Syllabus - American Mythology
Apr. 16th, 2005 08:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
talkstowolvesAmerican Mythology
Level: 300
Course Description:
American Mythology is an interdisciplinary course in literature, semiotics, and contemporary cultural studies. The thrust of this course is in taking cross-sections of several cultural themes and thinking critically about these topics, deconstructing the mythology inherent in contemporary America that may surround these topics. The examination of contemporary culture is integral to this course as critical observations therein yield primary evidence of the mythological values at work in America.
Course Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of this course students should know:
1. how to identify signifiers and their referents.
2. methods of interdisciplinary studies in the humanities.
3. how to critically consider American culture.
4. to incorporate critical thinking into daily life.
Course Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:
1. identify signifiers and their referents.
2. use interdisciplinary methods of study.
3. critically consider American culture.
4. incorporate critical thinking into their daily lives.
5. speak knowledgeably on issues relating to American mythology.
Requirements:
The following assignments are to be completed for this course:
1. Weekly Writing Assignments
Each week, you will submit via e-mail (or typed copy, though e-mail is preferable) an informal essay on a topic of your choice. The topic should be relevant to something you learned through readings or class discussions for the week prior to the Friday the assignment is due. The informal essay should be at least one typed page. Weekly assignments more than ten days late will not be accepted. Be mindful that the assignment’s total value decreases by ten percent per day late.
2. American Mythology Presentation
In this assignment, you are to take a topic from your readings or class discussion that interests you and explore it further for the purpose of a class presentation. You will be required to pick your topic by September 29th, which works out to be three weeks prior to the advent of the presentations. A random order of presenters will be decided and posted to this website by October 6th. All presentations will take place during class meetings between October 20th and October 31st. You are allowed to be as creative as you wish in what form your presentation takes, as long as the presentation reflects thorough and involved examination of your topic. Suggestions for the presentation form include, but are not limited to: a paper read before the class, an informative speech, a PowerPoint presentation, a class-interactive presentation, or even aggressive poetry.
A note on topics: A myriad of topics will occur to you when you get into the readings and discussion with each other. However, to offer you a few suggestions and a bit of guidance, here are some acceptable examples: “Small, Medium, or Super Size – The Exhausting Choices of Everyday Life in America,” “The Mutts of Europe, or How Important Is an Ethnic Identity, Anyway?”, “America’s Distance from Death: What this Means for Consumptive/Eating/Capital Punishment Patterns.”…
3. An American Journey
At some point during the first half of the semester, you should go on a journey. This journey can be to some place new (take a small road trip, for example, to a historical site or the next town) or to places you commonly go (the mall, your regular grocery store, a bookstore, a walk around the block). The unique thing about this journey should be in the way that you examine your surroundings. You should pay attention to the signifiers (and their referents, if you can find them) of American culture and mythology that you are surrounded by and write an account of this journey. There is no formal page count required for this account; however, in order to evince a proper amount of critical thinking, the paper should be at least several pages long. Your account should demonstrate critical thinking, cultural deconstruction, and an ability to pay close attention to your surroundings and their meanings. This project is due at Midterm.
4. Deconstruction of an American Icon
This project involves the selection of a commercial icon (Coca-cola, Guess?, Old Navy, Disney, McDonald’s, TNT, Hershey’s, et cetera) and a subsequent deconstruction of the myth surrounding this icon and its relation to American culture. You should write a paper of sufficient length (no firm page count, but long enough that your chosen subject is covered in adequate detail) detailing the construction of myth around this icon and what you have decided concerning its relative cultural value. This project is due the Monday of the last week of classes. Also, this is a formal paper and should be done in accordance with the MLA .
Grading:
You will be graded equally on the four assignments detailed above.
Attendance:
If you do not attend, you will not learn. If you do not learn, you will not demonstrate proficient knowledge in the above outlined assignments. Doing poorly on those assignments will lead to a poor grade. So, there is no attendance policy (i.e. you will not be penalized directly for your absence) but you will not do well if you do not attend. This is your beginner’s lesson in Karma.
Accommodation of Special Needs:
(Not purely necessary for this exercise, but I practiced writing my bit anyway.)
Please alert me if you have any special needs. I do my best to accommodate all modes of learning and to meet all special needs in my classroom. Should you require special dispensation related to speech, hearing, or vision needs, do not hesitate to alert me so that I may assist you.
Required Resources:
An American Mythology Course Specific Reader, compiled by Deborah J. Brannon. (You may purchase this text from me on the first day of classes. Cost: $12.)
Ishmael by Daniel Quinn.
White Noise by Don DeLillo.
Schedule:
August 25, 27, 29: Introduction and Creation
Introduction to the course proper and to the professor, fellow students.
Readings:
Read Chapters 1-6 of Ishmael.
Discussion threads: Creation stories, founding of America stories, short Neil Gaiman American Gods excerpts, Ishmael.
Weekly assignment due by midnight on Friday.
September 1 (Labor Day), 3, 5: Destiny
Readings:
Finish reading Ishmael.
Discussion threads: manifest destiny, Ishmael.
Weekly assignment due by midnight on Friday.
September 8, 10, 12: Advertising and Image
Readings:
“The Numbing of the American Mind,” pages 1-8 in the Course Specific Reader.
American Mythologies, pages 9-19 in the Course Specific Reader.
Discussion threads: signifiers and referents.
Weekly assignment due by midnight on Friday.
September 15, 17, 19: Food
Readings:
“Grace to Be Said at the Supermarket,” p.20 in the Course Specific Reader.
“My Life as an Underground Gourmet”, pp. 21-25 in the Course Specific Reader.
“Eating American”, pp. 26-35 in the Course Specific Reader.
Discussion threads: the unhealthy inverse relationship between increasing average weight of Americans and the American body ideal.
Weekly assignment due by midnight on Friday.
September 22, 24, 26: Ethnicity
Readings:
“Cultural Baggage,” pages 36-39 in the Course Specific Reader.
“Let America Be America Again,” pages 40-41 in the Course Specific Reader.
“The Language of Discretion,” pages 42-46 in the Course Specific Reader.
Discussion threads: perceived importance of ethnic identity in contemporary American life.
Weekly assignment due by midnight on Friday.
September 29, October 1, 3: Natives
Topic for American Mythology Presentation must be turned in on Monday.
Readings:
“Indian Education,” pages 47-52 in the Course Specific Reader.
“Anchorage,” pages 53-54 in the Course Specific Reader.
“There Is No Such Thing as A One-Way Land Bridge” – Handout.
“Storyteller,” pages 55-70 in the Course Specific Reader.
Weekly assignment due by midnight on Friday.
October 6, 8, 10: Sex
Readings:
“The Switch of Pornography,” pages 71-82 in the Course Specific Reader.
“My Angry Vagina,” pages 83-85 in the Course Specific Reader.
Weekly assignment due by midnight on Friday.
American Journey project is also due by midnight on Friday. (Unless you’re handing it in, in which case it must be done during class.)
October 13 (Fall Break), 15, 17: Tragedy
http://www.9-11-2001.org/
http://911digitalarchive.org/
http://www.teaching9-11.org/
I have provided the above links to get you started on an online researching of the American response to 9/11. Be prepared to pick your own reading and to share what you have learned or observed through your research in class.
Weekly assignment due by Midnight Friday.
October 20, 22, 24: Presentations
4-6 presentations. (Presenter order to be posted.)
Weekly assignment due by Midnight Friday.
October 27, 29, 31: Presentations
4-6 presentations. (Presenter order to be posted.)
Weekly assignment due by Midnight Friday.
November 3, 5, 7: White Noise
Read pages 1-163 of White Noise. Be prepared for class discussion.
Weekly assignment due by Midnight Friday.
November 10, 12, 14: White Noise
Read pages 167-326 of White Noise. Be prepared for class discussion.
Weekly assignment due by Midnight Friday.
November 17, 19, 21: Movie
Citizen Kane.
November 24, 26 (Thanksgiving Break), 28 (TBA): Field Trip
The field trip destination is up for class decision. At this point, my suggestion is a grocery store.
December 1, 3, 5: Final Discussion
The Deconstruction of an American Icon project is due Monday, December 1st.
--------------------------------------------------------
Notes:
The "discussion threads" in the first half of the syllabus schedule are there just for my benefit, illustrating possible directions of classroom discussion.
This syllabus was modeled after those of Dr. Greg Salyer, as I favor his discussion-oriented teaching style.
I'll try to get the details of the "Course Specific Reader" online when I can. Unfortunately, it's packed up in America at the moment and I didn't keep all the details in the digital file.
Level: 300
Course Description:
American Mythology is an interdisciplinary course in literature, semiotics, and contemporary cultural studies. The thrust of this course is in taking cross-sections of several cultural themes and thinking critically about these topics, deconstructing the mythology inherent in contemporary America that may surround these topics. The examination of contemporary culture is integral to this course as critical observations therein yield primary evidence of the mythological values at work in America.
Course Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of this course students should know:
1. how to identify signifiers and their referents.
2. methods of interdisciplinary studies in the humanities.
3. how to critically consider American culture.
4. to incorporate critical thinking into daily life.
Course Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:
1. identify signifiers and their referents.
2. use interdisciplinary methods of study.
3. critically consider American culture.
4. incorporate critical thinking into their daily lives.
5. speak knowledgeably on issues relating to American mythology.
Requirements:
The following assignments are to be completed for this course:
1. Weekly Writing Assignments
Each week, you will submit via e-mail (or typed copy, though e-mail is preferable) an informal essay on a topic of your choice. The topic should be relevant to something you learned through readings or class discussions for the week prior to the Friday the assignment is due. The informal essay should be at least one typed page. Weekly assignments more than ten days late will not be accepted. Be mindful that the assignment’s total value decreases by ten percent per day late.
2. American Mythology Presentation
In this assignment, you are to take a topic from your readings or class discussion that interests you and explore it further for the purpose of a class presentation. You will be required to pick your topic by September 29th, which works out to be three weeks prior to the advent of the presentations. A random order of presenters will be decided and posted to this website by October 6th. All presentations will take place during class meetings between October 20th and October 31st. You are allowed to be as creative as you wish in what form your presentation takes, as long as the presentation reflects thorough and involved examination of your topic. Suggestions for the presentation form include, but are not limited to: a paper read before the class, an informative speech, a PowerPoint presentation, a class-interactive presentation, or even aggressive poetry.
A note on topics: A myriad of topics will occur to you when you get into the readings and discussion with each other. However, to offer you a few suggestions and a bit of guidance, here are some acceptable examples: “Small, Medium, or Super Size – The Exhausting Choices of Everyday Life in America,” “The Mutts of Europe, or How Important Is an Ethnic Identity, Anyway?”, “America’s Distance from Death: What this Means for Consumptive/Eating/Capital Punishment Patterns.”…
3. An American Journey
At some point during the first half of the semester, you should go on a journey. This journey can be to some place new (take a small road trip, for example, to a historical site or the next town) or to places you commonly go (the mall, your regular grocery store, a bookstore, a walk around the block). The unique thing about this journey should be in the way that you examine your surroundings. You should pay attention to the signifiers (and their referents, if you can find them) of American culture and mythology that you are surrounded by and write an account of this journey. There is no formal page count required for this account; however, in order to evince a proper amount of critical thinking, the paper should be at least several pages long. Your account should demonstrate critical thinking, cultural deconstruction, and an ability to pay close attention to your surroundings and their meanings. This project is due at Midterm.
4. Deconstruction of an American Icon
This project involves the selection of a commercial icon (Coca-cola, Guess?, Old Navy, Disney, McDonald’s, TNT, Hershey’s, et cetera) and a subsequent deconstruction of the myth surrounding this icon and its relation to American culture. You should write a paper of sufficient length (no firm page count, but long enough that your chosen subject is covered in adequate detail) detailing the construction of myth around this icon and what you have decided concerning its relative cultural value. This project is due the Monday of the last week of classes. Also, this is a formal paper and should be done in accordance with the MLA .
Grading:
You will be graded equally on the four assignments detailed above.
Attendance:
If you do not attend, you will not learn. If you do not learn, you will not demonstrate proficient knowledge in the above outlined assignments. Doing poorly on those assignments will lead to a poor grade. So, there is no attendance policy (i.e. you will not be penalized directly for your absence) but you will not do well if you do not attend. This is your beginner’s lesson in Karma.
Accommodation of Special Needs:
(Not purely necessary for this exercise, but I practiced writing my bit anyway.)
Please alert me if you have any special needs. I do my best to accommodate all modes of learning and to meet all special needs in my classroom. Should you require special dispensation related to speech, hearing, or vision needs, do not hesitate to alert me so that I may assist you.
Required Resources:
An American Mythology Course Specific Reader, compiled by Deborah J. Brannon. (You may purchase this text from me on the first day of classes. Cost: $12.)
Ishmael by Daniel Quinn.
White Noise by Don DeLillo.
Schedule:
August 25, 27, 29: Introduction and Creation
Introduction to the course proper and to the professor, fellow students.
Readings:
Read Chapters 1-6 of Ishmael.
Discussion threads: Creation stories, founding of America stories, short Neil Gaiman American Gods excerpts, Ishmael.
Weekly assignment due by midnight on Friday.
September 1 (Labor Day), 3, 5: Destiny
Readings:
Finish reading Ishmael.
Discussion threads: manifest destiny, Ishmael.
Weekly assignment due by midnight on Friday.
September 8, 10, 12: Advertising and Image
Readings:
“The Numbing of the American Mind,” pages 1-8 in the Course Specific Reader.
American Mythologies, pages 9-19 in the Course Specific Reader.
Discussion threads: signifiers and referents.
Weekly assignment due by midnight on Friday.
September 15, 17, 19: Food
Readings:
“Grace to Be Said at the Supermarket,” p.20 in the Course Specific Reader.
“My Life as an Underground Gourmet”, pp. 21-25 in the Course Specific Reader.
“Eating American”, pp. 26-35 in the Course Specific Reader.
Discussion threads: the unhealthy inverse relationship between increasing average weight of Americans and the American body ideal.
Weekly assignment due by midnight on Friday.
September 22, 24, 26: Ethnicity
Readings:
“Cultural Baggage,” pages 36-39 in the Course Specific Reader.
“Let America Be America Again,” pages 40-41 in the Course Specific Reader.
“The Language of Discretion,” pages 42-46 in the Course Specific Reader.
Discussion threads: perceived importance of ethnic identity in contemporary American life.
Weekly assignment due by midnight on Friday.
September 29, October 1, 3: Natives
Topic for American Mythology Presentation must be turned in on Monday.
Readings:
“Indian Education,” pages 47-52 in the Course Specific Reader.
“Anchorage,” pages 53-54 in the Course Specific Reader.
“There Is No Such Thing as A One-Way Land Bridge” – Handout.
“Storyteller,” pages 55-70 in the Course Specific Reader.
Weekly assignment due by midnight on Friday.
October 6, 8, 10: Sex
Readings:
“The Switch of Pornography,” pages 71-82 in the Course Specific Reader.
“My Angry Vagina,” pages 83-85 in the Course Specific Reader.
Weekly assignment due by midnight on Friday.
American Journey project is also due by midnight on Friday. (Unless you’re handing it in, in which case it must be done during class.)
October 13 (Fall Break), 15, 17: Tragedy
http://www.9-11-2001.org/
http://911digitalarchive.org/
http://www.teaching9-11.org/
I have provided the above links to get you started on an online researching of the American response to 9/11. Be prepared to pick your own reading and to share what you have learned or observed through your research in class.
Weekly assignment due by Midnight Friday.
October 20, 22, 24: Presentations
4-6 presentations. (Presenter order to be posted.)
Weekly assignment due by Midnight Friday.
October 27, 29, 31: Presentations
4-6 presentations. (Presenter order to be posted.)
Weekly assignment due by Midnight Friday.
November 3, 5, 7: White Noise
Read pages 1-163 of White Noise. Be prepared for class discussion.
Weekly assignment due by Midnight Friday.
November 10, 12, 14: White Noise
Read pages 167-326 of White Noise. Be prepared for class discussion.
Weekly assignment due by Midnight Friday.
November 17, 19, 21: Movie
Citizen Kane.
November 24, 26 (Thanksgiving Break), 28 (TBA): Field Trip
The field trip destination is up for class decision. At this point, my suggestion is a grocery store.
December 1, 3, 5: Final Discussion
The Deconstruction of an American Icon project is due Monday, December 1st.
Notes:
The "discussion threads" in the first half of the syllabus schedule are there just for my benefit, illustrating possible directions of classroom discussion.
This syllabus was modeled after those of Dr. Greg Salyer, as I favor his discussion-oriented teaching style.
I'll try to get the details of the "Course Specific Reader" online when I can. Unfortunately, it's packed up in America at the moment and I didn't keep all the details in the digital file.
