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| How could things have gone so haywire? [Into Thin Air] |
| ...there must always be situations here where the choice to do one necessary thing also means the choice not to do another--not just to defer the other but not to do it. [Mountains Beyond Mountains] |
| One hoped, and the other despaired: they chose their own lots, and were righteously doomed to endure them. [Wuthering Heights] |
| "She would of been a good woman," The Misfit said, "if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life."[A Good Man Is Hard To Find] |
...accident ruled every corner of the universe except the chambers of the human heart. [Snow Falling on Cedars] |
Through fiction and non-fiction, we will explore questions like these: Is all of life determined? Is it ruled by accident? Is what we see as chance really providence? What does moral choice mean in a determined, random, or providentialuniverse? We will also, of course, attend to character, structure, setting and other aspects of these particular works.
Mary E. SteenDepartment of English
| Office: Library 405 | Office Hours: Monday, 1:30 p.m. - 3 p.m. |
| Telephone: x3440 | Tuesday, 3-4 p.m. |
| E-mail: msteen@stolaf.edu | Other times by appointment |
| Words Fail Me, by Patricia O'Connor | Mountains Beyond Mountains, by Tracy Kidder |
| A Pocket Style Manual, by Diana Hacker | Into Thin Air, by Jon Krakauer |
| Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte | A Good Man Is Hard To Find, by Flannery O'Connor |
| Snow Falling on Cedars, by David Guterson |
You will, first of all, write regular, informal responses to the reading. In these reading responses--sent by e-mail to the course alias (general-ed-111d, general-ed-111k)--you should let us know what you think of the reading; what comparisons, reflections, observations it prompts; what questions it raises. You should respond to what other students have written. Reading responses can be informal in tone, but they should still be well written, specific, and thoughtful--criteria on which they will be evaluated. You may skip one reading response without penalty.
You will also write essays in a variety of modes to communicate information, argue a point, interpret a piece of literature, reflect a personal voice. You will get considerable feedback on your writing, both from fellow students and from me, through both individual and group conferences on writing. Thorough revision is a given.
In Class
Much class time will be devoted to discussion--discussion of others' essays, discussion of the readings, discussion of writing strategies. Good class discussion is based on a steady level of contribution by all members of the group. At a minimum you should be prepared to volunteer considered opinions on the reading on a regular basis, and to back up those opinions with evidence from the texts. Even more valuable are questions and comments that relate one reading to another, and connect the readings to the overall topic of the seminar. The best contributions to class discussion will pose interesting questions, pull together issues, and relate our reading to current campus, national and international events. All good discussion is based on listening and responding to each other.
Grading
At the end of the term you will submit a portfolio containing Essays 1 and 3, Essay 2 or 4 (rewritten) and four Reading Responses selected from among those you have written during the semester. Your final grade will be based on this portfolio, plus evidence of thoughtful reading (including both class discussion and reading responses), significant contributions to group work, and such mechanical things as class attendance and turning work in on time.