Texts

Recommended Background Materials:
Abrams, A Glossary of Literary Terms, 6th edition, 1993.
Barry, Beginning Theory, 1996
Eagleton, Literary Theory, 1983
Groden and Kreiswirth, The John's Hopkins Guide to Literary Theory and Criticism, 1994.
Humm, The Dictionary of Feminist Theory, 1994.
Tong, Feminist Thought: A Comprehensive Introduction, 1989.

Women and Writing
Gilbert and Gubar, "Infection in the Sentence: The Woman Writer and the Anxiety of Authorship" [W, 21-32]
Hélène Cixous, "The Laugh of Medusa" [W 347-362]
Walker, "In Search of Our Mother's Gardens" [copy]
Felman "Women and Madness: The Critical Phallacy" [W 7-20]
Judith Newton, "Power and the Ideology of Woman's Sphere" [W, 880-893]

The Awakening
Showalter, "Tradition and the Female Talent: The Awakening as a Solitary Book" [Bedford]
Margit Stange, "Personal Property: Exchange Value and the Female Self in The Awakening" [Bedford]
Paula Treichler, "The Construction of Ambiguity in The Awakening: A Linguistic Analysis" [Bedford]

2001-2002 — What's Going on Now??

Final complete paper due by the end of the day. Part 4 + revised versions of 1-3.

Abstracts/Annotations [25%]: For 2 of the articles assigned for each class, you will prepare a brief (approx. 150) abstract. Each abstract should 1) identify the major theoretical/critical assumption(s) of the article; 2) suggest briefly how those assumptions shape the critical argument; 3) locate the article in relation to others read that day or previously. Writing these brief abstracts should help you organize your thoughts about the articles before class and will provide you with a record of the readings to look back on as you work on your papers. Abstracts are due in class on the day we discuss the relevant article. Twenty abstracts are required which allows you to take two classes off . The first few abstracts will receive a plus (+), check ( ) or minus (-) depending on how well they fulfill the objectives of the abstract. This grade along with comments will provide a guideline for developing and improving your abstracts. After the first 4 or 5, abstracts will simply be counted and grades assigned as follows:
19-20 = A-
17-18 = B+
15-16 = B
13-14 = B-

Presentations [with participation 25%]: Because the class is small, students will rotate responsibility for initiating class discussion. On days when you are responsible for the class discussion, you should think about the connections and arguements between the readings for the day. In addition, you are responsible for terms and references in the articles that you think might need further explanation.

Multi-Part Paper [50%]. This paper will be an exercise in practical criticism. In it you will define for yourself, two theoretical approaches which you will then apply to a single text of your choosing. In the fifth and final part of the paper, you will compare the two approaches as tools for feminist interpretation

1) Choose your text in consultation with the professor.

2) Part 1. Choose, from work we have done thus far in the course, a critic or critical approach which you will apply as your first approach to your text. Do some further reading to help you define and clarify the approach. Use the reference materials suggested above, bibliographies provided in the texts, other readings in the Warhol and Herndl collection and/or your own research using MLA and other bibliographies. Write a section in which you define your first approach. Be sure to include citations for all texts cited and consulted.[3-4 pages] Due February 25.

3) Part 2. Using the approach you've now defined, write a reading of your selected text which is informed by the approach you have selected. Be careful that all points you make about the text are accounted for by the approach. Take note when you feel there are aspects of the text you can't discuss because of the approach you've selected — you'll use this information later. [5-7 pages]
Due March 22.

4) Part 3. Choose a second approach, define it and apply it as above. [8-11 pages] Due April 19.

5) Part 4. Write a final section of your paper in which you compare your two critical readings. Did the different approaches reveal different aspects of the text you chose? What aspects of the text are left unaccounted for by the approaches you chose? [3-4 pages] Due May 8.

6) Completed paper: If this comparison activity, highlights problems or unaddressed possibilities in either reading, revise and edit the previous parts appropriately. Turn in a final draft of the paper that has all four sections together in final form. Due May 8.

Participation and Attendance: [with presentations 25%] Attendance is expected at every seminar. Students are expected to contribute regularly to the discussion in class and to listen respectfully to each other and to comment constructively on the work of their peers.