Syllabus and Presentation Schedule

ENGL 8900

Memory and Writing: Biography, Autobiography, and Memoir
Caldwell Tuesday 430-7pm (2415 PP; tmcaldwell@gsu.edu)

This class looks at the construction of self and national identity through multiple media.  It is cross period and trans-national and satisfies pre- and post-1800 requirements.  We begin with the emergence in English letters of the biography and autobiography as genres and then explore the ways in which writers have consciously and otherwise created individual and collective memory. 

Syllabus:
Jan Tu 9         Intro; Haynes (dir.), I’m Not There

            16       I’m Not There; Pepys, Diary excerpts

            23       Pepys; Boswell, London Journal

            30       Boswell, London Journal

Feb Tu 6         Shelley, “Mathilda”

            13       Nightwalkers: ONLINE DIRECTED READING CLASS

            20       Nightwalkers: ONLINE DIRECTED READING CLASS

            27       Olaudah Equiano, The Interesting Life of Olaudah Equiano

Mar     6          Equiano
            13       SPRING BREAK
            20       Godwin, The Memoirs of the Life of the Author of the Vindication
            27       Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Apr      3          Angelou

            10       Kathryn Harrison, The Kiss

            17       Campion (dir.), An Angel at My Table

Assessment:
1) 20-minute seminar presentation                                   25%                                       

2) Blog post on Nightwalkers (at least 500 words)          25%

3) 15-20 page final research paper                                    50%

Two things:
1) Each class period is one entire week.  More than 2 unexcused absence may result in your withdrawal from the class; and 2) You know by now that you are expected to be familiar with the College plagiarism policy.

Texts: 

*part of a Broadview package available at emailed link to Broadview Press page for this class

Excerpts from Samuel Pepys’s famous Diary (handout)

James Boswell’s London Journal (Penguin)

*William Godwin, Memoirs of the Author of A Vindication of the Rights of Women

*Nightwalkers: Prostitute Narratives from the Eighteenth Century

*Mary Shelley, Mathilda

*Olaudah Equiano, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano

Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Kathryn Harrison, The Kiss

Presentation Schedule (tentative)

Jan      16       I’m Not There: Ben and/or David

            23       Pepys; Boswell, London Journal

            30       Boswell, London Journal: Melanie

Feb Tu 6         Shelley, “Mathilda”

      

            27       Olaudah Equiano, The Interesting Life of Olaudah Equiano: Diane

Mar     6          Equiano: Cecily
        
            20       Godwin, The Memoirs: Bernadette & Caitlin
            27       Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings: Julia & Alice

Apr      3         Angelou: Lauren

            10       Kathryn Harrison, The Kiss: Maria

            17       Campion (dir.), An Angel at My Table