english 220 The Naked Eye/I was an Introduction to Literature class taught in the fall of 2003 by Mike High, Leon Lanzbom, Bill Nericcio, Shelley Scott, and Sunshine Vogt--this chronicle of that remarkable group of undergraduates stands as a cyber monument to their dedicated work and fantastic imaginations!
 
William A. Nericcio
Associate Professor
bioemaillinks

new! Office hours for Dr. W. Nericcio are from 1pm to 3:20 MONDAYS in Adams Humanities 4117 and by appointment.

new! Shelley Scott's office hours are Wednesdays from 9 to 9:50 in AH 4220; her email address is elle_scott@hotmail.com

new! Mike High's office hours are on Fridays from 1 to 1:50 in AH 4220; his email address is mhigh@rohan.sdsu.edu

new! Leon Lanzbom's office hours are Mondays and Wednesdays from 11am to 11:45 in AH 4116; his email address is llanzbom@excite.com

new! Sunshine Vogt's office hours are Monday from 11-11:50 and Wednesday from 10-11am; her email address is sunshineharmony @hotmail.com

English 220The Naked Eye/I
An Experimental Introduction to Literature, Film, and Graphic Narrative
na·ked: adj. [etymology: Middle English, from Old English nacod; akin to Old High German nackot, Latin nudus, Greek gymnos] 1. not covered by clothing: NUDE. 2. devoid of customary or natural covering: BARE ... c: of a plant or one of its parts: lacking pubescence or enveloping or subtending parts. 3. a: scantily supplied or furnished b: lacking embellishment: UNADORNED. 4. UNARMED, DEFENSELESS. 5. lacking confirmation or support. 6. devoid of concealment or disguise 7. unaided by any optical device or instrument (visible to the naked eye) 8. not backed by the writer's ownership of the commodity contract or security.

"Unclothed.’ ‘Revealed.’ ‘Unadorned.’ ‘Without cover’; in a word: "naked!" A familiar enough word; a welcome one at times especially when bathing, or otherwise occupied in all sorts of mentionable and unmentionable activities. In this experimental, dynamic and controversial Fall 2003 section of "English 220, Introduction to Literature," we will use the concept of nakedness to explore the minds, bodies and art of women and men in some of the tastiest, most outrageous and eye-opening literature this side of the planet. We will find that "naked" souls are common to the world of literature--in poetry, short stories, novels and theater--and that to do justice to the concept of "literature" we may well have to get naked in the process!! Puritans need not grow faint: bathrobes and tents will be provided! The various naked minds, bodies and psyches we encounter this term will teach us to rethink what it is we think of when we imagine the dimensions of the human mind--in the process we will learn again just how instrumental LITERATURE can be in exposing the riches and excesses of this mind. We will not limit ourselves to the written word in this seminar, as we will explore as well naked eyes/I in graphic narrative, photography, painting and cinema. Chances are, your eyes and "I" will be moved by these encounters. This course is open to all undergraduates without regard to your selected major and assumes no expertise in literature, film or fine art?if you are breathing, have an imagination and are not easily offended by adult issues, themes and images then you should seriously consider coming along for the ride. Curious about naked artists, naked souls and naked eyes, then hold on to your hats; with your dynamic participation, our adventure promises to be one hell of an experiment.


Parting Shot--The Final Exam!
  FINAL LIST OF TEXTS

BUY AT STORES OR ONLINE

NEW
GOBSHITE
GOBSHITE QUARTERLY

CLOWES
GHOST WORLD FANTAGRAPHICS

RIVERA GARZA
NO ONE WILL SEE ME CRY

WARE
QUIMBY THE MOUSE FANTAGRAPHICS

ESPADA
REBELLION IS THE CIRCLE OF A LOVER S HAND

VILLANUEVA
SCENE FROM THE MOVIE GIANT CURBSTONE

HERNANDEZ
TALES FROM SHOCK CITY

TANIZAKI
THE KEY RANDOM

WALTHER
VAN GOGH

BUY IN CLASS FROM YOUR POOR MONEY-HANDLING GTAS

Various Authors
PACIFIC REVIEW $8

Tomás Riley
CD  $9*

Oliver Mayer
BLADE TO THE HEAT  $5*

*THE PRICE OF THESE WORKS INCLUDES FUNDING FOR HONORARIA AND TRAVEL EXPENSES FOR THIS VISITING ARTIST.

REQUIREMENTS

Requirements, you ask? Reading and class discussion make up a significant portion of the class; attendance helps--you won't pass without it. If you intend to miss more than three classes, you will be asked to leave our naked observatory permanently. And I do not just expect attendance, I expect prepared attendance--even, brace yourself, participation. Do think twice about setting foot in our classroom if you have not completed your assigned reading for the day. Also to be expected? TWO short imagination challengeS (3 to 5 pages), a final exam on the last day of classes and (bleah) quizzes--if and only if the nudity obsessed occupants/inmates of our class decide to perform with high school level indifference.

GRADE

Quizzes, Prepared Attendance, Class participation, Ability to attend class without sleeping:40%
Essays: 35%
Final ExaM: 24%
Chutzpah, Ganas, Drive: 1%

OFFICE HOURS

Why ‘office hours’? I expect you to visit your fabulously talented teaching assistants or your professor in office hours at least once during the semester. In a class like ours it will be too easy to fall through the cracks, to feel that you are nothing but a number or some warm pile of clothed flesh filling a seat. In order to understand that the individuals teaching you are somewhat human, please make a point of letting us meet you personally outside the confines of our “lovely” chemistry/geology amphitheatre. 

 
NEW--THE NAKED EYE GALLERY
updated
  ASSIGNMENTS MENU

Monday, September 8, 2003


READ all of Dan Clowes's GHOST WORLD for Monday's class.  Read it twice: the first time straight through words and images; the second time 'read' only the images; for the overachievers amongst you, read it a third time, ignoring all the words but looking at all the images from the end to the beginning in reverse order!  If you KNOW you will miss more than three class sessions during the term, EARN some fall-back extra-credit by attending and writing a two paragraph review of the WHACKJOB poetry reading event promoted HERE.


Wednesday, September 10, 2003


Read GHOST WORLD again, but do so through the LENS of Shakespeare's SONNET 73--how does Shakespeare 'revise' our reading of CLOWES.  Click on the CLOWES graphic image here to your right. 




Monday, September 15, 2003


In-class screening of Dali and Buñuel's UN CHIEN ANDALOU and maybe, CSODA POK, another indy winner. In-class essay, likely!

Assignment Given in CLASS! Draw what you view to be the most memorable, complex, significant, problematic, difficult and/or confusing image/symbol from Dali and Buñuel's UN CHIEN ANDALOU--on another piece of paper taped to that drawing, write a one page essay that describes your rationale and/or speculates upon the complexities of the particular image/symbol you selected.  DUE WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 17, 2003 IN CLASS.




Wednesday, September 17, 2003


Read the first 15 poems in ESPADA, REBELLION IS THE CIRCLE OF A LOVER S HAND.

Do you have a broadband connection? Click here for an interview from PBS with MARTIN ESPADA.





Monday September 22, 2003

Finish reading REBELLION IS THE CIRCLE OF A LOVER'S HANDS for our class discussion today; ALSO, read the first half of the Ingo F. Walther's book on VAN GOGH.  As you read, swim, feed--moving between poet and painter, seer and sage, political/aesthetic shaman and madman--forge connections between what you view to be the goals of the writer and the goals of the oil painter.




Wednesday September 24, 2003


Finish reading the WALTHER book on Van Gogh.  In-class imagination challenge a likely possibility




Monday, September 29, 2003


A lecture on the Connection between HOLLYWOOD cinema and LITERATURE--read half of Tino Villanueva's SCENE FROM THE MOVIE GIANT in anticipation of the lecture.  In class we will screen filmed out-takes from George Stephens classic opus GIANT.




Wednesday, October 1, 2003


Finish your close reading of Villanueva's brief 'opera.'  As you read consider the fusion of psychology, affect, cinema and literature that brought Villanueva's efforts into being.





Monday, October  6, 2003
BRACE YOURSELF!!!!

Begin your reading of the one and only JUNICHIRO TANIZAKI's THE KEY to page 75!




Wednesday, October  8, 2003 
Continue reading Tanizaki's novel to page 113.





Monday, October  13, 2003 



Read to page 146 in THE KEY. Clueless?  Here are some things to look for!




Wednesday, October  15, 2003 


Complete your reading of the KEY; in class we will begin our screening of the first two parts of Hal Hartley's FLIRT.






Monday, October  20, 2003

In class we will complete screening our second film, Hal Hartley's FLIRT and finish our discussion on Tanizaki's THE KEY





Wednesday, October  22, 2003

Essay #1--an in-class extravaganza; closed book, all you have to bring is a pen, your memory and your imagination.
 

Monday, October 27


FIRES CANCEL CLASS




Wednesday, October 29



FIRES CANCEL CLASS





Monday, Novernber 3

LITERARY JOURNAL WEEK!!!! Today, enter class having read ALL of PACIFIC REVIEW 2003.  BRING YOUR $9 to purchase your RILEY CD.




Wednesday, November 5

LITERARY JOURNAL WEEK continues: read and be ready to discuss GOBSHITE QUARTERLY. BRING YOUR $9 to purchase your RILEY CD.



Monday November 10



 
Next-Wave, Post-movimiento Chicano Arts guru
Tomás Riley
comes to the SDSU Campus!

November 10
Monday
12 noon
Hardy Tower 140

While room will be tight, you and yours are invited to sample some of the finest 21st century American Literature this side of Manhattan, Chicago, and Montreal as Oakland's favorite son by way of San Diego and now, San Francisco, invades SDSU for a triumphant homecoming!!  more info? memo@sdsu.edu

sponsored by the nakedeye/i 

Brace yourself for a hipHOP/LIT invasion as TOMAS RILEY visits our class to perform and hang out!  Enter class today having listened to and READ Message From the New Forreal



Wednesday November 12

Read the first 50 pages of Cristina Rivera-Garza's NO ONE WILL SEE ME CRY.



Monday November 17
Read the next 100 pages of NO ONE WILL SEE ME CRY.Walk into class having finished NO ONE WILL SEE ME CRY
 




Wednesday, November 19 updated


Finish reading NO ONE WILL SEE ME CRY--Come into the big room ready to discuss how the work of Rivera-Garza and Riley dovetails!




Monday, November 24

 No Class--work on your essay!



Tuesday, November 25, 2003
imagination challenge numero dos
Please use the MLA bibliography stylesheet to organize your 'works cited.' free info on the mla-style of citation notation is here: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_mla.html  Best of luck!

good luck on your essays--for those of you who have NEVER written a piece of real, live literary criticism, you might want to check out some of the journals archived in the link that follows for inspiration. some of the better, difficult, challenging, but sexy journals include: critical inquiry, american literary history, college literature, new literary history, diacritics, and american literature. ALL accessible for FREE from campus servers, here: http://80-muse.jhu.edu.libproxy.sdsu.edu/; if that does not work, go here: http://infodome.sdsu.edu/research/databases/fulltext.shtml and look for jstor or project muse! another good source for 1st-rate literary chit-chat is here: http://literature.sdsu.edu/hot.htm happy thanksgiving!

Your IMAGINATION CHALLENGE  #2 is due today, Tuesday November 25, 2003 at noon under my door, Adams Humanities 4117. Late papers will not be accepted! Make sure you put you GTA's NAME at the top of your paper with your own name.





Wednesday, November 26 


NO CLASS / Thanksgiving BREAK


Monday, December 1 



THE one, the only, the magnificent!  QUIMBY THE MOUSE by Chris WARE


Wednesday, December 3 



THE one, the only, the magnificent!  QUIMBY THE MOUSE by Chris WARE and the one and only GILBERT HERNANDEZ's TALES FROM SHOCK CITY.




Monday, December 8 


FINAL REVIEW and surprise NAKEDness revealed!


Wednesday, December 10 


FINAL EXAM IN CLASS TODAY--all you need to do is bring a pen and your imagination!
  LECTURE RESOURCES


 


 


 


 
 


 
 


 
 

 

 
breakout sections
aka OPTIC NERVE PODS of the NAKEDeye/I mothership
 
 
For English 220 students of SUNSHINE VOGT only.

section 7: Spennato (italian for naked)
section 8: Nikugan (japanese for naked eye)
 


older assignments for Sunshine VOGT's sections

Essay Prompts for Sunshine VOGT's classes!

For extra-credit, attend the play "How I Learned How to Drive," which is currently playing in the Experimental Theater here on campus.  (Information can be found at http://theatre.sdsu.edu/theatre-season-0304.htm).  Write a carefully considered, critical review of the play--one page in length or longer.  Consider the sets, costumes, content, acting, lighting, venue, directing, etc.  The review should include some summary of the play's storyline before it launches into a full-blown review of your reaction to the whole.  For a complicated example of theater review, look at http://www.newyorker.com/critics/theatre/.  For a local example that might be a bit easier, go to www.sdreader.com and click on the Theater link on the left side.

Assignment due Sept 22 (section 7) & Sept 24 (section 8):
Take a photograph with content that reminds you in some way of the drawings in Ghost World.  The photo should have some similarity to a scene, setting or emotion in Clowes' Ghost World.  Bring this photo (or a printout of it if it is a digital picture) to class along with a paragraph (typed) that clearly and completely explains the connection between Clowes' text/drawings and your photograph.  Be careful about this assignment: do not wait until the last minute to find something, because you will need to leave yourself time to get the picture developed and make sure that the connection you imagined when you took the photograph is adequately conveyed by the picture.

sections 7 & 8
Writing assignment, due 9/15 (section 7) or 9/17 (section 8).  One page, typed and double-spaced.  Write either a fictional or non-fictional (essay) account of one time that you have felt completely alone, i.e. completely separate from everyone around you.  Included in this should be some discussion of how you reacted to feeling this way.


 
English 220 students of Shelley Scott

Monday sessions: White Lens
Wednesday sessions:  Unadorned Eye


 

For English 220 students of MIKE HIGH
 

section 11:  the Divested Ora Serrata 
section 12  the Stark Posterior Chamber

assignment
Choosing any of Van Gogh's paintings, create an argument while describing the painting and using it as the evidence for your argument. You may argue anything from painters intent, what effect the painting achieves, why Van Gogh chose certain colors; whatever.  Unacceptable arguments are that the paintings are not good or that it is impossible to make an argument with them.  If feeling brave and rebellious, take one of Walther's arguments or statements about a painting and contest it using that same painting. Arguing with critics and established explanations of texts/art is an essential part of literature.  Minimum one page double-spaced. Due 10/3 in class.


 
For English 220 students of LEON LANZBOM

SECTION 8: Hunters of the Canal of Schlemm
SECTION 9: The Ciliary Poets

 

  older class resources


JPG-flavor click the picture of the info sheet

Who are you?  Tell us! PDF-flavor use this link

DR. WILLIAM ANTHONY NERICCIO, (aka Bill; aka Memo) • ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH AND COMPARATIVE LITERATURE • MEMO@SDSU.EDU •  619.594.1524

  new extra credit chance

X-Sender: bnericci@mail.sdsu.edu
Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 12:34:42 -0700
To: Sunshine Vogt <sunshineharmony@hotmail.com>, shelleylscott@hotmail.com,
   llanzbom@yahoo.com, "mike high" <shadow619@hotmail.com>, memo@sdsu.edu
From: memo@sdsu.edu
Subject: english 220 update...
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X-TNS-MailScanner: Found to be clean (mailgw2)
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Dr. William Anthony Nericcio
Associate Professor of English
& Comparative Literature
San Diego State University
San Diego, California 92182-8140
phone: 619.594.1524
eMail: memo@sdsu.edu

Dear NAKED EYE/I STUDENTS!

go to this link here:

http://mopa.org/pages/filmpages/nowshow.asp

this is the home schedule page for the incredible film series at MOPA, the museum of photographic art in BALBOA PARK here in san diego...

wow--it is as if they had designed a film series to complement our class this term.

in particular check out these screenings...

Sat. Oct. 18
7pm Un Chien Andalou / Luis BuÒuel & Salvador Dali (1929) 18 min.
7:30pm Entríacte / RenÈ Clair (1924) 22 min.
8:55pm The Blood of a Poet / Jean Cocteau (1930) Real Time: 53 min. Surreal Time: 1 Second
9:55pm Sherlock, Jr. / Buster Keaton (1924) 40 min.

Sat. Oct. 25
7pm Un Chien Andalou / Luis BuÒuel & Salvador Dali (1929) 18 min.
7:30pm Entríacte / RenÈ Clair (1924) 22 min.
8:55pm The Blood of a Poet / Jean Cocteau (1930) Real Time: 53 min. Surreal Time: 1 Second
9:55pm Sherlock, Jr. / Buster Keaton (1924) 40 min.

Fri. Oct. 31
1 & 7pm Repulsion / Roman Polanski (1965) 105 min.
3:15 & 9:15pm Eyes Without a Face / Georges Franju (1959) 88 min.

Sat. Nov. 1
7pm Eyes Without a Face / Georges Franju (1959) 88 min.
9pm Repulsion / Roman Polanski (1965) 105 min.
 
 
 

all great movies at one of the most beautiful screening rooms in san diego....
 

can you say 'extra-credit'?  here it is--due NOVEMBER 3, in class. you are j. hoberman and write for the Village Voice magazine--alternatively, you can be John Leonard, who writes about books for The Nation (adapt his crazy-word-wizard style for the movies.). go to one of these screenings and review the movies playing for that screening.  you MUST write in a style as close to Hoberman and Leonard as you can--that is HALF of the assignment.
 

other news?

--the website is updated with Sunshine Vogt's paper prompts--even if you are not in her sections, check them out as review exercises.

--bring your 8 dollars for your pacificREVIEW literary magazine to the next break-out session with your GTAs; they will be selling those copies in your next class!

--this is one hell of a damn fine class!
 
 

yours in lit and ink
 
 

Bill
 

  Past Events/Extra credit

EXTRA NAKED
EXTRA EYE
EXTRA CREDIT

just a quick message from your friendly neighborhood professor about two extra-credit opportunities--one, on campus; one off, but with an SDSU bus ferrying the first 100 or so students free of charge...

first, here is the info on the two events; below will appear your extra-credit assignment
 

1. 

The Cross-Cultural Center
at San Diego State University co-presents:

Together Now! Ethnic Collaboration for Media Action

In collaboration with the San Diego Asian Film Festival and the San Diego State University Parents Program, a panel of Asian, African, Latino and GLBTQ representatives will discuss how the media distorts their communities. Collective action will be determined.

Speakers include: Aki Aleong, Media Action Network;
William Nericcio, San Diego State University Associate Professor in the
Department of English and Comparative Literature; and more!

Saturday, October 4, 2003
Noon - 2:00 p.m.
Brickstones Salon, Doubletree Hotel, Mission Valley

Transportation provided. Please call the SDSU Cross-Cultural Center to reserve your seat and to obtain more information about the event (619) 594-7057.

For more information about the San Diego Asian Film Festival call (858) 650-3459
and SDSU Parents Program Family Weekend call (619) 594-1653.

**Please Encourage Your Classes and Your Students To Attend**
 
 

2.

The Cross-Cultural Center at San Diego State University is pleased to announce the lecture of nationally syndicated cartoonist and political commentator, Lalo Alcaraz.

The lecture, entitled "Latino USA: A Cartoon History," is part of the Cross-Cultural Center's celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month as well as its Crisis in Contemporary Culture Lecture Series. The lecture will take place on October 2nd at 6:00 p.m. in Casa Real in Aztec Center.

More information at http://www.sdsuniverse.info/info_content_event.asp?id=9602
MORE INFO ALSO-->ON CAMPUS EVENT! 
 

what is extra-credit
 

let's just say you have missed ONE TOO MANY CLASSES or bombed a quiz or plan to bomb a quiz and want some insurance--enter 'extra-credit' your chance to do something utterly cool connected to literature AND help your grade in the class.

for these two lectures/presentations the assignment would be to attend the event and then 'review' it in the style of

www.villagevoice.com
www.thenation.com

or

www.rollingstone.com
 

--2 pages typed
--double-spaced
--written expressly in the STYLE of the magazine you select.
--carefully proofread
--illustrated if you wish
--catchy title
--lots of attitude! (be as critical, smart-assy, savvy, cynical as you wish).
 

When are these extra-credit assignments due?  October 8, 2003 in class.
 

Best of luck!
 

Bill


 

 
Vogt and Lanzbom wash us in their art.


High gets us high on e.e. cummings.

Nericcio bows out.


ciao!