COMLIT
141 Good and Evil: East and West
Schedule number #585165
Lect 2
MWF 10:10
Boyden 251
Comparative Literature Department, UMASS-Amherst
Instructor: Enrique Garcia
Phone: (413) 253-0761
Purpose of the class: In this class, the students will be able to read and study a variety of literary texts with the purpose of understanding how Good and Evil are defined in different cultures around of the world. The readings will include from influential ancients books like the Bible to the contemporary myths found in modern comic books.
I Grades
Participation (10 %): I encourage participation because class discussion provides a better learning experience than just hearing my lectures. Students must be ready to answer any questions asked by me.
Attendance (10%): I will be taking attendance during every class. Two absences will be pardoned at the end of the semester.
A: 0-2 absences
AB: 3-4 absences
B: 5-6 absences
BC: 7-8 absences
C: 9-10 absences
CD: 11-12 absences
D: 13-14 absences
F: 15 or more absences
Quizzes (30%): This is the only way I will really know that you are reading. The quizzes’ dates are in the schedule for the semester so there is no excuse for not knowing when they are. I will eliminate the two lowest scores and create an average score with the remaining ones.
Journal (25%): You have to write a journal entry for every reading and movie we see. The entries’ themes are in the schedule for the semester and they must be typed and handed to me in the day I assigned for them. I will give them back to you after I read them and you must keep them safe as at the end of the semester you have to give me the whole journal with a final three page entry where you write about your learning experience in the class.
Final Paper (25%): For the final paper, I will give you several topics and then you will write five pages on the one you choose. The paper is due on Dec 16 by 10:00 AM. It should be put in my mailbox at the Comparative Literature department (South College 303).
II Books for the class (available at the Atticus Bookstore)
Becoming Madame Mao by Anchée Min. ISBN 0-61812-700-3
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Vol 1 by Hayao Miyazaki. ISBN 1-56931-096-3
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. ISBN 0-39395-552-4 The Norton Critical edition is suggested because it has two of the articles that we will be discussing in class. These are Chinua Achebe’s "An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness" and King Leopold II’s "The Sacred Mission of Civilization".
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. ISBN 0-38547-454-7
III Movies The films will be screened outside of the class’ time schedule. I know that many of the students will not be able to make it to the screening so I will put copies of them in reserve in the library even though they are also easily available in any local video store.
Apocalypse Now. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola.
The Devil’s Backbone. Directed by Guillermo del Toro.
Grave of the Fireflies. Directed by Isao Takahata.
Course Packet (Available at Copy Cat) The course packet is required and essential for the class as most of the readings come from it.
IV Schedule for the semester
Ancient Times
Wed Sept 4 Introduction to the class. Discussion of rules and syllabus for the semester.
Assignment in class
Journal entry #1: Write at least one page about your general impressions regarding Good and Evil.
Fri Sept 6 Sections from the Book of Job and Book of Genesis 1-3 (Ancient Israel) Course Packet.
Journal entry #2: Write about how Satan and God are portrayed in the two books. Are they portrayed in similar ways?
Mon Sept 9 Book of Samuels 1 (Ancient Israel) Course Packet
Wed Sept 11 Book of Samuels 1 (Ancient Israel) Course Packet
Quiz on Book of Samuels 1
Fri Sept 13 Book of Samuels 1 (Ancient Israel) Course Packet
Journal entry #3: Write about how you feel about Saul, Samuel, and David. Please do it from a personal point of view if you can and explain if it differs from the Bible’s perspective.
Mon Sept 16 Sections from Chuang Tzu (Ancient China) Course Packet.
Quiz on Chuang Tzu
Journal entry #4: Can we apply Chuang Tzu’s teachings to our contemporary life?
Wed Sept 18 First, Second, and Third Teaching from the Bhagavad Gita (Ancient India) Course Packet.
Quiz on Teachings.
Journal entry #5: Do you agree with Krisna or Arjuna’s argument?
Medieval Age and Renaissance
Fri Sept 20 Koran(Women and the Table excerpts) and New Testament ( Matthew 4 and 5). Course Packet
Quiz on Koran and New Testament
Journal entry #6: Compare the differences between the messages of the Koran and the New Testament. Also talk about their similarities like the way they approach women.
Mon Sept 23 The Conquest of New Spain (Spain) Course Packet
Wed Sept 25 The Conquest of New Spain (Spain) Course Packet
Quiz on first half of Hernan Cortes adventures.
Fri Sept 27 The Conquest of New Spain (Spain) Course Packet
Mon Sept 30 The Conquest of New Spain (Spain) Course Packet
Journal entry #7: What do you think about the Christian actions in their conquest of Mexico?
Quiz on the second half of Cortes’ adventures.
Wed Oct 2 Don Quixote (Spain) Part 1: Chapters 1-10 Part 2: 64-65, and 73. Course Packet.
Fri Oct 4 Don Quixote (Spain) Part 1: Chapters 1-10 Part 2: 64-65, and 73. Course Packet.
Quiz on chapters 1-5
Mon Oct 7 Don Quixote (Spain) Part 1: Chapters 1-10 Part 2: 64-65, and 73. Course Packet.
Quiz on chapters 6-10
Wed Oct 9 Don Quixote (Spain) Part 1: Chapters 1-10 Part 2: 64-65, and 73. Course Packet.
Quiz on chapters 64-65 and 73.
ournal entry #8 What do you think about the satire in Don Quixote? Can it be applied to our modern society? Compare with the clips shown on Monday about Japanese animation fans.
Modern Age
Fri Oct 11 Intro Heart of Darkness.
Mon Oct 14 Holiday Columbus Day
Wed Oct 16 First half of Heart of Darkness. (England, 1899) King Leopold’s "The Sacred Mission of Civilization". Available in the Heart of Darkness Norton Critical Edition. P. 126
Fri Oct 18 First half of Heart of Darkness. (England, 1899)
Quiz on first half of the book.
Mon Oct 21 Second half of Heart of Darkness. (England, 1899)
Wed Oct 23 Screening of Apocalypse Now. (United States, 1978)
Fri Oct 25 Second half of Heart of Darkness. (England, 1899)
Journal entry #9 Compare the movie with the book in terms of how evil is represented.
Chinua Achebe’s "An Image of Africa: Racism in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness" Available in the Heart of Darkness Norton Critical Edition. P. 251.
Mon Oct 28 Things Fall Apart (Africa, 1959)
Wed Oct 30 Things Fall Apart (Africa, 1959)
Quiz
Fri Nov 1 Things Fall Apart (Africa, 1959)
Journal entry #10: Do you think Achebe’s book toward solving the first world prejudices toward Africa?
Mon Nov 4 Karl Marx’s The Communist Manifesto. (Germany, 1847) Available in the Course Packet.
Quiz on Marx’s Manifesto.
Wed Nov 6 Screening The Devil’s Backbone (Spain, 2001)
Fri Nov 8 Intro Becoming Madame Mao (China, 2000)
Journal entry #11: Explain how the facists and the communists are portrayed in the movie.
Mon Nov 11 Holiday. Veteran’s Day.
Wed Nov 13 Becoming Madame Mao (China, 2000)
Quiz on first half of the book.
Fri Nov 15 Becoming Madame Mao (China, 2000)
Mon Nov 18 Becoming Madame Mao (China, 2000)
Quiz on second half of the book.
Wed Nov 20 Short samples of Marxist Animation
Journal entry #12: Has your perception about communism changed for the better or the worse?
Fri Nov 22 American Superheroes (United States) Fighting American. Green Lantern/Green Arrow. Course Packet.
Mon Nov 25 Theodor Adorno and Max Horheimer: "The culture industry: enlightment as mass deception". Course Packet
Quiz on Adorno’s article.
Wed Nov 27 No class because most students are usually absent this day.
Fri Nov 29 Thanksgiving period.
Mon Dec 2 Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (Japan)
Wed Dec 4 Grave of the Fireflies. (Japan, 1988)
Fri Dec 6 Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (Japan)
Quiz on Nausicaa.
Mon Dec 9 Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (Japan)
Journal entry #13: Does the Nausicaa comic book and the Grave of the Fireflies movie fulfill that quest of mixing great entertaiment with a sociopolitical message? Or is Adorno right about the culture industry?
Wed Dec 11 Review
Fri Dec 13 Last day of classes. Collected Journal Entries.
Mon Dec 16 Final paper due by 10:00 AM in my mailbox at the Comparative Literature department.
Schedule number #585165
Lect 2
MWF 10:10
Boyden 251
Comparative Literature Department, UMASS-Amherst
Instructor: Enrique Garcia
Phone: (413) 253-0761
Purpose of the class: In this class, the students will be able to read and study a variety of literary texts with the purpose of understanding how Good and Evil are defined in different cultures around of the world. The readings will include from influential ancients books like the Bible to the contemporary myths found in modern comic books.
I Grades
Participation (10 %): I encourage participation because class discussion provides a better learning experience than just hearing my lectures. Students must be ready to answer any questions asked by me.
Attendance (10%): I will be taking attendance during every class. Two absences will be pardoned at the end of the semester.
A: 0-2 absences
AB: 3-4 absences
B: 5-6 absences
BC: 7-8 absences
C: 9-10 absences
CD: 11-12 absences
D: 13-14 absences
F: 15 or more absences
Quizzes (30%): This is the only way I will really know that you are reading. The quizzes’ dates are in the schedule for the semester so there is no excuse for not knowing when they are. I will eliminate the two lowest scores and create an average score with the remaining ones.
Journal (25%): You have to write a journal entry for every reading and movie we see. The entries’ themes are in the schedule for the semester and they must be typed and handed to me in the day I assigned for them. I will give them back to you after I read them and you must keep them safe as at the end of the semester you have to give me the whole journal with a final three page entry where you write about your learning experience in the class.
Final Paper (25%): For the final paper, I will give you several topics and then you will write five pages on the one you choose. The paper is due on Dec 16 by 10:00 AM. It should be put in my mailbox at the Comparative Literature department (South College 303).
II Books for the class (available at the Atticus Bookstore)
Becoming Madame Mao by Anchée Min. ISBN 0-61812-700-3
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Vol 1 by Hayao Miyazaki. ISBN 1-56931-096-3
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. ISBN 0-39395-552-4 The Norton Critical edition is suggested because it has two of the articles that we will be discussing in class. These are Chinua Achebe’s "An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness" and King Leopold II’s "The Sacred Mission of Civilization".
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. ISBN 0-38547-454-7
III Movies The films will be screened outside of the class’ time schedule. I know that many of the students will not be able to make it to the screening so I will put copies of them in reserve in the library even though they are also easily available in any local video store.
Apocalypse Now. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola.
The Devil’s Backbone. Directed by Guillermo del Toro.
Grave of the Fireflies. Directed by Isao Takahata.
Course Packet (Available at Copy Cat) The course packet is required and essential for the class as most of the readings come from it.
IV Schedule for the semester
Ancient Times
Wed Sept 4 Introduction to the class. Discussion of rules and syllabus for the semester.
Assignment in class
Journal entry #1: Write at least one page about your general impressions regarding Good and Evil.
Fri Sept 6 Sections from the Book of Job and Book of Genesis 1-3 (Ancient Israel) Course Packet.
Journal entry #2: Write about how Satan and God are portrayed in the two books. Are they portrayed in similar ways?
Mon Sept 9 Book of Samuels 1 (Ancient Israel) Course Packet
Wed Sept 11 Book of Samuels 1 (Ancient Israel) Course Packet
Quiz on Book of Samuels 1
Fri Sept 13 Book of Samuels 1 (Ancient Israel) Course Packet
Journal entry #3: Write about how you feel about Saul, Samuel, and David. Please do it from a personal point of view if you can and explain if it differs from the Bible’s perspective.
Mon Sept 16 Sections from Chuang Tzu (Ancient China) Course Packet.
Quiz on Chuang Tzu
Journal entry #4: Can we apply Chuang Tzu’s teachings to our contemporary life?
Wed Sept 18 First, Second, and Third Teaching from the Bhagavad Gita (Ancient India) Course Packet.
Quiz on Teachings.
Journal entry #5: Do you agree with Krisna or Arjuna’s argument?
Medieval Age and Renaissance
Fri Sept 20 Koran(Women and the Table excerpts) and New Testament ( Matthew 4 and 5). Course Packet
Quiz on Koran and New Testament
Journal entry #6: Compare the differences between the messages of the Koran and the New Testament. Also talk about their similarities like the way they approach women.
Mon Sept 23 The Conquest of New Spain (Spain) Course Packet
Wed Sept 25 The Conquest of New Spain (Spain) Course Packet
Quiz on first half of Hernan Cortes adventures.
Fri Sept 27 The Conquest of New Spain (Spain) Course Packet
Mon Sept 30 The Conquest of New Spain (Spain) Course Packet
Journal entry #7: What do you think about the Christian actions in their conquest of Mexico?
Quiz on the second half of Cortes’ adventures.
Wed Oct 2 Don Quixote (Spain) Part 1: Chapters 1-10 Part 2: 64-65, and 73. Course Packet.
Fri Oct 4 Don Quixote (Spain) Part 1: Chapters 1-10 Part 2: 64-65, and 73. Course Packet.
Quiz on chapters 1-5
Mon Oct 7 Don Quixote (Spain) Part 1: Chapters 1-10 Part 2: 64-65, and 73. Course Packet.
Quiz on chapters 6-10
Wed Oct 9 Don Quixote (Spain) Part 1: Chapters 1-10 Part 2: 64-65, and 73. Course Packet.
Quiz on chapters 64-65 and 73.
ournal entry #8 What do you think about the satire in Don Quixote? Can it be applied to our modern society? Compare with the clips shown on Monday about Japanese animation fans.
Modern Age
Fri Oct 11 Intro Heart of Darkness.
Mon Oct 14 Holiday Columbus Day
Wed Oct 16 First half of Heart of Darkness. (England, 1899) King Leopold’s "The Sacred Mission of Civilization". Available in the Heart of Darkness Norton Critical Edition. P. 126
Fri Oct 18 First half of Heart of Darkness. (England, 1899)
Quiz on first half of the book.
Mon Oct 21 Second half of Heart of Darkness. (England, 1899)
Wed Oct 23 Screening of Apocalypse Now. (United States, 1978)
Fri Oct 25 Second half of Heart of Darkness. (England, 1899)
Journal entry #9 Compare the movie with the book in terms of how evil is represented.
Chinua Achebe’s "An Image of Africa: Racism in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness" Available in the Heart of Darkness Norton Critical Edition. P. 251.
Mon Oct 28 Things Fall Apart (Africa, 1959)
Wed Oct 30 Things Fall Apart (Africa, 1959)
Quiz
Fri Nov 1 Things Fall Apart (Africa, 1959)
Journal entry #10: Do you think Achebe’s book toward solving the first world prejudices toward Africa?
Mon Nov 4 Karl Marx’s The Communist Manifesto. (Germany, 1847) Available in the Course Packet.
Quiz on Marx’s Manifesto.
Wed Nov 6 Screening The Devil’s Backbone (Spain, 2001)
Fri Nov 8 Intro Becoming Madame Mao (China, 2000)
Journal entry #11: Explain how the facists and the communists are portrayed in the movie.
Mon Nov 11 Holiday. Veteran’s Day.
Wed Nov 13 Becoming Madame Mao (China, 2000)
Quiz on first half of the book.
Fri Nov 15 Becoming Madame Mao (China, 2000)
Mon Nov 18 Becoming Madame Mao (China, 2000)
Quiz on second half of the book.
Wed Nov 20 Short samples of Marxist Animation
Journal entry #12: Has your perception about communism changed for the better or the worse?
Fri Nov 22 American Superheroes (United States) Fighting American. Green Lantern/Green Arrow. Course Packet.
Mon Nov 25 Theodor Adorno and Max Horheimer: "The culture industry: enlightment as mass deception". Course Packet
Quiz on Adorno’s article.
Wed Nov 27 No class because most students are usually absent this day.
Fri Nov 29 Thanksgiving period.
Mon Dec 2 Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (Japan)
Wed Dec 4 Grave of the Fireflies. (Japan, 1988)
Fri Dec 6 Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (Japan)
Quiz on Nausicaa.
Mon Dec 9 Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (Japan)
Journal entry #13: Does the Nausicaa comic book and the Grave of the Fireflies movie fulfill that quest of mixing great entertaiment with a sociopolitical message? Or is Adorno right about the culture industry?
Wed Dec 11 Review
Fri Dec 13 Last day of classes. Collected Journal Entries.
Mon Dec 16 Final paper due by 10:00 AM in my mailbox at the Comparative Literature department.