September 8, 2016
I.
Syllabus
II.
Brief
Introductions
III.
Graff,
“Disliking Books at an Early Age”/Autobiography
In
“Disliking Books at an Early Age,” Gerald Graff tells the story of his
development as a reader (or non-reader), student, and finally teacher of
literary texts. He confesses: “It was through exposure to such critical reading
and discussion over a period of time that I came to catch the literary bug,
eventually choosing the vocation of teaching.
This was not the way it is supposed to happen.”
How
did it “happen” to you? What brings you to this class, to this program, to the
field of English Studies? In this light, which, if any, passages in Graff’s
essay resonated with you? We’ll write for ten minutes on these questions.
IV.
What
is “the standard story of how we learn to read,” according to Graff? What des
this standard story leave out or obscure? How does it impact the way we come to
literary texts as readers? As teachers?
V.
Graff
concludes: “The polite fiction that students will learn to make ‘intellectual
moves’ by being in the presence of them for several hours a week is usually
just that, a polite fiction. . . . In
short, reading books with comprehension, making arguments, writing papers, and
making comments in a class discussion are social
activities. They involve entering into a
cultural or disciplinary conversation, a process not unlike initiation into a
social club.” What does Graff mean here? What are some the identifying
characteristics of this “social club”? If reading, writing, arguing, and
discussing are social activities, how should they be taught?
Assignments:
Critical Exercise #1 due by Tuesday,
September 13 via email; bring a paper copy to class.
For Sep 15: Read Eagleton, Literary Theory, Intro and Chapter 1; McComiskey Introduction,
Chapter 4; Moore and Miller, Introduction.
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