CMLT-C 205: Comparative Literary Analysis: That’s so Queer!
Summer 2023
Six Weeks - Online/Asynchronic -- 5/9-6/16
Instructor: Dr. Jennifer Goodlander
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: By appointment (on zoom)
I will also schedule open zoom hours several times a week - the times will vary and will be posted on Sunday before the week begins. I welcome you all to contact me with questions, concerns, or relevant materials you encounter in the world that you would like to share.
I check my IU email ([email protected]) with frequency, and that is the best way to reach me. I will endeavor to reply to you within 12 hours of an email, if not sooner. Please make sure that you have enabled Canvas to send messages to your email, as Canvas Announcements are how I will communicate with the whole class. I am looking forward to working and learning with you this summer!
Some Important Thoughts Regarding Summer Classes -- Especially ONLINE Summer Classes
Be aware that we are covering a full-semester, or sixteen weeks, of class in only six weeks. Many students are surprised by the intensity of a summer class and the amount of daily work. It is recommended that to do well in this class that you spend two-three hours EACH DAY completing coursework– this includes readings, note taking/review, writing assignments, and so on. Taking a class online is very convenient, but it is also very hard. You do not have the same kind of built-in accountability and community that happens when you come to class. We will work to make the online class interactive and rewarding, but it takes extra effort and discipline to be successful.
Please make a meeting with me if you are having difficulties or are falling behind. I want to help you find a way to be successful in this class!
Required Texts
You can purchase books at the campus bookstore or another outlet. I will be using the edition with the ISBN listed. I have selected texts that should cost you much less than $100 total (much much less if you buy used - you may also find some texts at the library). Please come see me if you have concerns.
• The Well of Lonliness (Wordsworth Classics) by Radclyffe Hall. ISBN: 978-1840224559
• Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel. ISBN: 978-0544709041 (This is a graphic
novel - I strongly suggest having a paper copy of this text.)
• Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them by A. Rey Pamatmat. ISBN: 978-0573700163 (I also will
post a PDF - but it is easier to read if you have your own copy.)
Additional readings will be posted on Canvas. You will be able to complete all of the coursework online - but for some exercises you may find it easier if you have access to a printer.
Course Description and Objectives
CATELOGUE COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Introduction to basic concepts of literary criticism through comparative close readings of texts from a variety of literary genres—fiction, poetry, drama, essay—from diverse traditions. I Sem., II Sem. May be repeated once for credit with a different topic.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION:
"queer not as being about who you're having sex with (that can be a dimension of it); but queer as being about the self that is at odds with everything around it and has to invent and create and find a place to speak and to thrive and to live." - bell hooks
This course introduces students to the discipline and methods of comparative literature. We will study works from a range of genres, periods, and national traditions, with a focus on texts that demonstrate, complicate, or challenge ideas of the queer as a central theme or premise. We also will explore queer as an approach to analyzing texts in relation to larger societal power structures.
Reading and understanding texts can also be a transformative experience as it provides an opportunity to foster empathy and understanding about the world and its people. In this class we will practice close- reading and literary analysis as transformative skills.
NOTE: While familiarity with queer theory or LGBTQ+ literatures is not expected, a commitment to anti-homophibic inquiry is required. Also - students should be aware that many of the texts in this course are sexual in nature, sometimes explicit or violent, and often deal with difficult situations, viewpoints, histories, and traumas. Conflict, pain, and suffering are central elements of any serious study of the human experience and discomfort is a normal reaction. We will work together to create a brave space. Students should come to me if they have further concerns, make use of resources on campus, and possibly even consider whether this course is appropriate for them at this time. Please see me if you have any additional questions or concerns about course content.
This course fulfills IUB General Education Arts & Humanities, Intensive Writing, and Comparative Literature major requirements. Through this course, students will develop the ability to:
• Situate individual works of literature in broader literary and cultural contexts.
• Explain how individual works engage with or complicate different meanings and identities of
queerness.
• Analyze works of literature: understand how they create meaning as well as what they mean.
• Explore literature and approaches to literature from other cultures.
• Perform close readings of individual passages of poetry and prose.
• Introduce key ideas from queer theory and LGBTQ+ as they relate to, or enable the understanding
of literature.
• Write literary criticism that builds on relevant evidence to make effective arguments that support
an insightful thesis in clear and engaging prose.
Objectives to meet the requirements for CASE Intensive Writing:
This course emphasizes various writing skills specific to the discipline of comparative literature, but that have broader application within the humanities and that will translate to variety of professional settings. Writing is a process of motivated inquiry that engages other writers’ ideas as they explore and develop their own. Students will develop an awareness and confidence in their own voice as a writer. Specific skills we will work on are:
• Practice forming an argument and using evidence
o Apply key concepts and terms from the course o Have a clear thesis and interpretive claim
o Address implications in your argument
• Develop organization and structure in writing
o Have an engaging introduction and synthetic conclusion
o Practice various skills for thinking about overall structure for clear communication o Utilize transitions and topic sentences to guide your reader
Throughout the course of the semester, students will complete a number of shorter writing assignments that are scaffolded to develop skills and mastery (details are below). Students will then revise one of these shorter papers into a longer capstone paper with comparative analysis.
GRADING/ COURSE COMPONENTS
Grading Scale
20% 20% 40% 20%
Engagement Thinking and Writing Short Papers
Capstone Paper
MINIMUM %
GRADE
MINIMUM %
A+
97%
C+
77%
Grades for assignments will be posted on Canvas in a timely manner. It is the responsibility of the student to check his/her grades and notify the instructor if there are any discrepancies within two days after the grade is posted. I do not round grades up or down. In the case of incompletes – please see the current academic bulletin.
GRADE
A
93%
C
73%
A-
90%
C-
70%
B+
87%
D+
67%
B
83%
D
63%
B-
80%
D-
60%
F
0%
ENGAGEMENT
Usually – most of the participation in a class, happens in class. But this class is different. We are online and asynchronic. That is a fancy term that means we are all learning and teaching at different times. I will schedule optional synchronic sessions each week for review and questions.
Remember this is a six-week class -- so in designing my lessons, I am planning for the equivalent of eight hours of "in class" time and about ten hours of homework each week (mostly reading and writing). So depending on your learning style, you should plan to spend 2-3 hours a day "working" on this class. Some days you might do more and some days you might do less. Because this class is intensive writing, some weeks might require more than that. Be sure to communicate with me if you have any questions or concerns!
Each week will be a unit with various tasks to complete-- taking notes, listening, watching, discussion, and other activities. The class also will include: surveys, worksheets, quizzes, discussions, or other ways of engagement. Each new week will go “live” Sunday at noon. There will be several midweek deadlines (Wednesday at noon) in order to facilitate discussion/feedback and in order to keep you on track to finish everything. The week will “close” Friday at midnight (meaning you should have completed all of the tasks for that week). The weekend should be used for relaxation -- but I will also include information about reading and writing assignments that you might want to get started with. Each one of these assignments will have its own individual grading criteria and rubric.
For the record – I am including the university policy on excused absences below – please reach out ASAP if you are absent or falling behind.
Excused Absences: I will grant excused absences in accordance with the most recent Academic Bulletin of the College of Arts and Sciences at Indiana University (http://www.iu.edu/~bulletin/iub/college/2012- 2013/policies/index.shtml)
Excused absences include:
• Significant illness of student or serious illness of household member or immediate family.
• Death of a household member or immediate family.
• Trips for members of student organizations, class excursions or participation in athletic events.
• Major religious holidays.
• Any other circumstance that I find as reasonable cause for nonattendance.
(NOTE- IU only allows incompletes in rare circumstances, please see the current academic bulletin for
the university policy on incompletes.)
THINKING AND WRITING
In order to become a better writer and critical thinker, I want you to practice these skills together. Each “Thinking and Writing” assignment is a short prompt to get you to think about and reflect on the readings. The prompts are there to generate ideas and to start you thinking. For each, you are expected to do about ten minutes of writing... and I require you to fill the entire ten minutes with writing. This will help you develop your writing muscle. This is open book/notes, but focus on your initial responses and ideas.
These will be graded complete or incomplete according to the criteria below: COMPLETE
• Addresses the prompt with specific details that demonstrate you read the assigned text (when appropriate)
• Length is appropriate to 10 minutes of free-writing INCOMPLETE
• Length is grossly inadequate
• No specific details
To submit – the other objective of the Thinking and Writing assignments are to create rough drafts of text to use in your short papers and then your capstone paper. Therefore, compile all of these assignments in one word doc, copy the prompt at the top of your response, and your response below. Then submit the recent version of this document for the assignment.
WRITING ASSIGNMENTS -- Short Papers and the Capstone Paper
FROM THE COLLEGE:
CASE Intensive Writing courses must:
• Assign a sequence of papers written in English (a minimum of 5,000 words per semester) or a longer paper broken up into steps, so planned as to introduce a series of problems in writing fundamental to the discipline in which the course is taught.
o Essay exams, journal entries, and other types of informal writing are not counted as part of the 5,000-word requirement.
o "A series of problems" may be interpreted to mean a number of different analytical methods or a variety of topics, but in all cases there should be a pattern in assignments that will encourage the student's continuous development as a writer.
• Include instruction in the techniques, strategies, and organization of good writing. Mechanical skills (grammar, punctuation, spelling, and the like) need not be formally taught, but the instructor should insist on correctness; he or she might, for example, explicitly lower a grade on this basis, or decline to grade a paper until such errors have been corrected.
• Provide students with periodic evaluations of their writing.
• Require students to redraft one or more significant papers in light of the instructor's commentary.
Revisions do NOT count toward the 5,000-word minimum.
I believe writing is best-improved and assessed through continuous practice and feedback. As such – students will complete a variety of short papers (Short Papers, 2-3 pages) throughout the semester with feedback and revision processes that will culminate the Capstone Paper (5-6 pages). The aim of these assignments is to allow the student to experience critical thinking in a variety of contexts and on a variety of topics in order to strengthen mechanical, communicative, and critical skills.
Each assignment will have its own particular focus and grading criteria. Late assignments will be penalized 10% of the grade for every day late. All writing assignments will be submitted via Canvas – and feedback will be through Canvas as well. Unless otherwise announced – I will grade writing assignments within 72 hours in most cases.
NOTE: I am happy to assist you as you work on your papers and revisions for the class. You can email or meet with me to answer a specific question or problem. For example – you might send your thesis statement, an outline, or ask about a transition. Asking questions in this way also teaches you to be self- critical and aware of your own writing process. I am not able to provide comments on entire drafts - Writing Tutorial Services is an excellent resource for that kind of feedback.
STUDENT POLICIES
Academic Integrity
As a student at IU, you are expected to adhere to the standards detailed in the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct (Code). Academic misconduct is defined as any activity that tends to undermine the academic integrity of the institution. Violations include: cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, interference, violation of course rules, and facilitating academic dishonesty. When you submit an assignment with your name on it, you are signifying that the work contained therein is yours, unless otherwise cited or referenced. Any ideas or materials taken from another source for either written or oral use must be fully acknowledged. All suspected violations of the Code will be reported to the Dean of Students (Office of Student Conduct) and handled according to University policies. Sanctions for academic misconduct may include a failing grade on the assignment, reduction in your final course grade, and a failing grade in the course, among other possibilities. If you are unsure about the expectations for completing an assignment or taking a test or exam, be sure to seek clarification from your instructor in advance.
Statement on Inclusion
In this class there will be no discrimination based on race, ethnic origin, religion, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, or physical handicap.
Bias-based incident reports can be made by students, faculty and staff. Any act of discrimination or harassment based on race, ethnicity, religious affiliation, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or disability can be reported through any of the options: 1) email [email protected] or [email protected]; 2) call the Dean of Students Office at (812) 855-8188; or 3) use the IU mobile App (m.iu.edu). Reports can be made anonymously.
Students with Disabilities
Students with a learning disability, hearing impairment, speech impairment, or any other disability that may affect their ability to fulfill a requirement of the College should contact the Office of Disability Services for Students, Franklin Hall 006, (812) 855-7578, prior to registering. Requirements will not be waived for students with disabilities; however, some modifications may be made within specific courses. Students seeking such modifications should do so early in their academic career to ensure timely progress to degree completion.
SEXUAL MISCONDUCT & TITLE IX:
As your instructor, one of my responsibilities is to create a positive learning environment for all students. IU policy prohibits sexual misconduct in any form, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, stalking, sexual exploitation, and dating and domestic violence. If you have experienced sexual misconduct, or know someone who has, the University can help. If you are seeking help and would like to speak to someone confidentially, you can make an appointment with the IU Sexual Assault Crisis Services at (812) 855-5711, or contact a Confidential Victim Advocate at (812) 856-2469 or [email protected].
It is also important that you know that University policy requires me to share certain information brought to my attention about potential sexual misconduct, with the campus Deputy Sexual Misconduct & Title IX Coordinator or the University Sexual Misconduct & Title IX Coordinator. In that event, those individuals will work to ensure that appropriate measures are taken and resources are made
available. Protecting student privacy is of utmost concern, and information will only be shared with those that need to know to ensure the University can respond and assist. I encourage you to visit http://stopsexualviolence.iu.edu/index.html to learn more.
COURSE CALENDAR
• I have included major assignments only on this calendar. Please see Canvas for the complete information on what to do each week.
• Reminder - the week’s class will go “live” by Sunday at 5pm. Week One 5/9-5/12
Topic Overview Wednesday by Friday by midnight noon
Working Ahead: Begin reading Well of Loneliness - we will cover books 1-2 next week Week Two 5/15-5/19
Topic Overview Wednesday by Friday by midnight noon
Introduction to the Class Foundations-
What is queer?
Introduction to Close Reading
READ:
“Queer” from Keywords in American Studies
READ: “Snowfall”
DUE Sunday by midnight:
Short Paper #1
Understanding details as evidence
Defining/Describing Gender
READ:
“Gender Outlaw” by Kate Bornstein
Well of Loneliness
Book 1
(NOTE- Book 2 is optional, I will provide a summary)
READ:
Well of Loneliness Book 3
DUE Sunday by midnight:
Short Paper #2
Working Ahead: Finish reading The Well of Loneliness Books 4&5 Week Three 5/22-5/26 Topic Overview Wednesday by Friday by midnight
noon
Queer love
Details beyond plot
Visual imagery in language
READ:
Well of Loneliness
Book 4&5
READ:
Selected poems https://www.poetryfoundation.org/collections/101691/queer- love-poems
WATCH:
Rule #1
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/video/146356/rule-1-by- esther-aloba
DUE Sunday by midnight:
Video and Short Paper #3
Working ahead: Read Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them Week Four 5/29-6/2
Topic Overview Wednesday by noon
Working ahead: Read Fun Home Topic Overview Wednesday by
noon
Working ahead: Work on Capstone Paper
Friday by midnight
Week Five 6/5-6/9
Friday by midnight
Week Six 6/12-6/16
Friday by midnight
Capstone paper final
Thinking about performance
READ: Act 1
READ: Act 2
DUE Sunday by midnight:
Short Paper #4
READ:
Fun Home
ch. 1 & 2
READ:
Fun Home ch. 3 & 4
DUE Sunday by midnight:
Short Paper #5
Topic Overview
Writing a comparative paper
Wednesday by noon
Capstone paper proposal
