E220.23
Introduction to Literature
LIGHTS BODY INK
Day to Day Menu Spring 2002
Dr. W. Nericcio, ringmaster
January
22, Tuesday
An
Introduction to the Worlds of Literature
First
Day of the Semester--introductory lecture on Lights, Body, Ink!; close
reading of Shakespeare's sonnet #73
January
24, Thursday
The
Short Story, Feminist Critical Theory, Psychological Fiction
Read
Charlotte Perkins Gilman's short story "The Yellow Wallpaper." Explore
the connection between the body that writes and the written body. INK =
or ? SELF. Please also read the Elaine Hedges essay at the back of the
Fem. Press edition
January
29, Tuesday
Art
History and Literary Cinema
Brief
lecture on the connection between Gustav Klimt and Charlotte Perkins Gilman
(Hubel); Begin screening Sunset Boulevard by Billy Wilder
January
31, Thursday
Literary
Cinema, continued
Complete
your in-class, totally free and cool screening of 1950s most amazing piece
of cinema, Sunset Boulevard; in-class surprise writing assignment #1.
February
5, Tuesday
Literature,
Experiments, & Psych. Novels
Read
the first half of Junichiro Tanizaki's brilliant novel, The Key wherein,
among other things we learn of the power of words to deceive.
February
7, Thursday
Fiction
and Human Psychopathology
Brief
lecture on Sunset Boulevard's origins (Holt); Finish Tanizaki's The Key;
explore the connections between literature, masochism, sadism and psychological
pathology. Short lecture on Freud's theory of Dreams
February
12, Tuesday
American
Literature, the Novel and Point of View
Read
the first 64 pages of William Faulkner's outrageous As I Lay Dying. As
you move from chapter to chapter be KEENLY aware of the differences between
each of his lovely, twisted players.
February
14, Thursday
Take
a Break, you deserved it.
No
CLASS Meeting today--catch up on your reading, sleep, lovelife, work, whatever!
February
19, Tuesday
American
Literature and the Psychology of the Female Body
Read
to page 179 in Faulkner's As I Lay Dying--as much as this is a portrait
of a strikingly singular family, Faulkner also seeks to portray the American
South as well. Term for the day: ALLEGORY. Receive Imagination Challenge
#1, due 3/8/02
February
21, Thursday
Literary
Fictions
Walk
into the room having finished As I Lay Dying. We will discuss Faulkner's
work and try to connect and contrast his work with Tanizaki, Wilder and
Gilman.
February
26, Tuesday
The
Politics of Poetry
Resistance
Literature or Poetry and the Streets. Read the entire collection of work
by the Taco Shop Poets; as you read, note the key motifs, images and issues
which define their critical/poetical domain.
February
28, Thursday
The
Politics and Poetry of Performance
In
class concert featuring the famously infamous TACO SHOP POETS--hold onto
your hats and please feel free to bring your friends (as long as they don't
mind sitting in the aisles); this promises to be a SPRING 2002 event to
remember
March
5, Tuesday
Philosophy
and Literature
It's
a Neo-British Invasion with Nietzsche-monger Peter Atterton who guides
us through philosophy, literature, and the meaning of life in Tolstoy's
"THE DEATH OF IVAN ILYCH." Dr. Atterton is a lecturer in the Department
of Philosophy at SDSU. He arrived on the Mayflower from England in 1995
with a Ph.d in philosophy from the University of Essex. He has published
in the field of ethics, evolution, and continental philosophy--interests
include movies, music, and atheology. He claims (though nobody believes
him) to have no nationality, which he says is "the best possible status
for an intellectual."
March
7, Thursday
Literature,
Art and Autobiography
From
Tolstoy's meditation on the meanings of life and death we move to the oddly
elegiac visions of Frida Kahlo. For class today, "read" and "see" up to
page 54 in Isabel Alcántara and Sandra Egnolff's Frida Kahlo and
Diego Rivera.
March
12, Tuesday
Ethnic
Literatures
Finish
the Book on Kahlo and Rivera for today's class and begin reading my essay
on Speedy Gonzalez in your Camera Obscura #37 journal. From a consideration
of Kahlo's literary and autobiographical narrative, we will move to the
issue of "Mexico" itself as it figures in the American imagination.
March
14, Thursday
Animated
Classics & Race Politics
Classic
Animation Film screening day as we watch cartoons by Friz Freleng, Robert
McKimson and others. For today's reading, finish the Speedy Essay in the
Camera Obscura volume.
March
19, Tuesday
Literature
and Photography
Carefully
"read" the De L'Ecotais Man Ray book for today's discussion; our emphasis
in discussion and lecture will be the ironic role of light and the body
in the work of Ray.
March
21, Thursday
The
Violence of the Voyeur: An Allegory on Cinema
Today
we move from the ironic camera of Man Ray into the ultra-ironic and exotic
lens of Spike Jonze as we begin screening his Being John Malkovich.
March
26, Tuesday
The
Violence of the Voyeur: An Allegory on Cinema
More
Jonze and Malkovich
March
28, Thursday
Literature
and the Graphic Narrative
Light
INK Body--enter the room having read Chris Ware's remarkable comic book:
Acme, The Library of Novelties, #15, volume 7, part 2. It is my theory
that Ray and Powell and Ware share certain traits. Watch for these as you
read.
April
2, Tuesday
SPRING
BREAK
NO
CLASS--have a fantastic SAFE break!
April
4, Thursday
SPRING
BREAK
NO
CLASS--have fun!
April
9, Tuesday
The
Politics of Literature and Art
Read
the first 66 pages of Ida Rigby's WAR-REVOLUTION-WEIMAR as we explore again,
reflect back on the tactics of the TACO SHOP POETS and the real and ideal
connections one makes between aesthetic creativity and political action.
April
11, Thursday
Politics
of Lit & Art, continued
Finish
reading the Rigby book for today's lecture. Receive
Imagination Challenge #2,
April
16, Tuesday
Literature
and the Literary Journal
Read
the first half of pacific Review 2002
April
18, Thursday
Literature
and Publishing
Read
the second half of pacific REVIEW 2002--be sure to pick the piece you think
works the best and the one that most stinks! In class rap session with
the journal editors a distinct possibility.
April
23, Tuesday
World
Cinema/World Literatures
ooh-la-la
it's French Cinema Week as we dive into the perplexing spaces of Jean Luc
Godard's Numero Deux. In preparation for the screening, carefully read
the difficult dialogue "In Her Place," by Harun Farocki and Kaja Silverman
in Camera Obscura 37.
April
25, Thursday
Literature
and Television
Finish
screening Godard's masterpiece; as you watch, consider the role television
plays WITHIN this piece of cinema. It is as if Godard wants us to rethink
our relationship to both media.
April
30, Tuesday
Literature
and Theatre
Read
Young Valiant by Oliver Mayer as we move squarely into the realm of the
theater. Pay close attention to the relationship between setting and character
in this beautiful short piece that is one part Greek Tragedy, one part
soap opera, and one part Freudian wet dream. In class visit by Oliver Mayer!
Bring your books and get an autograph; special rap session with the writer;
insider Hollywood secrets revealed!
May
2, Thursday
NO
CLASS--enjoy your temporary vacation, as you have earned it!
May
9, Tuesday
Denouement,
REVIEW & Good-bye!
May
14
OFFICIAL
FINAL EXAM DAY
3:30
to 5:30 in Family Studies 108.
questions? zap: memo@sdsu.edu