LIT 2331.002 Masterpieces of World Literature FA 2011, TR: 11:30 12:45 PM Michael Stone michael.stone@utdallas.

s.edu Office: Office Hours: Tuesday 1:00 2:00 PM The Twentieth-Century German Artist Poetry that was romanticism. But the romantic that was German. Thomas Mann, Chamisso When we venture into the realm of German fiction, we expose ourselves to the laws of a topsy-turvy world, a fairy-tale kingdom in which normal restrictions are invalid and everyday conditions annulled. It is a land of insanity, abnormality, and absurdity without parallel. [T]he grotesque arose initially as a response to a reality that writers considered so absurd that it could be treated only by absurd distortion[but] when everybody is insane, the rational man again comes into his own. Theodore Ziolkowski, The View From the Madhouse genius is sickness, genius is degeneracy Gottfried Benn, The Problem of Genius

Course Description The last century was one marked by some of the greatest heights of human achievement and depths of human depravity simultaneously. The twentieth-century German artist embodied this tension, and their works offer an insight into a world in flux. This course will focus on a sampling of German authors whose writings span the majority of the century, and our readings and interpretations will seek to define the twentieth-century German author as illustrative of a complex worldview that struggles between glory and shame, life and death, beauty and the grotesque, and a host of other contrarieties held in a dissonant-harmony within these artists. Required Texts: Franz Kafka, The Complete Stories. ISBN: 9780805210552 Thomas Mann, Stories of Three Decades. ISBN: 9780394604831 Heinrich Bll, Billiards at Half-Past Nine. ISBN: 9780140187243 Bernard Schlink, The Reader. ISBN: 9780753801727 Christa Wolf, The Quest for Christa T. ISBN: 9780374515348 Uwe Timm, The Invention of Curried Sausage ISBN: 9780811213684 *** All other texts assigned for the course will be supplied by the instructor via printedhandouts or made available in online formats that must be printed and brought to class.

In the case of absence, it is your responsibility to obtain the assigned readings prior to each class meeting. Recommended Texts: Heinrich Bll, The Mad Dog. ISBN: 9780312195496 Wolfgang Borchert, The Man Outside and Other Prose, ISBN: 9780811200110 Wolfgang Koeppen. Death in Rome. ISBN: 9780140187908 MLA Handbook for Writers, Joseph Gibaldi Explanation of Assignments: Quizzes: These unannounced, variously formatted quizzes are designed to test your reading comprehension and will be based solely on the texts assigned for each class meeting. Protocol: As will be scheduled by your instructor, at least once this semester you will write a 1-2 page summary and informal interpretation of that class meetings assigned text and present it to the class as an introduction to that days discussion. Essay #1: 4-7 pages, MLA formatted. This essay should focus on a single work or a combination of two works that have been read and/or discussed in class, and it should offer an interpretation of that text in the context of the course on the whole. Centered on a thesis that situates the work within the themes developed in the course up to this point, your essay should offer an interpretation of the work that looks more deeply at the text than our short class discussions allow. While you may reference those elements discussed in class, your thesis and the majority of your arguments must originate in your own thoughts. In addition, although outside research is not required, you are welcome to use secondary sources to augment your arguments. Research Essay: 8-12 pages, MLA formatted. This is a traditional research essay that centers on a thesis related directly to the course theme: the twentieth century German artist. Unlike the first essay, this essay can be based upon one or more of the works read and discussed in class, or you are welcome to ground your arguments in a text or texts that you can directly relate back to the course theme. Either way, your arguments must be founded on an examination and explication of a literary text or texts in the twentieth century German tradition. In addition, unlike the first essay, this essay requires the use of 5-10 outside sources (either primary or secondary sources) that are distinct from your primary material. Your arguments must interact with existing scholarship in order to prove your thesis. Proposals for this essay, including a tentative bibliography, are due on Nov. 1. Both a proposal and a final essay are required to receive full credit for this essay.

Course Calendar

26. Aug. 30. Aug. 1. Sept. 6. Sept. 8. Sept. 13. Sept. 15. Sept. 20. Sept. 22. Sept. 27. Sept. 29 Sept. 4. Oct. 6. Oct. 11. Oct. 13. Oct.

18. Oct. 20. Oct. 25. Oct. 27. Oct. 1. Nov.

3. Nov. 8. Nov. 10. Nov.

Course Intro: The Purpose and Value of Literature - Louise Cowan, The Necessity of the Classics Literature as Art - Henry James, The Art of Fiction Defining 20th Century European/German Fiction: Defining Tragedy - Essays: TBD Tragic Roots - Thomas Mann, Little Herr Friedmann Tragic Roots - Thomas Mann, Tobias Mindernickel Tragic Roots (contd) - Franz Kafka, The Penal Colony The Tragic Artist - Thomas Mann, The Wardrobe The Tragic Artist (contd) - Franz Kafka, The Hunger Artist The Tragic Artist (contd) - Thomas Mann, Tonio Krger The Tragic Artist (contd) - Thomas Mann, Tonio Krger (contd) The Imminent Crisis: Preparing for Destruction - Thomas Mann, Mario and the Magician The Imminent Crisis (contd) - Thomas Mann, Mario and the Magician (contd) A World Unraveled: War Stories - Heinrich Bll and Wolfgang Borchert Stories (handouts) In-Class Workshop Essay #1 Due Picking Up the Pieces: The Aftermath -Heinrich Bll, Billiards at Half-Past Nine Picking Up the Pieces (contd) - Heinrich Bll, Billiards at Half-Past Nine (contd) Picking Up the Pieces - Heinrich Bll, Billiards at Half-Past Nine (contd) Picking Up the Pieces (contd) - Christa Wolf, The Quest for Christa T. Picking Up the Pieces (contd) - Christa Wolf, The Quest for Christa T. (contd) Picking Up the Pieces (contd) - Christa Wolf, The Quest for Christa T. (contd) Research Essay Proposals Due A View From Afar Looking Back Bernard Schlink, The Reader A View From Afar Looking Back (contd) -Bernard Schlink, The Reader (contd) A View From Afar Looking Back (contd)

15. Nov. 17. Nov. 22. Nov. 24. Nov. 29. Nov. 1. Dec. 6. Dec.

- Bernard Schlink, The Reader (contd) A View From Afar Looking Back (contd) - Uwe Timm, The Invention of Curried Sausage A View From Afar Looking Back (contd) - Uwe Timm, The Invention of Curried Sausage (contd) A View From Afar Looking Back (contd) - Uwe Timm, The Invention of Curried Sausage (contd) Thanksgiving Holiday In-Class Workshop In-Class Workshop Course Summary / Conclusions *Final Research Essay Due (in both hard-copy and electronic submission to receive full credit)

Grading: Participation 10% Quizzes 20% Protocol 10% Essay #1 25% Research Essay 35% Course Policies: Attendance While attendance is not required, your success in the course is dependent on active participation in the readings and class discussions. In addition to the Participation grade, which takes into account the your level of activity, attention, and insight in class discussions and assignments, there will be no make-up quizzes, and you will be responsible for any missed readings, assignments, and other aspects given during our class meeting. Electronics Cell phone usage is prohibited during class. Computers and other similar electronic devices are allowed for note-taking purposes, but use of the any electronic devices for purposes unrelated to our course during class meetings will result in the loss of this privilege. Texts This is a literature course, so in order to be involved in the discussions you must have a copy of the text with you. UT Dallas Student Conduct and Discipline This course will operate in accordance with all UT Dallas policies concerning conduct and discipline, including the section devoted to Academic Integrity.