Special Topics in Writing: Writing about Women--Cultural and Historical Contexts in America, 1850-1950.

English 0388-001

Professor Beth Ann Rothermel

Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:30-4:30, and by appointment. Bates 213, #572-5336.

E-mail: brothermel@foma.wsc.ma.edu

Meeting place and time: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12:45-2:00, Bates 203

Required Texts and Supplies:

Welcome!

General Course Description: This course will examine the works of women writing between the years of 1850 and 1950, a period that begins with the rise of the "cult of domesticity" and ends just prior to the onset of second-wave feminism. We will look at essays, poems, personal narratives, short stories, speeches and novels, studying the ways in which women authors voiced their feelings about and criticisms of social and political practices current to their times.

So that we might better understand the relationship of social context to our own writings, we will read texts as cultural products and study them in terms of their historical background. We will emphasize the three modes of persuasion, paying specific attention to the way that ethos, pathos, and logos function in the works we read and write. We will also consider the relationship between form and content, examining how style helps or hinders writers in forwarding arguments and ideas.

Specific Course Goals--at the end of this semester you should be able to:

Attendance: This class requires collaborative learning. Attendance is vital and multiple absences will affect your grade.

Much of the work that we will be doing in this class involves discussion. Your success, as well as the success of your peers, depends upon your regular participation. This is especially true on days when rough drafts are due. Failure to attend class on these days will most certainly affect your grade.

Assignments: Assignments will include a reflective/personal essay; an exploratory essay; a critical review; a researched argument; and a final work of short fiction, poetry, autobiography, or argument. For most of these essays you will write and submit at least one rough draft before producing the final draft. Over the course of the semester you will also complete several peer critiques, keep a reading journal, and give a brief presentation.

Assignments handed in late will be marked down (five points per day). Failure to hand in rough drafts and peer critiques will lower the grade on your final draft considerably (see section on grading). All drafts should be typed and double-spaced. Papers should be documented using MLA guidelines. You will always need at least 2 photocopies of your rough drafts. Consider this an additional course expense. Students should also retain a photocopy of all their final drafts. Conferences with the instructor will be arranged when necessary. Any exceptions to the above guidelines must be discussed with me in advance of due dates.

Grading: Your final grade will be based on the following assignments:

For a total of 1000 points.

Most papers will receive two grades: the first grade, for product, will be added into your essay grade accordingly; the second grade, for process, will be added into your participation grade. Note, however, that failure to pass in a rough draft on the date the rough draft is due will not only leave you with a process grade of zero, but also will lower your final product grade by one grade.

When I compute grades at the end of the semester, numbers will correspond to the following letters (i.e., 925 and above equals A, 900-924 equals A-):

Scholastic Dishonesty: Scholastic dishonesty will not be tolerated. See the college's policy on plagiarism in the current course catalogue.

Assignments

All readings are found in the required texts unless otherwise specified. Additional informal writing assignments will be given throughout the semester. Note that assignments and due dates are subject to change.

September

October

November

December

Your final paper is due in my office no later than Friday, December 22 at 12:30. With your assignment you must also turn in a self-addressed manila envelope large enough to hold your work.