Comparative Literature 3200 Contemporary Fiction

Spring 2013 T/Th 11:00-12:15 Classroom: 207 MLC

Professor: Frans Weiser, frweiser@uga.edu Office: 227 Joseph Brown Hall Office Hours: T-Th 12:30-1:30

Course Description: What does it mean to write after 9/11? It was once said in reference to the atrocities that the world witnessed during the Holocaust that art was no longer possible. How has the face of American fiction, which emphasized throughout the 1990s inclusion of marginalized groups and ethnicities, while also expanding its geographical gaze to focus upon the rest of the Americas and the world, changed in the twenty-first century as a consequence? Indeed, where is the boundary between American literature and world literature? In this undergraduate seminar, we will explore the directions in which fiction of the last two decades has evolved in the face of changing cultural and political environments. We will unpack denominations such as post-9/11 fiction, post-postmodern fiction, meta-testimonial literature, etc. Each critically-proposed new direction will be coupled with a representative text through which we will analyze and evaluate critical claims regarding the confusing boundaries of contemporary fiction and its discontents. Required Texts (available at Off Campus Bookstore, 696 Baxter St.): 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Falling Man (2007), Don DeLillo The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (2007), Junot Diaz Tropic of Orange (1997), Karen Tei Yamashita Budapest (2003), Chico Buarque Senselessness (2004), Horacio Castellanos Moya Book of Chameleons (2004), Eduardo Agualusa The Savage Detectives (1997), Roberto Bolao

Short readings will be made available via ELC.

Grading: Class Participation: 15% Oral Presentation: 10% Short Responses/Online Discussions: 35% Midterm Essay: 20% Final Essay: 20% Attendance: Departmental policy is that students are allowed the equivalent of one week of unexcused absences (in this case, 2 classes). Each additional unexcused absence will result in a lowering of the participation grade by three percentage points (e.g., from 15 to 12). 8 or more absences will result in the removal of the student from the course. If students know they will be absent on a particular day, it is their responsibility to speak to the instructor in advance. Participation: Attendance is not the equivalent of participation. The expectation is to complete all assigned reading, be prepared with comments and questions, and contribute frequently and substantially to class discussion (10 classes with contributions will be considered criteria for full credit). Additionally, students should always bring the texts to be examined with them to class; this includes shorter works made available on ELC. Occasionally in-class writings will be solicited in order to stimulate discussion; these may be included in the participation grade. Unannounced quizzes may be included if the instructor notices that students are not keeping up with the reading. Responses: 1-2 pages single-spaced. Diverse prompts will build towards longer writing assignments and essays. Are not summaries, but critical analyses of the texts. Oral Presentation: To be completed in pairs. Combining textual analysis with secondary reference(s), students will each present once on course material and briefly lead class discussion. Essay Paper: This assignment of 6-7 pages is comparative and will respectively reflect the material covered in the first and second half of the course. Prompts will be provided. Deadline Policies: Late assignments will not be accepted. If students know they will be absent on a particular day, it is their responsibility to speak to the instructor in advance. Documented cases of illness may be considered as exceptions in special circumstances. Learning Disabilities: Students with disabilities that have been certified by the Disability Resources Center will be appropriately accommodated. Students should inform the instructor of their needs within the first few days of class. The DRC office can be reached at (706)542-8719. Academic Honesty: All academic work must meet the standards set by UGAs A Culture of Honesty (http://honesty.uga.edu/ahpd/procedures.html.) Students are responsible for reading and familiarizing themselves with the policy. Any type of dishonesty or plagiarizing on any of the assignments will result in an F grade for the course and must be reported to the university. 2

Reading Schedule *Subject to alteration *Assignments need to be completed before arriving to class on the day the syllabus lists them

Weeks 1-3: Introduction and Post-9/11 Fiction 01/08: Course Introduction, Glass Hacker Heaven 01/10: Selection from Shields and Vollmers Fakes 01/15: Morleys How Do We Write About This?, DeLillos Falling Man 01/17: Falling Man, Crownshaws Deterritorializing the Homeland in American Studies and American Fiction after 9/11 01/22: Falling Man, Response 1 01/24: Excerpts from Murakamis Underground, Dorfmans The Other 9/11, excerpt from Four Lions Weeks 4-6: Expanding American Studies 01/29: Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Porters Remapping American Literary Studies 01/31: Brief Wondrous Life 02/05: Brief Wondrous Life 02/07: Yamashitas Tropic of Orange, Jays The End of American Literature 02/12: Tropic of Orange 02/14: Tropic of Orange, Response 2

Weeks 7-9: A Post-Postmodern World? 02/19: Buarques Budapest, Hutcheons Representing the Postmodern 02/21: Budapest 02/26: Budapest, Even the Rain (film), Nealons Can Literature Be Equipment for PostPostmodern Living? 02/28: Midterm Essay Draft Due, In-class Workshop 3

03/05: Even the Rain 03/07: Even the Rain, Midterm Essay Due Weeks 10-12: Remembering Global Conflicts 03/19: Castellanos Moyas Senselessness 03/21: Senselessness 03/26: Senselessness 03/28: Agualusas The Book of Chameleons

04/02: Book of Chameleons 04/04: Book of Chameleons Weeks 13-15: Remember the Forgotten 04/09: Irritus Biutiful (film) 04/11: Biutiful 04/16: Bolaos Savage Detectives 04/18: Savage Detectives 04/23: Savage Detectives 04/25: Conclusions, Last Day of class 04/28: Final Paper Due
Appendix: Sample Grading Rubric and Guidelines for Writing Essays: A papers meet the following criteria. (Great papers usually go through at least one draft, perhaps even more.): Argumentation a. Thesis Statement This papers thesis is a significant claim. A significant claim is somewhat contestable (i.e., neither overlygeneral nor something taken as obviously true) and articulated in language concrete enough to allow the reader to identify the central concepts that will be developed in the paper. Supporting Evidence Each claim in this paper is supported by appropriate evidence from the text (or an approved outside source). Moreover, the author has analyzed or performed close reading of the evidence placed before the reader and clearly explained its relevance. Reasoning The logic used to advance the argument in this paper is sound (not specious or just plain crazy). Remember that you should always explicitly state your claims and evidence. If abstract concepts (like society,

b.

c.

d.

e.

humanity, morality) are important to the papers argument, then the concepts are defined in terms of the text or with an appropriate source. Development The author has moved beyond plot summary and personal response to create a paper that demonstrates his/her critical thinking and analytical skills. Each paragraph in this paper exposes a new dimension of the papers thesis. Documentation The author has not misrepresented the text in order to make his/her argument seem more appealing. The author has acknowledged his/her indebtedness to all outside sources (preferably in MLA Style).

Structure a. Intro and Conclusion The introduction and conclusion are coherent and compelling. The introduction grabs the readers attention, identifies the papers central issue, and establishes an appropriate tone for the essay. The conclusion does not simply repeat the points made in the introduction, but rather it reflects upon the implications of the papers thesis statement. Organization The order of the paragraphs makes sense and is not repetitious, while the importance of each paragraph to the overall argument is clear. Position statements at the head of each body paragraph can help maintain this organization and balance between different main points being made.

b.

Mechanics a. b. c. All quotations are properly introduced and integrated into the authors own prose. This paper is virtually free from grammatical errors and is written in an engaged style. This paper is neatly and properly formatted.

A-: In addition to making a significant and nuanced claim, A- papers feature multiple compelling moments of analysis (i.e., moments in which the author is not belaboring the obvious) and are mechanically sound. Note: the difference between an A and an A- is usually a matter of design. Good design takes time time spent brainstorming and rewriting.

B: Papers in the B range lack some of the qualities of an A paper, but at least make a significant (although perhaps not a nuanced) claim and/or feature multiple compelling moments of analysis. They are also neatly and properly formatted. Moreover, the author of a paper in the B range has acknowledged his/her indebtedness to outside sources.

C: Papers in the C range lack most of the qualities of an A paper, have few (or no) moments of analysis, and/or fail to make a significant claim or define the thesis.

F and D papers lack almost all of the qualities of an A paper. They may fail to respond to the prompts or may not adhere to the directions or established conventions.