My office is Turlington 4332; office hours are Mondays and Wednesdays sixth period; I am also willing to see you at any other time provided you make and keep an appointment.
Office phone: 392-6650 x259. My email address is pcraddoc@english.ufl.edu, and I will post the syllabus and other useful information at: http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/pcraddoc/goldfall01.htm. You are responsible for updating your paper syllabus by checking this site frequently, especially if you are absent from class.
Books are available at Goerings Books and Bagels, NW 1st Avenue at 17th street. You may use other copies provided they are not abridged--be careful! You will also need a pack of 3 x 5 index cards, any color. PLEASE USE CORRECT SIZE.
Required books, with publication dates and authors' nationalities
The primary work of this course will be the reading of examples of fiction written for children, both as works of literary art in their own right and as mirrors of an age, especially its attitude or attitudes toward childhood. The books in question were written in a period, approximately 1865-1910, which has been called the first "Golden Age" of children's fiction, especially English-language children's fiction. In this period, both British and American writers had become aware that books for children could give pleasure as well as instruction and information, and that the literary skills necessary to write such books might be similar to those required for writing books for adults. On the other hand, if one were writing books specifically for children, as opposed to books that both children and adults might read, what special requirements and opportunities might one have? They had to experiment to find out.
The books we will read represent successful experiments; some of them established "sub-genres," some of them became classics in their own right, and some did both. In addition, all the authors we will read had "careers" as children's authors, that is, they wrote other books for children as well as the one we will consider. Another sign of their success is that all or almost all the books have been adapted for other media--picture books, plays, television, films, etc. We will consider why, and how.
Adult fiction in this same period was formally realistic. The same is true of children's fiction, even though magic, in some form, is a component of many books, and some would argue that both plots and characters of some books depart from the probabilities of everyday life. This will be another focus of our discussions.
Grading: (check below reading assignment list for further information).
Two Papers: 25% each (50%)
Students may rewrite papers, though an improved grade is not guaranteed. Students may submit drafts of papers before turning them in. Students may write papers on all three topics and count the best two grades. In other words, you've got lots of opportunities to do well, but there are no free lunches in this class. Topics are explained below.
Two Quizzes: 10% each (20%)
Workshops (Samples)
Workshops: Each one counts 5% of your grade, and they will be
graded on a 5-point scale; 3 is satisfactory, 4 is good, 5 is excellent.
You
do not have to do them in the order listed.
Workshop A. People Web.
For one of the books, draw or outline the network of human relationships
in which the central character is embedded. Indicate family members,
mentors, friends, desired friends, useful acquaintances, blockers (those
who are unintentionally unhelpful), rivals, minor enemies, major enemies.
Show relationships among these people as well as relationships to the central
figure.
Workshop B. The Child's World
For a different book, fill out the following table about a child's life
as represented in that book
| Category (those given are just suggestions) | Situations and Activities Like Today's | Differences because of Personal Situation | Differences because of Time and Place of Story |
| Relation to Adults | |||
| Games and Sports | |||
| Animals | |||
| Siblings | |||
| Education | |||
| Religion | |||
| Toys/Entertainment | |||
| Fears | |||
| Work | |||
| Punishment | |||
| Travel | |||
| Clothing | |||
| Friends--same sex | |||
| Friends--other sex | |||
Workshop C Scenes and links
Choosing a third book, make a list of the principal dramatic scenes
in the book--places where several characters talk to each other and their
actions and reactions are revealed, as in a play or film. Make a
second list (which will be much shorter) indicating the KINDS of ways the
writer gets from scene to scene. Is there a summary of the intervening
time? Do we hear the main character thinking? Does the narrator talk
to the reader? What?
Workshop D Time and space
Choosing a fourth book, make a "map" of the places the characters go
(this can be in list form, but it should be organized so as to indicate
which places are close together, which are far away, which are common,
which are rare). Also, make a timetable of the events in the story in chronological
order, NOT always the same order in which they occur in most books. For
instance, in the Wizard of Oz we find out why Dorothy is living with Aunt
Em and Uncle Henry AFTER we find out that she is there; we come to Oz when
the Wizard is ruling in the Emerald City, but we learn later about previous
Oz history. Note that you won't always be able to co-ordinate when two
events that happened to different people in different places occurred in
relation to each other; we presume that the Wizard took over before Dorothy
moved to Kansas, but we don't know exactly when.
Class Performance (attendance, preparation, contributions): 10%
You will receive 1 point for every class you attend, as indicated by turning in a 3X5 card containing your name and the date. You may earn additional "performance" points by writing a comment or question on the card that shows you have been thinking about the assigned reading. If you are absent, you will receive no points, but you may turn in a comment/question card if your absence was excused. In addition, if you act as reporter for your group when we have group discussions, you will earn a point. Everyone starts with 40 points. If you accumulated more than 60 additional points, they may be applied to other aspects of the course. A workshop grade may be improved 1 point by 5 extra credit points; a quiz grade may be improved 1 point by 2 extra credit points. In no case, however, will extra credit points beyond those used for class performance raise your grade more than one level (B to B+, or C+ to B, for example).
DISCUSSION GROUPS: Everyone will be assigned to one of the six discussion groups (known by different colors). Please make a note of which group you have been assigned to.
ADDITIONAL EXTRA CREDIT Keeping a reading journal is a
very good way of preserving what you have learned in this course for future
use, not only on quizzes but with your own children and/or students.
If you wish to turn in one-page reading reports for some or all of the
books assigned, you will get one point extra credit (and some brief feedback)
for each. They should be turned in before we finish the next
book. The Reading Report Format is the last item on this syllabus.
SYLLABUS CHANGES: Note that you are responsible for checking the website for possible changes and to download a new copy if you lose your printed syllabus. I will tell you if changes are made, but if you are absent, don't forget to check to make sure nothing has changed.
Reading Assignments, Paper and Quiz dates:
The dates below are the dates on which the work assigned will be discussed; therefore, you should have finished reading at least part of the book before the first date on which it is listed. If a book is listed on two days, try to read it all before the first class; if it is listed on three, try to read the first half before the first day and the rest before the second. If you fall behind on the reading, however, come to class anyway--it will help you to catch up.
AUGUST
(Choose two, or, optionally, write on three and the best two will count. Note that each of these topics is stated very generally and includes two or more options; thus, your actual paper will have a much more focused topic. Topics may be selected in any order. However, you may not write twice on the same book, or twice on the same topic even though you choose different books each time. You may, however, choose to write on the other alternative under the same number (except no.4) if you do not duplicate books and IF YOU GET MY PERMISSION FIRST. The three "due" dates for papers are the date on which you must either turn in the completed paper or show me that you will be ready to turn it in by the beginning of the next class. If you meet either of these conditions, or if you request extra time for a good reason, the paper will not be penalized for lateness. Otherwise, paper grades will be affected by lateness. Since you only have to write two papers, any one of the three dates may be the one you choose to omit.)
TITLE OF BOOK
YOUR NAME
AUTHOR
DATE PUBLISHED NATIONALITY
CENTRAL CHARACTER(S) (list)
Two-sentence summary
RESPONSE: YOUR PERSONAL REACTION AND ANALYSIS. At
least 1/2 page.