with disabilities. Eligible students seeking accommodations
should contact the Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities in
the Center for Academic Services located in Sadler Hall, 11. Accommodations are not retroactive,
therefore, students should contact the Coordinator as soon as possible in the
term for which they are seeking accommodations. Further information can be
obtained from the Center for Academic Services, TCU Box 297710, Fort Worth, TX
76129, or at (817) 257-7486.
Adequate time must be allowed
to arrange accommodations and accommodations are not retroactive; therefore,
students should contact the Coordinator as soon as possible in the academic
term for which they are seeking accommodations.
Each eligible student is responsible for presenting relevant,
verifiable, professional documentation and/or assessment reports to the
Coordinator. Guidelines for
documentation may be found at http://www.acs.tcu.edu/DISABILITY.HTM.
Students
with emergency medical information or needing special arrangements in case a
building must be evacuated should discuss this information with their
instructor/professor as soon as possible.
