Class will meet during the final exam period.  You will complete an in-class reflection exercise and turn in your final portfolio. The final exam schedule is available here.

TR 11:00 am meets on Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 10:30 am in MAIN 300.
TR 12:30 pm meets on Thursday Dec. 15 at 10:30 am in MAIN 302.

We'll begin discussing Franz Kafka's "Before the Law" and Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot on Tuesday, 11/29 and we'll begin viewing it on Thursday, 12/1.

We'll finish screening the film Gattaca on Tuesday, 11/22.  No class on Thursday--Happy Thanksgiving!!!

We'll finish discussing the novel Brave New World on Tuesday and begin screening the film Gattaca on Thursday.

Paper #2 is  due on Tuesday, 11/8.  We'll begin working on the novel Brave New World.  Finish reading this novel by Thursday, 11/11.  See the course notes posted on Brave New World for this week.

We'll finish discussing Dante's Inferno.  Topics for Paper #2 on the Inferno are due on Thursday, 11/3.  The paper will be due on Tuesday, 11/8.  We'll begin working on the novel Brave New World next week.  Read ahead!

We're continuing work on Dante's Inferno.  An amendment to the course syllabus was distributed in class today; the distribution for the final course grade has been changed to account for the lack of objective quizzes.  You can see the changes on the online syllabus, or pick up a paper copy in class.

Paper #1 is due on Tues. 10/18. Prepare to begin discussing Dante's Inferno on Thursday, 10/20.

Fall Break, Tues. 10/11. For Thursday, 10/13, bring a complete draft of Paper #1 to class for a writing workshop.  You'll share your drafts with classmates to give and receive constructive feedback.  Remember the due date for the final draft is Tuesday, 10/18.

There is no class this week. During class time I'll be holding individual conferences in my office (Main Hall, 312) to discuss your topic development for Paper #1.  If you were absent on Thursday 9/29, please email me to schedule a conference time on either Tuesday 10/4 or Thursday 10/6.  Bring your topic ideas to the conference.  While you are working on your paper read Dante's Inferno. Make it your goal to finish the book (read Cantos 1 - 34) by the time you are ready to hand in the final draft of your paper on Tuesday 10/18. 

We'll begin analyzing a few short stories: "Axolotl" and "Leaf by Niggle," both in Fantastic Worlds.  See the assignments page for specific reading assignments.

We'll continue analyzing mythic stories: "The Eye of the Giant" and the three tales by Ovid.  Specific reading assignments in Fantastic Worlds are listed on the assignments page.  In addition to reading the material in Fantastic Worlds, look for files on this website: "Notes on The Eye of the Giant"; "Reading Ovid's Tales"; "From Myth to Literature: Approaching Ovid's Tales."

We'll continue analyzing mythic stories.  Specific reading assignments in Fantastic Worlds are listed on the assignments page.  In addition to reading the material in Fantastic Worlds, look for files on this website: Filtering the Introduction to Fantastic Worlds; Analyzing Mythic Tales; and others as they appear this week. 

We are continuing to consider the Imagination Poems set, as well as the story in Fantastic Worlds, "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" (p. 202).  On Thursday, we'll move into the mythic stories, "Imagining Creation," beginning with two Genesis tales in Fantastic Worlds, "King James Bible's Genesis" and "Blackfoot Genesis."  In addition to the reading, there's an informal writing assignment due in clas on 9/8 (see assignments page).  An in-class informal writing exercise was completed in in class on Thursday 9/8.  If you were absent, you can access that assignment here.

Welcome to Topics in Literature: Imaginary Worlds. This week we're exploring the meaning of our course theme, Imaginary Worlds, and discussing the readings in the handout "Imagination Poems."