Identity Development in Jewish American Literature
Fall 2014UWS 23A-1(11043)
ID in Jewish AmLit Syllabus*
*subject to revision
Mon/Wednesday 9-9:50
Instructor: Orah Minder
Email:
Office Hours: Mondays 8:30am-9am and 9:50-10:20am
and Wednesdays8:30am-9am and 9:50-10:20am
and by appointment
In this course we will encounter characters establishing themselves as Jewish Americans, struggling to differentiate themselves from their parents and ancestry. We will examine texts by Allegra Goodman, Chaim Potock, and Jonathan Safran Foer as cases of Jewish American identity formation. Erik Erickson’s classic theory of identity development will help us understand these characters as progressing through stages of development. These texts will also enable us to question the parameters of “normal” development thatErikson sets forth. Students will write three essays in this writing course. The first essay is a close reading of Chaim Potock’s The Chosen.The second essay requires students to apply Erik Erikson’s ideas about stages of development as a lens through which to considerAllegra Goodman’s The Family Markowitz.For the final essay students will write a research paper that contributes to the scholarly conversation about Jewish identity formation in one of the literary texts included on the syllabus.
Required Texts:
The Chosen By Chaim Potock
The Family Markowitz By Allegra Goodman
Everything is Illuminated By Jonathan Safran Foer
Write Now
Writing in Response and Writers Ref e-handbook (comes as package)
Course Requirements
- Prompt Attendance is required.
- Tardiness: You must be on time to class. If you are 5 or more minutes late to class, you will be marked as absent. I am very strict about this rule because it distracts from the learning environment and everyone’s education when people come into class late. Perpetual tardiness will impact your participation grade for the course.
- Absences: You are permitted 3 absences over the course of the semester. These absences will not impact your grade. For every absence after these 3 absences you will be deducted one third of a grade for the course. So if you were going to get an A in the course and you had 5 absences over the course of the semester, you will receive a B as a final grade. If you were going to receive a B for the course and you had 6 absences, you will receive a C- as a final grade. If you are absent from a class meeting, you are responsible for all of the material covered in that class. You are responsible for obtaining all assignments distributed and explained during that class session. If you are going to be absent from a class session, I suggest that you notify me as far in advance as possible and I will be more than willing to help you keep caught up with the quick pace of the class.
- Meetings: You are required to attend all meetings that you schedule with me. If you are going to cancel a meeting, you must do so 24 hours in advance. If you miss a meeting or cancel a meeting less than 24 hours in advance, you will be marked absent. Again, more than 3 absences will impact your final grade.
- Class participation is required and counts for 25 percent of your grade. You must actively engage in every class period by voicing your readings of the texts we read and by listening carefully to your classmates’ comments. Over the course of the semester there will also be a number of assignments that are not directly associated with the three primary essays in this course; failure to complete these assignments will lead to a decreased “class participation” grade. Feel free to check with me at any point if you are concerned about this part of your grade. If you are a reluctant participant in classes, let’s talk early on in the semester to develop a plan to help you participate confidently. Here is how I determine your participation grade at the end of the semester:
3. Written Assignments. There are 3 major written assignments in this course that are worth 75% of your final grade. Assignments are due in hard copy and in email form at the beginning of class on the due date. You will lose a third of a grade for each 24 hours after the due date the assignment is turned in (i.e. if you would have received an A-, but your paper is turned in within the first 24 hours after it is due, you will receive a B+. If you would have received a B, but your paper is 3 days late, you will receive a C-.)**All written work must be completed to receive a passing grade in this class**
- Final Grades are based on your class attendance and promptness, your active class participation (25%), assignment 1 (25%), assignment 2 (25%), assignment 3 (25%). Final grades will be calculated using the following point distribution:
94-99 A
90-93 A-
87-89 B+
84-86 B
80-83 B-
77-79 C+
74-76 C
70-73 C-
67-69 D+
64-66 D
60-63 D-
<60 F
- University Policy on Academic Accommodations: If you are a student who has academic accommodations because of a documented disability, please contact me and give me a copy of your letter of accommodation in the first two weeks of the semester. If you have questions about documenting a disability, please contact Beth Rodgers-Kay in the Undergraduate Academic Affairs Office (x63470, ). Accommodations cannot be granted retroactively.
6. University Policy on Academic Integrity: You are expected to be familiar with and to follow the University’s policies on academic integrity (see ). I will refer any suspected instances of alleged dishonesty to the Office of Student Development and Conduct. Instances of academic dishonesty may result in sanctions including but not limited to, failing grades being issued, educational programs, and other consequences.
Tentative Class Schedule
Thursday 8/28- Writing diagnostic.
Due 9/8- Read The Chosen. Come to class prepared to discuss specific passages from the text that interested/confused/surprised you. Please annotate the text as you read.
Monday 9/1 NO CLASS (Labor Day)
Close Reading Essay Unit
Wednesday 9/3- Introductions. Syllabus. Close reading exercise.
Due 9/8- Read The Chosen. Come to class prepared to discuss specific passages from the text that interested/confused/surprised you. Please annotate the text as you read.
Monday 9/8- Discussion of The Chosen. What are some of the essential questions that Potock
is exploring? What are some arguable claims we might make about this text and the characters in it? How might we support these claims with textual evidence?
Wednesday 9/10- Arguable claims workshop. Supporting arguable claims with textual
evidence. By the end of class you should have generated a list of arguable claims that you can more or less support with textual evidence. This list will be helpful as you begin to construct a thesis (overarching argument) for your close reading essay. Distribute close reading assignment. Introduce the six elements of the academic essay.
Due 9/17- Draft 1 of close reading essay
Monday 9/15- Continue discussion of the six elements of the academic essay. Thesis/Motive workshop. Read/Discuss sample essays from Write Now.
Wednesday 9/17- Peer editing of Close Reading Draft 1
Due 9/22- Final Draft of close reading essay
Monday 9/22 Final Draft of close reading essay in hard copy and email today. We will write cover letters in class. Please bring a computer to class.
Due 9/24- Read and annotate Fannie Mae (the first story in The Family Markowitz)
Lens Essay Unit
Wednesday 9/24- Discuss Fannie Mae. What questions is Goodman addressing? Where do we see identity development? Introduce concept of the lens.
Due 10/1- Read The Family Markowitz.
Monday 9/29- Lens workshop. Introduce Erikson
Due 10/1- Read The Family Markowitz.
Due 10/6- complete Erikson outline in hard copy and via email.
Wednesday 10/1- Discuss The Family Markowitz.
Due 10/6- Erikson outline in hard copy and via email.
Monday 10/6- Final draft of Erikson outlines due in hard copy and via email before class.
Due 10/15- Draft 1 of lens essay due in hard copy and via email before class.
Wednesday 10/8- Read sample lens essays from Write Now!
Due 10/15- Draft 1 of lens essay due in hard copy and via email before class.
Monday 10/13 NO CLASS (Brandeis Thursday)
Due 10/15- Draft 1 of lens essay due in hard copy and via email before class.
Wednesday 10/15- Peer edit lens essay
Due 10/20- Draft 2 of lens essay due in hard copy and via email before class.
Monday 10/20- Peer edit lens essay
Due 10/22- Final draft of lens essay due in hard copy and via email before class.
Wednesday 10/22Final Draft of lens essay in hard copy and email today. We will write cover letters in class.Please bring a computer to class. Mid semester evaluations.
Due 11/3- Read Jonathan Safran Foer’s Everything is Illuminated.
Research Essay Unit
Monday 10/27- What is a college-level research essay? What is literary research?How to conduct initial research.
Due 10/29- Locate, Print and read one article about Everything is Illuminated. Come to class with the article and read to discuss the article’s argument and supporting evidence.
Due 11/3- Read Jonathan Safran Foer’s Everything is Illuminated.
Wednesday 10/29- Discussion of initial impressions of Everything is Illuminated.
Due 11/3- Read Jonathan Safran Foer’s Everything is Illuminated.
Monday 11/3- Discussion of Everything is Illuminated. Distribute research essay assignment and introduce annotated bibliography assignment.
Due 11/10- First draft of annotated bibliography due in hard copy and via email.
Wednesday 11/5 Read and discuss the Write Now! sample essays. Choosing a text and topic
that interests you.
Due 11/10- First draft of annotated bibliography due in hard copy and via email.
Monday 11/10 work on annotated bibliographies.
Due 11/17- Final draft of annotated bibliography due in hard copy and via email.
Wednesday 11/12 work on annotated bibliographies.
Due 11/17- Final draft of annotated bibliography due in hard copy and via email.
Monday 11/17 Introduction paragraph workshop.
Due 11/24- First draft of research essay due in hard copy and via email.
Wednesday 11/19
Due 11/24- First draft of research essay due in hard copy and via email.
Monday 11/24- Peer edit first draft of research essay.
Due 12/3- Second draft of research essay due in hard copy and via email.
Wednesday 11/26 NO CLASS (TGiving)
Due 12/3- Second draft of research essay due in hard copy and via email.
Due 12/8- Final draft of research essay due in hard copy and via email.
Monday 12/1
Due 12/3- Second draft of research essay due in hard copy and via email.
Due 12/8- Final draft of research essay due in hard copy and via email.
Wednesday 12/3- Peer edit second draft of research essay.
Due 12/3- Second draft of research essay due in hard copy and via email.
Due 12/8- Final draft of research essay due in hard copy and via email.
Monday 12/8- Final class. Cover letters, portfolio assignment, and course evaluations. Please bring a computer to class.
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