Growing Up in America
Dr. Carmine Sarracino
Spring, 2005
Office Hours:
Wednesdays and Fridays, 1:00- 2:30, and by appointment.
(Wenger #274; x 1237; e-mail: sarracct; webpage:
http://users.etown.edu/s/sarracct)
Texts:
Tom Sawyer, Twain
Ragged Dick, Alger
Little Women, Alcott
Our Town, Wilder
Huckleberry Finn, Twain
The Education of Little Tree, Carter
Goodbye, Columbus, Roth
I Am Charlotte Simmons, Wolfe
Course Description:
Virtually every student in this course will have had the fundamental
experiences that comprise the main subject of this course: the
experiences of family life, intimately knowing some particular place in
America (town, neighborhood, farm), familiarity with American popular
culture, learning norms and customs of behavior, the development of
personal values and aspirations, the joys and disappointments of
friendship and romantic love. As an "expert," each student will keep a
scholar's journal, to jot down responses to the reading, note memorable
passages, and, more specifically, to understand and evaluate the
literature we read in light of one’s own experiences and views.
In this way, the subject matter of the course will in part be
autobiographical for each student. The journal will be used in
discussion groups, and as a source for in-class and out-of-class
essays. You must date each entry, and make at least two entries each
week: they need not be long, and do not need to be carefully written:
spelling, punctuation, paragraph organization will not be issues with
the journal. Just jot down your responses --thoughts, feelings,
questions-- as you read.
Course Purpose:
The main purpose of this course is to allow students, through a careful
reading of important American literature, through film, and through the
examination of their own childhoods, better to comprehend the distinct
experiences that comprise the values and choices of growing up in
America.
Rites of passage, rebellion against familial or societal authority, the
struggle to develop a moral conscience and personal values, to cite a
few examples, appear unique to particular individuals and groups, but
in generalized ways these experiences can be seen to be common across
sub-cultures, races, and sexes. In this course we will deeply explore
both the uniqueness of experiences of growing up in America, and also
the universality of shared problems, crises, challenges and joys.
Further, students will develop their ability to use language, (spoken
and written), to express their ideas and feelings. Although I will have
topics to present to the class from time to time, this will not be a
lecture course: in every class session students can expect to take part
in group discussions, or to make oral presentations to the class, or to
do some writing.
At the beginning of the course I will guide students through the
reading rather carefully, so as to provide a clear sense of the scope
of this course, a sense of the kinds of questions and issues we are
looking to explore. Then I will back away, so to speak, and allow
students to take the lead with Huckleberry Finn and the works
following.
Often we will not discuss a book directly, but will consider general
topics which bear on the big picture of growing up in America and on
particular books we are reading. Again, a caveat: You will be
disappointed and frustrated if you expect this to be a literature
lecture course.
Grading:
Class participation will comprise one-third of the final grade. "Class
participation" means attendance, participation in group discussions,
short quizzes (if any), and making oral presentations (individually or
as part of a panel) to the class. If you meet these requirements
adequately, your class participation grade will be a "C." If you
come to class and sit silently, your class participation grade will be
an "F." To receive a "B" or an "A," you will have to excel.
One third of the final grade will consist of essays students will
write, both in-class and out-of-class. In-class rough drafts will be
written; from these, each student will select two papers to be revised
(two to three pages in length, final version) to be handed in (see
schedule) for grading. In addition, each student will complete a
major research paper (twenty pages) to be handed in on the last day of
class. You may use any appropriate format of documentation (MLA is not
required) and you must have at least six research sources, two of which
may be web sites, so long as they are reliable, (associated with a
university, museum, historical society, for example).
Most of the work on the research paper will be done out of class, but
class time will be reserved for "workshopping" the paper, especially
the final draft. The research paper will be weighted to equal twice the
average of the shorter papers.
Topics for the research paper and other stipulations will be presented
in class. Once you have a sense of the scope of the course, begin
immediately to consider possible paper topics, and mention them to me
before or after class.
Except in extraordinary circumstances (serious illness, family
emergency) late papers will not be accepted and will be recorded as
failures ("F"—numerically a zero).
The final one third of the course grade will consist of the final
examination, an essay exam, in May. (May 10 for the 9:30 section, 8:30-
10:30; May 10 for the 11:00 section, 11AM to 1PM.)
Classroom Etiquette:
Unless you have a medical problem, such as diabetes or hypoglycemia,
please do not bring food to eat in class, including snack foods such as
potato chips, pretzels, bagels. It is your responsibility to
arrange your schedule so that you have time outside of the classroom
for lunch. Beverages, however, are allowed, such as water, juice,
soda, coffee. Cell phones and pagers should be turned off.
Reading Schedule
American Childhood: The Myth
January
18: Introduction to the course.
20: Tom Sawyer (half)
25: Tom Sawyer (finish)
27: Ragged Dick (half)
February
1: Ragged Dick (finish); rough draft #1.
3: Norman Rockwell illustrations; I Am Charlotte Simmons (to chapter
two).
8: Our Town (all); rough draft #2
The Sense/Absence of Belonging
10: The Education of Little Tree (half)
15: The Education of Little Tree (finish); workshop draft
selection
17: paper 1 due
22: Huck Finn (first third)
24: Huck Finn (two thirds)
March
1: Huck Finn (finish); rough draft #3
3: discussion of research topics
15: Little Women, (first third).
17: Little Women, (two thirds)
22: Little Women (finish); rough draft #4
24: workshop draft selection
Conflict and Rebellion
April
5: paper 2 due (in my mailbox by noon); consultations on research paper
(9:30 section)
7: consultations on research paper (11:00 section)
12: Goodbye Columbus (half); workshop research paper
14: Goodbye Columbus (finish); workshop research paper
19: I Am Charlotte Simmons (first quarter); workshop research paper
21: I Am Charlotte Simmons (half); workshop research paper
26: I Am Charlotte Simmons (three quarters); workshop research paper
28: I Am Charlotte Simmons (finish); workshop research paper
May
3: film
5: film (and panel); research paper due