English 1000

Vampire as Cultural Construction: Researching, Revising and Re-evaluating Myth

This class poses a series of questions that will enable a semester-long discussion about the undying popularity of vampires. First, what makes the vampire (in all its many forms) so appealing? Second, how do vampires continue to reflect current (and past) cultural trends, fears, anxieties, and desires? Last, what can tracing the changes in the vampire tales we tell ourselves, ultimately tell us about us? By engaging with literature that directly (or indirectly) takes on the topic of vampirism, from pulp fiction to academic articles, we will build a well-rounded foundation for exploring these questions (always with the understanding that we may not ever be able to agree on any answers—and that’s ok).

DESCRIPTIVE OVERVIEW

Even though our topic for this course isn’t traditional, you will still gain “traditional” skills and strategies for writing across the curriculum.  English 1000 stresses writing as a process, with due attention given to critical reading and thinking skills. Thus, this class incorporates exercises of invention, drafting, revising, and re-writing in preparation for final, polished essays.

 My class is not a lecture course. It is a discussion course. This means that you are expected to come to class ready to add something to our discussion. You should enter the classroom each day with one question or point you have formed on your own and that you will be comfortable sharing.  It is a good idea to write these ideas down so that you don’t forget them.

COURSE GOALS

By the end of this course you should have gained familiarity with a diverse range of communication skills, including, but not limited to: comprehension, analysis, persuasion, investigation, problem-resolution, evaluation, explanation, and refutation. These skills will be acquired through a process of composition that involves numerous drafts of unit papers, small writing assignments, peer-reviews, professor-conferencing, small assignments, group work, presentations and individual research.

COURSE MATERIALS

Required Materials

A notebook specifically for this course

The Penguin Book of Vampire Stories

Articles available on e-reserve

Writing Analytically 5^th Edition

Recommended Materials

 A portable or desktop file case or an accordion folder

A portable USB storage device

A college-level dictionary

MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS

(The following are brief instructions for the major assignments you are required to complete in this class. I will give you more detailed instructions as the due-dates approach).

Paper #1: Definition of a Vampire (3 pages double spaced, in MLA format)

According to Dictionary.Com, the term Vampire could refer to any one of the following:

1.       A preternatural being, commonly believed to be a reanimated corpse, that is said to suck the blood of sleeping persons at night.

2.       (in Eastern European Folklore) a corpse, animated by an undeparted soul or demon, that periodically leaves the grave and disturbs the living, until it is exhumed and impaled or burned.

3.       A person who preys ruthlessly upon others; extortionist

4.       A woman who unscrupulously exploits, ruins, or degrades the men she seduces.

5.       An actress noted for her role as an unscrupulous seductress: the vampires of silent movies.

Using one or more of the stories that we have read during our first unit, write your own multi-layered definition of the term: vampire. Your goal here is not to pick one character that already exemplifies your definition (though you can draw on a few that exhibit one or more of the qualities that will fit under your definition) and describe him/her.  Instead you should focus on complicating the idea of vampirism by focusing on the vampire-as- cultural construction. Some questions you might want to consider answering in this paper are: how does the vampire operate as a metaphor that speaks to specific social issues/crises? What makes one version of a vampire more compelling than another (in your opinion)? (Does your opinion have anything to do with your specific cultural/social moment?). How does your vampire definition deal with any of the following themes we have discussed as a group (you should not address all of these issues; pick and choose a few that interest you the most): technology, immigration, sexuality, gender, race, food/consumption, desire, denial, folklore, human vs. animal, dead vs. undead etc?

Paper #2: Vampire Annotated Bibliography with a Twist (6 items complete with image and annotation).

Now that you have come up with your own definition of vampire, you will need to do some research to understand the ways in which other people imagine the vampire.  The goal of this paper is to familiarize you with the process of gathering information (research) and putting multiple sources together to create a new and original meaning in your own words. You will choose 6 pop culture vampire icons (these can range across film/literature/comic books/games, etc) and provide a visual annotated bibliography on your findings. For each icon that you choose you must include 1 image that best represents that icon (to you) and create a short annotation that explains what the image is, what the history of the image is, how the image operates in modern culture, and how you think it connects to the other images you have chosen.  You will be expected to include the website addresses for any site you visit (and make use of) to conduct research in your annotation. You are also expected to familiarize yourself with uploading images into Microsoft Word/Flickr for this project.

Paper #3: Creating a Vampire Portfolio

*Two Options

Option I. Create Your Own American Vampire and Vampire Legend

For this project you will build upon the skills you have been learning all semester to create a vampire portfolio. This portfolio will require you to do research using multiple sources (both internet and print databases) and require you to synthesize your own ideas with secondary sources. Your final assignment asks you to:

1.       Revise your definition of a vampire to incorporate what you have learned throughout the semester, and to reflect your personal preferences in vampire characterization.

2.       Work with a theme/issue that interests you (it can come from class discussions or one that you find on your own) and has been associated with vampires. Talk about the ways in which your vampire embodies this theme/issue.

3.       Come up with a list of 5 determinants that can be used to figure out if a vampire is “good” or “bad” and describe how your vampire fits (or doesn’t fit) this list. You should use 5 sources (these can be a blend of course readings and sources that you find on your own).

4.       Find a contemporary setting in America that might make a good “habitat” for your vampire, and tell us why.

5.       TBA

Option II. Research An Existing American Vampire and Legend (Fictional or “Real”)

1.       Revise your definition of a vampire to incorporate characteristics that your vampire subject embodies.

2.       Discuss one theme/issue that interests you (it can come from class discussion or one that you find on your own) that is associated with your vampire. Talk about the ways in which your vampire embodies this theme/issue.

3.       Come up with w list of 5 determinants that can be used to figure out if your vampire is “good” or “bad” (these can be a blend of course readings and sources that you find on your own).

4.       Discuss the region (as habitat) that your vampire comes from, and tell us how this region works with the legend.

5.       TBA

 MINOR ASSIGNMENTS

Minor Assignment I: Class Blog

 Every Friday evening at the end of our week, I will post a question on our course blog that addresses assigned readings for next week, issues that I want to bring up in class discussion next week, and general areas of inquiry that I feel will be useful to us that week. These questions will not always be inquiries about vampires; instead these questions may address concepts/skills/strategies that we are learning in class and that contribute to your process (and progress) as a writer. You are required to post a comment to each of these entries a minimum of 10 times (there will be 14 questions total) by Friday afternoon at 4pm the week after it is posted. For example, the first question will be posted on January 26^th and you are expected to post your answer by January 30^th at 4pm.

A Quick Note about UserNames: Your username for this course should be the first half of your email for Mizzou (or in the rare case where that name is already taken, it needs to match the first half of your email as closely as possible). As an example, my email is nmkgg3@mizzou.edu and my username for the course blog would accordingly be nmkgg3.

A Quick Note About Blogs: The blog is a public forum that anyone can view online, so you should pay careful attention to your response (both content and grammar should be carefully considered). Further, you should always be respectful of your peer’s opinions—no matter whether they match your own. Should you feel uncomfortable posting comments on a blog, you will need to email your response to both me and your classmates  by Friday at 4pm. Finally, even though you are posting these blog entries online for the class to read, you should also come to class ready to discuss them each week.

Minor Assignment II: Group Reading Assignment/ Secondary Source Summary and Presentation (10-15 min Presentation)

You will be assigned to a discussion group at the beginning of the semester. Your third assignment will involve reading a complex (and often complicated) academic article on the subject of Vampirism. Your group will be responsible for creating a presentation that summarizes this article for the class. Each group member will be expected to read the entire article, though I would suggest that you break up the article into manageable sections for the presentation.  Only one class period will be allotted to planning your presentation, so it is important that you collect contact information from all of your group members and keep in touch with each other outside of class.

Minor Assignment III: Individual and Group Character Analysis Presentation (5% individual, 5% group)

This assignment will be two-fold. You will be assigned a character to “track” in the film Underworld. You will take copious notes during our viewing in order to answer a variety of characterization questions that I have created for you. Then, you and your group members (who have taken their own notes on the same character) will construct a more detailed and comprehensive character analysis together and present that analysis to the class. You will be required to cite information from the “text” to support your analysis.

*It may be a good idea for you to rent this film on your own, or to research it in more detail on IMDB.Com.

FINAL GRADE BREAKDOWN

Blog responses	10%
Paper #1: Vampire Definition	15%
Paper #2: Vampire Annotated Bibliography with Visuals	20%
Paper #3: Vampire Portfolio Project (Option I or II)	25%
Group Reading Assignment: Secondary Article Summary and Presentation	10%
Group Writing Assignment: Character Analysis from Underworld	10%
Peer Review	10%

 

GRADE EQUIVALENTS

A+          97-100                   C+           77-79

A             94-96                     C             74-76

A-           90-93                     C-            70-73

B+           87-89                     D+          67-69

B             84-86                     D             64-66

B-            08-83                     D-           60-63

*Anything lower than a D- is FAILING

COURSE POLICIES

Accommodations

If you have a disability and need classroom accommodations, please notify me as soon as possible. You should also register with the Disability Services, 882-4696. Other especially useful contacts are the Learning Center (882-2493) with its Writing lab, and the Counseling Center (882-6601) for stress management, crisis intervention, and other services.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the intentional use of another author’s material and/or words in your own text without acknowledging that author’s contribution.  In the academic environment, plagiarism is a serious ethical violation that carries serious consequences.

Please also note that assisting somebody else in the act of plagiarizing by providing them with your own work to turn in as their own—and/or submitting your work to on-line data bases from which students can purchase papers to turn in as an act of academic dishonesty and may be subject to disciplinary action under the Student Conduct Code.   

Course Attendance Policy

Each day I will pass around an attendance sheet that you are expected to sign to prove that you are in class. You will not be allowed to sign the sheet if you show up 15 minutes late (or more). Each student can miss 3 days without penalty (that is one entire week of our class), but you should know that neither daily nor major assignments will be excepted late—except in the case of documented emergencies). This means that if you choose to skip a day an assignment is due, you will not be able to turn in your assignment. Should you miss more than the 3 allotted absences, your grade will start dropping by one letter . That means if you have an A- on your 3^rd absence, your 4^th absence brings it down to a B-. You should also know that I reserve the right to drop you from my course before the drop date  (TBA) if you have missed a total of 2 weeks or more of class. After the drop-date, and if you have missed 2 weeks (or more) of class, you will take the failing grade. 

Tardiness

Unless excused by the instructor, an instance of tardiness or an early departure from class exceeding fifteen minutes will count as an unexcused absence.  Unless approved by the instructor in the case of valid excuses, students will not be allowed to complete in-class assignments missed partially or in full because of being tardy or departing early from class. 

Disruptive Behavior Policy

Behavior that disrupts the educational environment in English 1000 and that, therefore, interferes with others’ learning opportunities will not be tolerated.  Disruptive behavior in the context of the English 101 classroom includes (but may not be limited to):

·         disrespectful treatment of your instructor or peers

·         patterns of tardiness

·         violations of the policy for responsible cell phone use (see below)

 

A student determined by his or her instructor to be “disruptive” will be referred—along with a report describing the offending behavior—to the Director of Writing Studies for the English Department.  A student in this situation will not be allowed to return to class until the offending behavior has been specifically identified and the consequences of repeating the behavior clarified in the context of a meeting between the student, the instructor reporting the behavior, and the Director of Writing Studies.  Following this meeting, repeated acts of disruptive behavior as identified by the instructor will result in referral to the Chair of the English Department, the Director of Student Judicial Affairs and/or the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts.  Consequences could include suspension or expulsion from the course.   

Policy Regarding Cell Phone Use

Cell phones must be turned to silent at all times, except in approved emergencies. If you need to take an emergency call, quietly leave the classroom and find a place where your conversation will not disturb others. Lack of compliance with this policy will be regarded as disruptive behavior, and violators will be subject to the consequences for disruptive behavior outlined in the previous section.

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Name: Niya Bond

Office: Tate 6

Phone/E-mail: nmkgg3@mizzou.edu

Office Hours: TBA

Daily Schedule English 1000

DATE	In-Class	After-Class
W 1/21	Introduction to the course What is a vampire? In-Class construction of  a “working” definition.	Google “Vampire. “Come to class with 2-3 Google entries that you can share with the class.
F 1/23	Sharing Google. Discussing “5 Analytical Moves and How They Work.”	Read
M 1/26
W 1/28
F 1/30
M 2/2	Peer Review on Paper 1 2 Copies Rough Draft Due Today
W 2/4
F 2/6
M 2/9	Final Copy of Paper #1 Due In-Class Letter of Reflection Essay
W 2/11
F 2/13
M 2/16	Successful Summarizing—The Annotated Bibliography is Your Friend
W 2/18	Discussion of Article I and Discussion of Possible Summaries
F 2/20	Group Meeting on your Articles
M 2/23	Group Presentations on Secondary Sources
W 2/25
F 2/27
M 3/2	Peer Review on Paper 2 2 Copies of Rough Draft Due Today
W 3/4
F 3/6
M 3/9	Final Copy Paper # 2 Due Today In-Class Letter of Reflection Essay
W 3/11
F 3/13
M 3/16
W 3/18
F 3/20
Spring Break March 21st-29th	Complete Creative Movie Review Assignment over Break
M  3/30	Viewing of Underworld
W 4/1	Viewing of Underworld
F 4/3	Viewing of Underworld/ Discussion of themes and characters	Come to class with your characterization sheet filled out and be ready to discuss with your group on Monday.
M 4/6	Group planning for Character Presentations
W 4/8	Presentations
F 4/10	Presentations
M 4/13
W 4/15
F 4/17
M 4/20	Peer Review Paper #3 Due Today
W 4/22
F 4/24
M 4/27	Final Copy Paper #3 Due Today
W 4/29	Wrapping up Vampires / Wrapping up the Course
F  5/1	Course Evaluation Day
M 5/4	Presentations on Final Assignment
W 5/6	Presentations on Final Assignment
F 5/8	Presentations on Final Assignment