Syllabus
HUMN-422—FILM AND LITERATURE
Summer 2004
Faculty Information:
Dr. Al Campbell
E-mail: acampbell@tp.devry.edu
campbell@wolverton-mountain.com
Web Site: www.wolverton-mountain.com
Phone: (219) 928.5598 or (219) 942.5595 (DeVry extension 3684)
Course Identification:
Credit hours: 3
Contact hours: 3
Days/hours course meets: Mondays at 6:-9:50pm
Prerequisite: ENGL-135
Course Terminal Objectives:
1. Analyze individual works of literature and film in terms of the basic elements of narrative structure, including theme, plot, character, setting, conflict, and point of view; compare and contrast the use of these elements between literary and filmic narratives.
2. Assess the purpose and value of narrative literature and film on the individual and cultural level.
3. Analyze the relationship between works of literature and film and the cultural contexts in which they were created.
4. Apply the principles of major literary and cinematic approaches to the analysis of specific works of literature and film.
5. Interpret individual works of literature and film using traditional critical approaches to analysis.
6. Differentiate between key visual elements within a film and examine their relationship to corresponding literary elements.
7. Compare and contrast literature and film as popular media both to each other and to other forms of art.
8. Analyze the considerations involved in translating individual works of narrative literature to film.
9. Analyze the meaning and importance of archetypal images and symbols in both literature and film.
10. Apply both genre and auteur approaches to particular works of literature and film.
11. Evaluate the impact of both past and present technological advances on both literature and film.
Course Description:
This course examines the relationship
between film and literature during the twentieth century. Because so many works
of literature and films have been the result of social, political, and economic
developments in the twentieth century, both a thematic and historic approach
will be utilized to analyze selected works.
Text:
Giannetti, Louis, Understanding Movies, 9th edition, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2002.
Malcolm X, Autobiography of Malcolm X
Steinbeck, John, Of Mice and Men
Student Withdrawal Policy:
Students who wish to withdraw from this course must do so by Friday of Week #8.
Course Evaluation:
Class Participation, Midterm, Term Paper, and Final Exam—each weighted at 25% of Final Grade.
General Education Competencies:
· Communicate clearly with particular audiences for particular purposes.
· Work collaboratively to help achieve individual and group goals.
· Apply critical thinking skills in learning, conducting applied research, and defining and solving problems.
· Develop tolerance of ambiguity and mature judgment in exploring intellectual issues.
· Build on intellectual curiosity with fundamental concepts and methods of inquiry form the sciences, social sciences, and humanities to support life-long learning.
· Apply mathematical principles and concepts to problem solving and logical reasoning.
· Use study and direct experience of the humanities and social sciences to develop a clear perspective on the breadth and diversity, as well as the commonality, of human experience.
· Connect general education to the ethical dimensions of issues and to responsible, thoughtful citizenship in a democratic society.
Classroom Conduct:
Everyone enrolled in this course is expected to conduct her or himself in a way that is respectful of the rights of classmates and others. This includes arriving on time to class, bring attentive and not disruptive, and doing nothing to discourage participation in class by others.
Working together outside of class is encouraged, as this can be an aid to learning. However, in-class exercises (quizzes and tests) are to be done individually; anyone determined to be acting otherwise will be considered guilty of cheating and must bear the consequences of such action. (See the Academic Integrity section below.)
All students are required to comply with the Student Code of Conduct and Academic Integrity Policy as detailed in the DeVry University Student Handbook.
All personal communication devices are to be set to “silent” during class time.
Attendance is expected for each hour of lecture. Attendance will be taken during every class meeting. Absent or late students are responsible for all classroom announcements given during the time they are not present. For further information on the attendance policy of the school, refer to the Academic Catalog and the Student Handbook. Note that the Tinley Park Campus attendance policy allows the professor to withdraw a student from a course when that student has been absent for 30% of the scheduled class hours.
If you are absent for three or more days, you should see the Attendance Coordinator. It is your responsibility to read and understand the school’s official attendance policy, which can be found in the DeVry Student Handbook. If a student is withdrawn from a course, he/she must appeal to the professor of that course, in writing, to be reinstated. If not reinstated, this can affect a student’s eligibility for financial aid and will result in a “W” grade for the course.
Academic integrity policy:
The Student Handbook covers the following in detail:
Prevention Techniques, Copying, Plagiarism, Collaboration, Alteration of Records, Aids Not Permitted, Unauthorized Use of Proprietary Material, Bribery, Lying and Other. Also discussed are the procedures, sanctions, and appeals. Please consult the Student Handbook for Details.
In accordance with DeVry University’s Mission Statement, we are a diverse university community of life-long learners committed to promoting the acceptance and respect of individual differences that are inherent in our university. Through standards of conduct and diversity training, we seek an environment that will ensure the success, well being, and safety of our entire DeVry community.
Students, faculty, staff, and all other members of the DeVry community are expected to respect diversity, which includes, but is not limited to: age, disability, gender, marital status, national origin, race, religion, and sexual orientations.
Students engaging in discriminatory behavior will be subject to the consequences established in the Student’s Code of Conduct in the Student Handbook. Student grievances involving charges of discrimination and sexual harassment should be taken to the Student Services Office.
Student Responsibilities:
Students are required to attend all classes. Group discussion is an integral part of this course; students will be asked to contribute and ask questions.
Term Paper:
You will do a 12-page research project exploring an approved topic of the student’s choice dealing with film and literature.
Weekly Schedule:
July 12, 2004
Theme of the Week: Racism /Ethnic Cleansing
Boys of Brazil (movie)
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
(book)
Understanding Movies—chapter
1 (pages 1-42)
July 19, 2004 Theme
of the Week: Horror
Scream (movie)
Understanding Movies—chapter 2 (pages 43-92)
July 26, 2004 Theme of the Week: Sci-Fi
Gattaca (movie)
Understanding Movies—chapters 3 (pages 93-132)
August 2,
2004 Theme of the Week: The
American Dream
Avalon
(movie)
Understanding Movies—chapter 4 (pages 133-206)
August 9, 2004
Theme
of the Week: Technology
AI (movie)
Understanding Movies—chapters 5 (pages 207-244)
August 16, 2004 Theme of the Week: Human Sexuality
Sex, Lies, and Videotape (movie)
Understanding Movies—chapter 6 (pages 245-294)
August 23, 2004 MIDTERM
August 30, 2004 Theme of the Week: Poverty
Les Miserables (movie)
Of Mice and Men John Steinbeck (book)
Understanding Movies—chapters 7 (pages 295-332)
September 6, 2004 LABOR DAY VACATION
September 13, 2004 Theme of
the Week: Foreign Films
La Strada (movie)
Understanding Movies—chapters 8 (pages 333-372)
September 20, 2004 Theme of
the Week: Film Noir
Casablanca (movie)
Understanding Movies—chapters 9 (pages 373-410)
September 27, 2004 Theme of
the Week: Westerns
High Noon (movie)
Understanding Movies—chapters 10 (pages 411-454)
October 4, 2004 Theme
of the Week: Propaganda Films
Triumph of the Will (movie)
Understanding Movies—chapters 11 (pages 455-492)
October 11, 2004
Theme of the Week: Avant-Garde TERM
PAPER
Blair Witch Project (movie)
Understanding Movies—chapters 12 (pages 493-530)
October 18, 2004 FINAL