acoykenda/450/f12.htm
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(password 450)
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/ Literature 450/592 (Fall 2012):Major Authors: Freud and Hitchcock
Dr. Abby Coykendall
abbcoy at gmail.com
Pray-Harrold Hall 603J
Office Hours: TTh 12:20–2:20, W 7:45–8:30 PM
Phone: 734.487.0954
~ or email for an appointment ~
Pray-Harrold Hall 318
Tuesday & Thursday 11:00–12:15 pm
Registration #13115
Literature 450/592: Major Authors (Sigmund Freud and Alfred Hitchcock)
LITR 450/592 will immerseyou in a multiplicity of works by the same author toenableyou tointerpreteach work more closely, creatively, and critically in light of your semester-longengagement with the others.The joint focus of the Major Authors course for this termwill be Sigmund Freud and Alfred Hitchcock, respectively one of the most influential modernist philosophers and most influentialfilm directorsof all time.LITR 450/592 will thus be unique this semester in focusing on a theorist as well as an artist, neither of whomhashistoricallybeen valued as an “author”in the strictly literarysense of that termin the first place.
Freud’s works areusually applied tothose of other authors in order toelucidate ulterior meanings, not treated as creative—much less asintricate, innovative, or conflicted—textsin and of themselves demandingattentive analysis.Hitchcock’s works have mostcertainly garneredthat famous director an auteurstatusin the eyes of most critics, literaryor otherwise (auteur being French for “author,” especially the creative mastermindbehindacinematic oeuvre, or large body of filmic artworks), yet the uniquely literary quality of these films hasat times passed unnoticed simply becauseHitchcocktailoredthem forpopular fantasy and the often-reviled arena of consumer culture.
As we will come to see,Freud and Hitchcock can be considered not only fascinating imaginative authorsbut also savvy theorists of theimaginationin their own right, offeringideal objects of exploration for studentslike yourselves trainedto appreciate and analyze literature—not the least reason being thateachof these authors were avid, self-reflexive readers as well. This course will therefore concentrateless on theliteraryor historical contributions of these two authors—as distinguished as those contributions ultimatelywere—than on the poetic, political, and philosophical stakessurroundingthe concept of authorship itself. We will inquire, for instance, why some forms of artgarner the aura of “high art” in contradistinction to others (literature instead of film);how some artworks, and not others, come to be construed as outrageous or scandalous (and whyany given artwork perhaps ought to shock so as to cultivate new modes of civility);as well as the degree to whichauthors working in a range of genres must blur thelines betweenpoetics,politics, and philosophyin order toinduce criticaland creative positionswithintheir audiences.
Required Materials:
Some of the required texts are available on reserve at the Halle library circulation desk, but they may also be in high demand during the weeks that we cover them (click on the asterisks ** by the titles for availability).Double checkthe ISBN number, a fingerprint of sorts for the book, to ensure that you get the same editions pictured below:
Alfred Hitchcock, The Essentials Collection (recommended DVD collection)
David Sterritt, Films of Alfred Hitchcock(Cambridge1993; ISBN #0521398142)**
Sigmund Freud, Interpretation of Dreams, Trans. Strachey (Basic2010; ISBN #0465019773)**
Freud, Dora: An Analysis of a Case of Hysteria (Simon & Schuster 1997; ISBN #0684829460)**
Freud, Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality (Basic 1976; ISBN #0465086063) **
Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents (Norton 1989; ISBN #0393301583)**
The remaining texts can be accessed and/or printed from campus computersin the Electronic Reserves (ER): password 450. Bring copies of the ones that we will be covering to class.
CourseItinerary:
Nothing is more vital for success in this course than keeping up with, and actively engaging in, the reading/viewing assignments, response papers, and class discussions each week. The more actively you participate, the more fully the course content can reflect your unique needs and interests. See the Schedule (/sch.htm) for the activities requiredfor class(webpages associated with this class begin
Typically, each week we will watch a Hitchcock film in tandem with reading a work by Freud; the heaviest reading regimen falls during the first part of the term, when we will be covering the Interpretation of Dreams, butit will afterwardstaper out to allow time to concentrate on the paper due at the semester’s close. (The other three books are around a hundred pages each,much less than the Interpretation combined.)
Coursework:
The weekly assignments ensure ongoing preparation for and participation in the class. Depending on your group number—see the groups handout (/groups.htm)—you will be composing discussion questions or response papers on the films or readings for the week, or enjoying a week’s reprieve from written homework. The homework assignmentshandout(/hw.htm) explains each task indetail.
Most classes will consist of interactive discussions stemming from the groupwork, which is simply a way to organize which set of students do which assignment (and with which materials) each week—thus diversifying the topics highlighted in class discussion, the people responsible for bringing those issues to our attention, as well as the skills that they use to do so. There is, however, no “groupwork” properly speaking; that is, collaboration your peers on the same assignment.
Some works may prove daunting to read, but you need not master every concept that the author unfolds. Focus on the big picture, tracing three or four key arguments, honing in on specific ideas most of interest to you, and drawing connections between those ideas and the films that we will be discussing for the week.
Graduate Students:
Thosetaking the course for graduatecredit must read both the supplementary andrequired readings, bring in quotations for the class to discuss on weeks when the undergraduates in your group have no written homework, compose longer writing assignments, and incorporate more sources into the term paper andessay exams (guidelines on the assignments will specify all of the above).
Instructor Availability:
I will be delighted to discuss any course-related questions, interests, or concerns in person during my office hours, as well as at any time through email (abbcoy at gmail.com).Emails with straightforward questions usually receive a reply within a few hours to a day; those with thornier issues typically receive a reply before the next class period and at most within a week.
Please limit emails to inquiries that I alone can answer so that I can give the more pressing inquiries of other students the attention that they deserve.If, for example, you are unsure about a due date, consult the syllabus (/f12.pdf), the homework handout(/hw.htm), or the peers in your group (groups.htm), and then email me only if the confusion persists.
The first time that undergraduate students visit my office hours in person with a course-related inquiry—such as to get guidance on the homework, discuss the readings that we have lately covered, or brainstorm essay or exam ideas—I will give 10 points extra credit for the visit.
Assessment:
20% / Participation (responses, homework, groupwork, & quizzes) / due dates:25% / Examination #1:Desire and Interpretation(self-designed essay exam tying together section materials) / October 18
5% / Paper Proposal(essay guidelines will be available in advance) / November 20
25% / Examination #2: Culture and/as Perversion (self-designed essay exam tying together section materials) / December 13
25% / Tern Paper(minimum length: 6 pages undergraduate, 15 pages graduate) / December 19
Attendance:
Because this course primarily consists of reading and discussion—rather than facts, figures, or memorization—regular attendance is crucial.You never need to explain your absences, as I will always assume that you have an excellent reason to miss class; however, students who miss more than FOUR classes for any reason will have their final grade reduced by a full mark, and those who miss more than FIVE classes will not be eligible to pass.Reserve the allowable absences for illnessesor other emergencies truly preventing you from coming to class so as to not exhaust them too early in the term.
When you must be absent, contact students in your group(/groups.htm)to share notes or determine what you missed.Any changes to the Schedule (/scd.htm) will be sent to the class as a whole by email.Besides the exams, which must be taken on the scheduled day, missed homework is due on your return.
Lateness:
The most essential information—due dates, assignment instructions, clarification of outstanding issues—is typically given at the beginning of class, so it is essential to come on time.Leave home early just in case you encounter any problems along the way (traffic jams, late busses, no parking).Arriving well into the class period or exiting well before its conclusion each count as half an absence.If you come late, it is your responsibility to sign the attendance sheet to avoid being marked absent.Habitual lateness that disrupts the class will eventually be counted as an absence as well.
Classroom Etiquette:
It is important to be mindful of your peers during class time, listening to them with the same respect and attention that you hope to receive yourself.Once class begins, do not distract your peers by walking in or out of the room unless there is a genuine emergency.If you have a medical condition requiring you to exit occasionally, bring a doctor’s note confirming as such; if not, reserve all personal business,including bathroom or water breaks,for after class.
Disruptive exits can be both mental and physical. Students unprepared to discuss the texts for the day may be asked to leave and marked absent; so too will students staring at non-course-related content on tablet or laptop screens, especially for long stretches of time or repeatedly. This course has a no-cell-phone policy, so do not bother taking those instrumentsout during class time.
Grading Scale:
100-94% / A / 89-88% / B+ / 83-80% / B- / 77-74% / C / 69-68% / D+93-90% / A- / 87-84% / B / 79-78% / C+ / 73-70% / C- / 67-64% / D
Academic & Campus Resources:
The University Writing Center (115 Halle Library) offers one-to-one writing consulting for both undergraduate and graduate students. Make appointments or drop in from 10AM to 4PM Mondays through Thursdays and from 11AM to 4PM on Fridays. Bring a draft of your work and the assignment. The UWC also has several satellite sites across campus, including in Pray Harrold 521 (open 10–2 M–Th).
The Academic Projects Center (116 Halle Library) offers one-to-one, drop-in consulting for students on writing, research, or technology-related issues from 11-5 Monday-Thursday. Another support center is the International Student Resource Center (200 Alexander, 487-0370) dedicated to second-language students from abroad.
Also consider availing yourself of the campus escort service, Student Eyes and Ears for University Safety, by calling 48-SEEUS (487-3387).If you sign up for the emergency text-messaging system ( DPS can notify us of any calamity afflicting the campus.
Academic Integrity:
Doing all coursework on your own is imperative.Copying the homework of peers, taking credit for essays that you find on the internet, cheating on exams, or recycling your own essays written for other classes for double credit are all forms of academic dishonesty.The worst form of academic dishonesty is plagiarism, which, put simply, is taking either the ideas or the words of another person and reusing them as if they are your own. You must acknowledge when you make use of the concepts and/or expressions of other people without any exception under any circumstance,whether it be by drawing on Wikipedia for mundane (and quite possibly specious) information or channeling the most holy of holy books for heavenly inspiration.
When describing the ideas of someone else in your own words, make sure to signal as such (e.g., “So and so says X … ”); most importantly, when inserting the words of someone else into your own writing, make sure to credit that person for the passage and place quotation marks on either side (e.g., So and so says “X”).Writing lacking these acknowledgements will pass as your own by default, and any writing that thus seems to be your own, without actually being your own, will be plagiarizing the original source.
All instances of academic dishonesty will result in an automatic 0% grade for the assignment; second instances will result in outright failure of the course.There is no excuse for academic dishonesty, nor will there be any exceptions to this policy.Make sure that your work is plagiarism-free before turning it in.
[Syllabus last modified August 2, 2012]
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