Tuesdays/Thursdays 11:00 a.m.-1:05
p.m.,
Rm. UW1-050
Office: UW1-137
Office hours: Tuesdays 1:15-2:15 p.m.,
In addition to the Civil War, World War II, and the 1960s, the Great Depression arguably constitutes one of the historical and cultural watersheds of American history. Using original and secondary sources, including film, music, literature, and popular culture, we will take an interdisciplinary, American studies approach to the material, focusing especially on the variety of ideas prevalent among Americans in the 1930s and how they were expressed.
By the end of this course designed especially for the American Studies <http://www.uwb.edu/IAS/undergrad/BA/ams.xhtml> and Culture, Literature and the Arts <http://www.uwb.edu/IAS/undergrad/BA/cla.xhtml> concentrations (but potentially valuable to all concentrations and to students in other UWB programs), students should be able to analyze, with detail and complexity, the intersecting forces of the 1930s and their relationship to literature, and to apply the interdisciplinary methods of American studies to such analyses. In other words, students will develop, simultaneously, historical and cultural knowledge and the skills to understand it. They also will hone their speaking and writing abilities and their use of technology in the pursuit of understanding and the communication of ideas. Students in this course will develop an appreciation of the variety of ideas and values of Americans in the 1930s and the variety of literary themes, forms, and aesthetics. They will gain a sense of intellectual and artistic traditions both continued and departed from. They will learn to analyze texts critically, both in toto and in close reading, a skill that will enable them to excel as lifelong learners in and beyond the University.
Course
texts (available in the UWB Bookstore [save
your receipts for a patronage
refund] and in library
reserve/reference). Note: Click here <http://tinyurl.com/6pamk> and click on the "UW Bothell"
link to order books online. Enter the course line number (shown at the top of
this page) for "UW SLN Code" (leave other spaces blank) and hit 'enter.' All
items have been ordered; contact the bookstore if some materials are not
listed.
Grading: Your grade will be based on these assignments, which are described on separate pages online (links will be activated when ready):
|
Two close readings (best grade of two will be counted) |
10% |
|
Two word journals (best grade of two will be counted) |
10% |
|
Research essay (thesis/bibliography due in midquarter portfolio on Feb. 6; optional paper due in interim portfolio on Feb. 20; final version due in course-end portfolio on March 6) |
40% |
|
Learning portfolio (including reflective paper of 600-1000 words, due online on March 6; ungraded midquarter portfolio due online Feb. 6) |
10% |
|
30% | |
|
TOTAL |
100% |
For important information regarding grades, see <http://faculty.washington.edu/davidgs/Grades.html>.
Schedule:
Th 01/04 Introduction; view Between
the Wars: American Literature from 1915 to 1945 (16 min., BOT 1824) Tu 01/09 "Policy on Academic and Behavioral
Conduct"*; May* Discuss May; introduce word
journals assignment and close
readings
assignment
Th 01/11 Explore "America in the 1930s"
web site (<http://xroads.virginia.edu/~1930s/front.html>)
for at least 30 min. NO CLASS MEETING (snow
day) Tu 01/16 Chandler ch. 1-8; close
reading #1 due in
Blackboard dropbox
NO CLASS MEETING (snow day); discuss Chandler in
Discussion Board area of Blackboard
Th 01/18
Dos Passos*
Introduce research
essay assignment; view
Frankenstein
Tu 01/23 Th 01/25 Discuss Kromer;
introduce learning
portfolio
assignment Tu 01/30 Th 02/01 Tu 02/06 Th 02/08 Cather*;
close
reading #2 due in Blackboard dropbox Tu 02/13 Th 02/15 Tu 02/20
Steinbeck ch. 13-20
Th 02/22 Work on learning
portfolio Tu 02/27 Steinbeck ch. 21-30 Th 03/01 Caldwell (at least first five
chapters) Tu 03/06
by beginning of class
Lerner [Olsen]*; word
journal #1
due in Blackboard dropbox
Discuss Dos Passos;
discuss Lerner [Olsen]
Kromer*
Hurston ch. 1-12
View Without Fear or Shame: 1920-1937 (60
min., TAC 1332, pt. 2)
Hurston
ch. 13-20
Discuss
Hurston
Schwartz*; midquarter
portfolio
due online no later than 10:50 a.m. sharp
Discuss Schwartz; view Nebraska
Historic
Shorts: Introduction to Willa Cather's Red Cloud (17 min., BOT 1809)
Discuss Cather
Hemingway*
View Ernest Hemingway
(30 min., BOT 1403); discuss Hemingway
Steinbeck
ch. 1-12;
word
journal #2
due in Blackboard dropbox
View
and discuss John Steinbeck (45 min.,
BOT 2006);
view and discuss The Plow that Broke
the Plains (25 min., BOT 1774)
View
and discuss Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
(112
min., DVD BOT-203)
NO CLASS MEETING; work on learning
portfolio
Discuss Steinbeck
Discuss
Caldwell
Learning
portfolio
due online no later than 10:50
a.m. sharp
Conclusion
Th
03/08
Reflect on learning
Optional team-building exercise
*Reserves list (in "Course Documents" area of Blackboard except as noted):
Optional: If you are interested in the stock market crash of 1929, you might want to visit <http://valuestockguide.com/the-great-depression-the-stock-market-crash-and-beyond/>. (Thanks to Sarah Washington for this link.)
This schedule is subject to change. The
most current schedule will always be posted here
<http://faculty.washington.edu/davidgs/BIS361Syl.html>
for your reference, and changes will be announced in class, by
e-mail, or both. This course requires a learning portfolio instead of a
final examination.
About course
policies:
Please carefully read the "Course Policies"
at <http://faculty.washington.edu/davidgs/Policies.html>,
which I consider to be part of this
syllabus.
About class communication:
Please carefully read the "Class Communication" document at <http://faculty.washington.edu/davidgs/Communication.html>, which I consider to be part of this syllabus.
About contribution:
Please carefully read the "Class Contribution" document at <http://faculty.washington.edu/davidgs/Partic.html>, which I consider to be part of this syllabus.
Welcome to the course!
This page last updated February 5, 2007.
