ENGL480/680

PSYCHOLOGY IN LITERATURE AND FILM

SUMMER 2006

Joan DelFattore Class: MW 4:30-8:30, 113 Memorial

302-831-2987 (office) E-mail: jdel@udel.edu

302-737-7124 (home) Office hours: By appointment any day Homepage:www.english.udel.edu/jdel

COURSE GOALS:

Participants in this course will:

* Examine the ways in which contemporary American authors incorporate psychological constructs, such as depression, schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress syndrome, into literature. These literary applications of psychology pertain to characterization, plot, symbolism, narrative structure, and theme.

* Identify the characteristics of different literary and non-literary genres, particularly fiction, drama, poetry, essays, psychological studies, film, and song lyrics.

* Analyze the kinds of expression that each genre, by its nature, facilitates or inhibits.

* Explore the ways in which psychological constructs are presented through the characteristics of each genre to convey ideas, produce emotional responses, and engender suspense, irony, or shock.

* Compare and contrast literary, non-literary, and hybrid treatments of particular topics in order to raise questions about the nature and definition of literature

* Place the literature in the context of related public events, such as World War II and the

women’s liberation movement of the 1960s.

* Consider the effect of an author’s personal experiences on his or her creative output.

* Articulate views concerning the texts and issues discussed in the course, presenting logical arguments and evidence to back up the viewpoints expressed.

* Demonstrate critical reading/writing/viewing, defined as the ability to grapple with the cognitive and emotional content of a work while also recognizing the techniques used to express that content, leading to a well-reasoned and well-supported evaluation of the logic of the argument and the effectiveness with which it is expressed.

* Successfully complete independent research using online and print resources; present the results orally and in writing.

TEXTS IN THE ORDER USED IN CLASS:

Arthur Miller, Death of a Salesman

Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar

Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse Five

Oliver Sacks, The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat

Ken Kesey, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

Class assignments will also include short readings to be printed out by each student. Even if there’s a charge for the printing, it’ll be much less expensive than an anthology or course packet. All students should print out the following items:

Randall Jarrell, “Death of the Ball Turret Gunner” http://www.rjgeib.com/thoughts/gunner/gunner.html

Henry Reed, “Naming of Parts”

http://www.solearabiantree.net/namingofparts/namingofparts.html

Sylvia Plath, “Daddy” http://www.internal.org/view_poem.phtml?poemID=356

Sylvia Plath, “Lady Lazarus” http://www.internal.org/view_poem.phtml?poemID=355

American Psychological Association, “Depression”

http://www.apa.org/topics/topicdepress.html

Each student will sign up for one of these assignments:

American Psychological Association, “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder” (http://www.apa.org/topics/topicptsd.html) or

National Institute of Mental Health, “Schizophrenia” (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/healthinformation/schizophreniamenu.cfm).

TECHNOLOGY:

Students must have an active e-mail account and check it regularly. You will also be expected to access information online and print it out. Students who do not have your own computers, printers, and Internet access are welcome to use the campus computing sites.

Questions about activating e-mail accounts or gaining access to the UD library databases from off-campus should be addressed to the computer hotline at 302-831-6000. You may also find the information you need at www.udel.edu/help.

All course materials are available on WebCT. Go to www.udel.edu/mycourses, log on, and click on ENGL480 or ENGL680. If you need help getting into the WebCT course materials, go to http://www.continuingstudies.udel.edu/udonline/course_access/startup/index.html and click on the Technical Assistance link. If that doesn’t provide the information you need, call the UD Online office at 302-831-1053.

ATTENDANCE POLICY:

Short Version: If I’m here, you’re here.

Missing a single class meeting in the seminar is equivalent to missing an entire week of classes in a regular course, and absences will be excused only in cases of serious illness or family emergencies. Car trouble, arguments with significant others, hangovers, social events, ennui, the need to catch up on work or sleep, appearances on the Jerry Springer Show, or abduction by creatures from another planet are not justifications for excused absences. (Students may argue that the last two are redundant.) Arriving late and leaving early are not options except under unusual circumstances. Students will lose three points from the class participation grade (see below) for each unexcused absence. In addition, students who miss class on a day when an oral report is due may earn no more than half the points for the assignment by handing in a written report. Students who miss a quiz because of an unexcused absence may make it up for half credit.

ACADEMIC HONESTY:

The university’s academic honesty policy, which appears at

http://www.udel.edu/stuguide/04-05/code.html#honesty, will be enforced in this course. If any student plagiarizes all or part of any assignment from online or print sources or from another student’s work, it will be reported to the Office of Judicial Affairs; see http://www.udel.edu/judicialaffairs/ for the procedure.

ADA STATEMENT:

Students with disabilities should contact the University of Delaware’s Office of the ADA for information regarding possible accommodations. See the ADA Policy at http://www.udel.edu/ADA/Stu/stu.html for more information. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the ADA office to receive support.

GRADING (ENGL480):

Three essay quizzes @ 5 points each: 15 points

Notes on “Depression” assignment: 5 points

Notes on Oliver Sacks assignment: 5 points

Psychological background paper: 10 points

Final paper: 30 points

Class participation: 35 points

GRADING (ENGL680):

Three essay quizzes @ 5 points each: 15 points

Notes on “Depression” assignment: 5 points

Notes on Oliver Sacks assignment: 5 points

Psychological background paper: 10 points

Biographical/critical paper: 15 points

Final paper: 35 points

Class participation: 15 points

GRADING INFORMATION (ALL STUDENTS):

Students will lose three points from the class participation grade for each unexcused absence (see the attendance policy above). Students who are repeatedly unprepared for class discussion will be warned if additional points are about to be deducted. Otherwise, students who come to class and are prepared for the discussion may assume that you will receive the full points.

Final grade: 95-100 = A, 90-94.5 = A-, 87-89.5 = B+, 83-86.5 = B, 80-82.5 = B-, 77-79.5 = C+, 73-76.5 = C, 70-72.5 = C-, 67-69.5 = D+, 63-66.5 = D, 60-62.5 = D-, 0-59.5 = F

COMMUNICATION OF GRADES:

E-mail may sometimes be the fastest way to communicate grades or comments on student work, but if you do not wish to receive such information on e-mail, please let me know. If you ask a question on e-mail, I will assume that you expect a reply in the same medium.

SCHEDULE:

NOTE: The discussion questions included in the syllabus are intended to provide guidance in the reading and to facilitate class discussion. They do not represent all that will be covered with respect to each work.

Mon., June 5: Introduction to the course (hello, course)

Brief discussion of clinical depression

Documentary: “Depression and Manic Depression,” 28 mins, VHS6911

Documentary: No More Shame: vol. 2, “Understanding Depression,” 20

mins, VHS6879

Listen to Simon and Garfunkel, “I Am a Rock”

Discuss “I Am a Rock” in conjunction with the documentaries on

depression

Listen to the Beatles, “Eleanor Rigby”

Discuss “Eleanor Rigby” in conjunction with the documentaries on

depression

Are the song lyrics literature? In what ways do the lyricists use elements

of depression to express ideas and feelings? How do they use imagery

and language to achieve their goals?

Assignment for next class:

Go to American Psychological Association (APA), “Depression,”

http://www.apa.org/topics/topicdepress.html. Click on “Ways to

Successfully Treat Depression” and read the material on that page.

Print it out and bring it to the next class. Then backspace to the

original page and click on any two additional links -- choose whatever

interests you. There’s no need to print out that material or to write a

paper as such, but take notes on the information you find and be

prepared to share it with the rest of the class. The notes do not have to

be in paragraph form -- an outline or list of points will be fine. The

notes must be typed.

Wed., June 7: Discussion of APA material on depression

Film, Death of a Salesman vhs 2785, 135 mins.

Discussion of Death of a Salesman

Assignment for next class:

Read Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar. Discussion questions: Why is the book

entitled The Bell Jar? Who were the Rosenbergs and what is their

significance in the novel? How do gender stereotypes affect Esther’s

state of mind? How do the dead baby and the fig tree function as

symbols? What role do Esther’s mother and Esther’s memories of

her father play in the novel?

Write a biographical/critical paper on Plath (one-third of ENGL 680)

Print Sylvia Plath, “Daddy”

http://www.internal.org/view_poem.phtml?poemID=356

and “Lady Lazarus”

http://www.internal.org/view_poem.phtml?poemID=355

and bring them to the next class meeting. There’s no need to read the

poems; we’ll do close reading and analysis in class.

Mon., June 12: Essay quiz on The Bell Jar

Panel presentation on Plath’s life and its relevance to The Bell Jar

Discussion of The Bell Jar

Taped interview: “Mr. Paulin, Dysthymic Disorder,” 15 mins., VHS 729

Small-group close reading and analysis of “Daddy” and “Lady Lazarus”

General discussion of “Daddy” and “Lady Lazarus”

Assignment for Mon., June 19:

Read Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse-Five. Discussion questions: How do the

depiction of authority and the use of absurdist elements contribute to the sense or “feel” of this work? How does the nonlinear presentation of time help to convey mood as well as plot? What is the symbolic significance of the bombing of Dresden and of the cage on Trafalmagore? Why does Vonnegut introduce Trafalmagore at all? What does that contribute to

the novel?

Print out these two poems and bring them to the next class for in-class

close reading and analysis:

Randall Jarrell, “Death of the Ball Turret Gunner”

http://www.rjgeib.com/thoughts/gunner/gunner.html

Henry Reed, “Naming of Parts”

http://www.solearabiantree.net/namingofparts/namingofparts.html

Write a biographical/critical paper on Vonnegut (one-third of ENGL

680)

Write a paper on post-traumatic stress disorder (half of the class)

Wed., June 14: Film, Sophie’s Choice, 152 mins., VHS 2287

Discussion of Sophie’s Choice

Assignment for next class: See Mon., June 12.

Mon., June 19: Essay quiz on Slaugherhouse-Five

Panel presentation on Vonnegut’s life and its relevance to

Slaughterhouse-Five

Panel presentation on post-traumatic stress disorder

Discussion of Slaughterhouse-Five

Assignment for next class:

In Oliver Sacks, The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, read the section(s) for

which you signed up: Part I: “Losses” (one-third of the class); Part 2: “Excesses” and Part 3: “Transports” (one-third of the class); or Part 4: “The World of the Simple” (one-third of the class). As you read, make notes to serve as the basis for sharing this material with the rest of the class. It is not necessary to write a paper as such; just notes, an outline, or a list of the main points in each chapter will be fine. The notes must be typed. In addition, be prepared to answer the following questions (no need to write anything): Is this book literature? Why or why not?

Wed., June 21: Panel presentations of The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat

Film, Awakenings, 2 hours, VHS2158

Discussion of Awakenings

Discussion of the ways in which the nonfiction prose genre and the film

genre present the author’s ideas and perceptions

Assignment for next class:

Write a paper on schizophrenia (half of the class)

Mon., June 26: Panel presentation on schizophrenia

Film, A Beautiful Mind, 135 mins., DVD536

Discussion of A Beautiful Mind

Assignment for next class:

Read Ken Kesey, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Discussion

questions: Was McMurphy mad? Was his rebellion against the

Big Nurse’s authority justified? How are women depicted in

the novel, particularly with regard to their role in threatening or

enhancing the manhood of the male characters? How do Mr.

Tabor and Ellis function as symbols in the novel? Identify

examples of Christ imagery and explain their significance.

What is the significance of the title?

Write a biographical/critical paper on Kesey (one-third of ENGL680)

Wed., June 28: Essay quiz on One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

Panel presentation on Kesey’s life and its relevance to One Flew

Discussion of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

“Back from Madness: The Struggle for Sanity” 53 mins., DVD1382

Mon., July 3: Presentation of ENGL480 papers

Class discussion and critique

Wed., July 5: Presentation of ENGL680 papers

Class discussion and critique

Revised ENGL480 papers due

Fri., July 7: Revised ENGL680 papers due