Philip Roth’s Early Complaints Syllabus*
Fall 2016 UWS 25B
Monday /Wednesday 9-9:50
Instructor: Orah Minder
Email:
*subject to revision
Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday 10-11:30 in the ASAC Atrium and by appointment
Philip Roth made his debut on the American literary scene in 1959 with his collection of six short stories Goodbye, Columbus; Roth has since become one of the most prolific American writers. We will read the stories in this collection and consider the juxtaposition of the diverse range of issues: from incisive critique of 1950s America; to the sardonic romance found in the title story; to the integration of Holocaust survivors in suburban America in Eli, the Fanatic; to the sacrilege of Ozzie, a Jewish day school student, in The Conversion of the Jews. Discussions will focus on Roth’s presentations of race, class, and otherness. What are the parameters of the boundaries that divide people in these stories? How is power negotiated and transferred between characters? A decade later, the reverberations of ribald humor in Portnoy’s Complaint extended beyond the literary scene, shaking communities across America. We will articulate and consider how this text reworks and extends themes brought up in Goodbye, Columbus. We will use Sigmund Freud’s theories of emotional ambivalence and the Oedipus complex to illuminate Roth’s texts.
There will be three required essays for this course: for the first essay, students will do a close reading of one of Roth’s short stories; for the second essay, students will use Freud’s theories of emotional ambivalence and the Oedipus complex to illuminate Portnoy’s Complaint; for the third essay, students will choose to read American Pastoral, The Plot Against America, or The Human Stain and write a research paper that analyzes a range of critical response to one of these works.
Course Requirements
1. Prompt Attendance is required.
a. Tardiness: You must be on time to class. If you are 5 or more minutes late to class, you will be marked as absent. Please put in the effort to be on time to each class session; late arrivals distract from the learning environment.
b. 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.
c. 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 grade.
2. 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:
A participation is … you always come to class on time and prepared; you are always engaged in class discussion and activities; you always help keep discussions relevant, interesting, and on-task in small and large groups.
B participation is … you usually come to class on time and prepared; you tend to be engaged in class discussion and activities; sometimes you help keep discussion relevant and interesting in small and large groups.
C participation is … you tend to come to class late; you are often unprepared for class; you tend not to be engaged in discussion and activities; sometimes you distract from small and large group activities.
3. Written Assignments. There are 3 written assignments in this course that are worth 75% of your final grade. Assignments are due at the beginning of class on each of these due dates. 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.
4. 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 74-76 C
90-93 A- 70-73 C-
87-89 B+ 67-69 D+
84-86 B 64-66 D
80-83 B- 60-63 D-
77-79 C+ <60 F
5. 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.
University Policy on Academic Integrity: You are expected to be familiar with and to follow the University’s policies on academic integrity (see http://www.brandeis.edu/studentlife/sdc/ai ). 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 8/25-
In class: Writing Diagnostic
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Monday 8/29-
In class: Introductions & Syllabus
Wednesday 8/31- Due- read the title novella in Goodbye, Columbus. Come to class
prepared to discuss specific passages from the text that interested / confused / surprised you. Please annotate the text as you read.
In class: discuss Goodbye, Columbus & distribute close reading assignment. What are some of the essential questions that Roth 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?
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Monday 9/5- NO CLASS- LABOR DAY
Wednesday 9/7- Due- read Conversion of the Jews and Defender of the Faith. Come to
class prepared to discuss specific passages from the texts that interested / confused / surprised you. Please annotate the texts as you read.
In class: Introduce the six elements of the academic essay. Thesis/Motive/arguable claims workshop (practice 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.
Thursday 9/8- BRANDEIS MONDAY Due- read Eli, the Fanatic. Come to class prepared to discuss specific passages from the text that interested / confused / surprised you. Please annotate the text as you read.
In class: Evidence/Analysis workshop & sign up for one-on-one meetings
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Monday 9/12- Due: Bring to class a hard copy of a “working thesis” and a
“working motive.” Please also bring to class a bulleted list of evidence that supports your “working thesis.” Finally, include some notes about how your evidence supports your thesis.
In class: Structure workshop.
Wednesday 9/14- Review Write Now! essays
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I will meet with each of you this week to discuss your essays.
Monday 9/19- Due- draft 1 of close reading essay.
In class: review Write Now Essays
Wednesday 9/21- Peer editing session in class.
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Monday 9/26- working session & check ins.
Wednesday 9/28- Due: Close Reading essay
In class: cover letters & looking ahead to the lens essay
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Monday 10/3- NO CLASS- ROSH HASHANNAH
Wednesday 10/5- Due: Read first 100 pages of Portnoy’s Complaint.
In class: Watch Freud Lecture.
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Monday 10/10 Due: Read Portnoy’s Complaint. Come to class prepared to discuss
specific passages from the text that interested / confused / surprised you. Please annotate the text as you read. What questions/themes is Roth addressing?
Wednesday 10/12- NO CLASS- YOM KIPPUR
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Monday 10/17- NO CLASS- SUKKOT
Wednesday 10/19- Due: Read Civilization and Its Discontents
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Monday 10/24- NO CLASS- SUKKOT
Tuesday 10/25- BRANDEIS MONDAY
In class: Discuss Civilization and Its Discontents
Wednesday 10/26- Due: Freud Outline Assignment
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Monday 10/31
In class- Lens essay thesis/motive/arguable claims workshop.
Wednesday 11/2
In class- Lens essay structure workshop
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I will meet with each of you this week to discuss your essays.
Monday 11/7- Due: Lens essay draft 1.
In class: Read & Discuss Write Now! lens essays.
Wednesday 11/9
In class: Lens essay peer editing.
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Monday 11/14 Due: Lens essay
In class: cover letter & looking ahead.
Wednesday 11/16- Due: Read the first 100 pages of your novel of choice. Come to class
prepared to discuss specific passages from the text that interested / confused / surprised you. Please annotate the text as you read.
In class: Introduction to the library resources.
Thursday 11/17- ??LibFYI session??
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Monday 11/21 Due: Complete your novel of choice. Come to class prepared to discuss
specific passages from the text that interested / confused / surprised you. Please annotate the text as you read.
Wednesday 11/23- NO CLASS- THANKSGIVING
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Monday 11/28- Due: First draft of annotated bibliography due
In class: Introduction paragraph workshop.
Wednesday 11/30 Due: Final draft of annotated bibliography due
In class: Body paragraph workshop
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I will meet with each of you this week to discuss your essays.
Monday 12/5- Due: Draft 1 of your research essay.
In class: peer editing
Wednesday 12/7- LAST DAY OF CLASS
In class: course evaluations & wrap up. Please bring your computer to class.
Wednesday, December 14 Research Essay Due via email to .
Friday, December 16 Final Portfolio Due via email to .
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