LIT4334 The Golden Age of Children's Literature CRADDOCK Section 1860
My office is Turlington 4332; office hours are Wednesday third-fifth periods and Thursday fourth period; I am also willing to see you at any other time provided you make and keep an appointment.
Office phone: 293-0757x259. My email address is craddoc@nervm.nerdc.ufl.edu, and I will post the syllabus and other useful information on my webpage: http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/pcraddoc
Books are available at Goerings Book Store, corner of thirteenth and University. 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.
Required books, with publication dates:
Purpose of the Course:
The primary work of this course will be the reading of children's fiction, 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 1860-1910, 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. In addition, all or almost all the books have been adapted for other media--picture books, plays, television, films, etc. 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:
Two Papers: 25% each (50%) (letter grades).
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: 15% each (30%) (numerical scores)
Class Performance (attendance, preparation, contributions): 10%
Everyone starts with 75 on this; good comments on attendance cards (to be explained) and good class contributions will raise your grade; unexcused absences will lower it (3 points off for each absence after the first two; note that Tuesdays count as two absences); lack of preparation, rudeness to other students (such as avoidable lateness, talking, etc.) will also lower it.
Projects for Points: 10%
You may raise your final grade by up to ten points by extra-credit projects. However, no one can pass the course by means of extra-credit projects who is otherwise failing by 5 points or more; no one can raise his/her grade to an A unless s/he is already at the B+ level.
Reading Assignments, Paper and Quiz dates:
The dates below are the dates on which the work assigned will be discussed; therefore, you must finish reading what is assigned before class on that day. When the assignment is the "First Part", you should find a good stopping place about one-third through the book (if the date is a Thursday) or two-thirds through (if the date is a Tuesday). The reason, of course, is that on Tuesdays, we have two-thirds of a week's classes. If you fall behind on the reading, however, come to class anyway--it will help you to catch up.
August
September
October
November
December
PAPER TOPICS
(Choose two, or, optionally, write on all 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.)
POINT PROJECTS
You may earn 1-5 points per project, roughly proportional to the amount of work required, for short projects, as explained below. Everyone should try to earn at least 10 points; up to 10 points beyond that may be counted as extra credit. For each two project points, your final grade will rise one point; thus, earning 20 project points will raise your grade one full letter, EXCEPT as follows: a grade can not be raised from F to D by extra credit alone; a grade cannot be raised from B to A by extra credit alone (but it could be raised from B+ to A). Point projects may be handed in at any time and 3-5 point projects should be presented orally as well as in writing.
CLASS PERFORMANCE (ATTENDANCE CARDS). Class preparation and attendance count 10% of your grade in the course. Everyone starts with a high C--75--in class performance. At every class meeting you will turn in a 3x5 index card. On this card, in addition to your name and the date, you will state how far you have gotten with the assigned reading. There is no penalty for being behind in the reading, except that if you don't catch up, it will be harder to earn points for good preparation. You will add a comment or question on what you have just been reading. Comments or questions on current work will receive 1 or 2 points, depending on quality; comments or questions on late work will receive .5 or 1 point, again depending on quality. To receive any credit, a comment or question must indicate that you are really reading the material.
TEMPLATE FOR ANALYSES