Charles Dickens & JK Rowling 385-1 TTH 12:30-1:45
Spring 2023 Log into Canvas

This is a "real time" syllabus that will be regularly updated to reflect our progress throughout the semester. You can easily check it from a mobile device or from any computer.

The syllabus consists of the Reading Schedule and Course Policies. Students are responsible for understanding and following the reading schedule and the course policies, which are in effect from the first day of class. Please read them carefully (and review them throughout the semester). Please see me if you have any questions.

Think of the syllabus as a flexible guide. It will structure our semester, but we will adjust it to fit our needs as the semester progresses. Not all assignments and quizzes are listed at the beginning of the semester; some will be added throughout the semester. It may also be necessary to finish some readings the following class period; I will update the syllabus after each class.  Again, be sure to check the syllabus regularly. 

You do not need to print the syllabus, but if you decide to, be sure to check the online syllabus regularly for new information, added assignments, or reading schedule changes. The print icon above is for print copies.

Our main vehicle this semester for course content will be the Course Website, but it is linked to Canvas, which we will use for some things, such as discussion posts or for accessing video. We will not use the Canvas Gradebook; instead, the Grade Sheet on our Course Notes page (on the course website) will help you track assignments and grades.

 Readings should be finished for the day assigned. For example, HPSS should be read (completed) by Feb 7.  For HPSS and HPGF, you should have the novels finished by the time we begin discussing them.  For David Copperfield, you should have the assigned chapters finished for each class meeting.  You should, however, aim to keep ahead of our class meeting schedule with your reading of the novel. 

January
Tuesday	Thursday
24 Course Introduction Review Course Website (Syllabus/Policies)/Course Notes/Canvas Reading/Taking Notes	26 No class meeting Review Course Website (Syllabus/Policies)/Course Notes/Canvas
31 Rowling's Life/20th/21st Century **Oprah Interview with Rowling (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTotbiUjLxw)	02 February - Look Below
February
Tuesday	Thursday
31 January - Look Above	02 Final Thoughs - JK Rowling ------------------------------------ Dickens Biography/Victorian Age **Dickens Chronology in Penguin DC - bring novel to class **Dickens: A Concise Biography - Films on Demand (UWSP Library website): Watch in class Reading Schedule Card Due
07 Dickens Biography/Victorian Age Final Thoughts - Charles Dickens ------------------------------------------ HPSS - Introduction **Characterization (Dursleys, Hagrid, Dumbledore, Draco)	09 HPSS **Characterization: Draco, Ron, Hermione, Minerva McGonagall, Snape **As time allows: Filtch, Ghosts, Centaurs, other Hogwarts faculty, Quirrell, Mr. Ollivander, Neville Longbottom Character Names (Pottermore website: https://www.wizardingworld.com/news/welcome-to-the-new-pottermore)
14 HPSS Characterization **Voldemort, Harry Potter **Ghosts, Centaurs, Quirrell Themes/Concepts **Education (ch 8) **Quidditch (chpts 10-11, 13) (See Course Notes)	16 HPSS **Quidditch (chpts 10-11, 13; 16-17) (See Course Notes) **Hermione (ch 10)/Female characters           --"Harry Potter's Girl Trouble" article (handout) **Mirror of Erised (ch 12) In-class card (5pts) for each House Quiz 1: HPSS - Characterization, Chpts 1-13
21 HPSS **Hermione (ch 10)/Female characters           --"Harry Potter's Girl Trouble" article (handout) **Mirror of Erised (ch 12) In-class card due (5pts) for each House ------------------------------- **N Flamel (ch 13)	23 University Cancelled Classes (Snowstorm)
28 HPGF Bring both HPSS & HPGF HPSS **Movie Clips (Diagon Alley; Quidditch, Forbidden Forest, Ending) **Final Points: N. Flamel/Quidditch **Forbidden Forest (ch 15) **Conclusion (ch 17) **Final Thoughts ------------------------------- HPGF - Introduction Chpts 1-3 **Return of Voldemort (Tom Riddle) **Harry's dream **Quidditch World Cup invitation (Weasleys, Dursleys)	02 March - Look Below
March
Tuesday	Thursday
28 February - Look Above	02HPGF Chpts 1-3 (Finish our discussion from Tues) **Return of Voldemort (Tom Riddle) **Harry's dream **Quidditch World Cup invitation (Weasleys, Dursleys) Chpts 4-9 **Weasleys (the Burrow) **Quidditch World Cup match
07 HPGF Chpts 10-15 Informal House presentations: Chpts 12-15 In-class meeting of groups for collaborative project Quiz 2: HPGF - Chpts 1-15	09 HPGF Quick Follow Up **Ch 7: Quidditch World Cup gathering **Ch 6: Cedric and his father **Ch 9: Death Eaters/Winky (Ch 8) Chpts 16-21 **Game Playing (See Course Notes--Game Playing in HPSS & HPGF) --Goblet of Fire --First Task --Wands In-class meeting of groups for collaborative project (planning chart) Part I: Take-Home Portion.  Due at the beginning of class 3/16, no exceptions
14 HPGF **Movie clip: Mad-Eye Moody scene ** Ch 21: Hermione's S.P.E.W. campaign (Course Notes - Hegel's Master-Slave dialectic) Chpts 22-31 **Second and Third Tasks (Course Notes - Game Playing in HPSS & HPGF) **Adolsecence (Boy-Girl) Relationships (Yule Ball)/Relationship of Harry, Hermione, Ron Review Take-Home Midterm (see 3/9)/In-class midterm In-class meeting of groups for collaborative project (research)	16 Midterm Part I: Due at the beginning of class or you will receive a zero for Part I Part II: In-Class Portion (Please - No Early Exams)
21 Spring Break	23 Spring Break
28 HPGF Review:  Hegel's Master-Slave dialectic (House Elves Issue) Chpts 32-37 **Second and Third Tasks (Course Notes - Game Playing in HPSS & HPGF) **Adolsecence (Boy-Girl) Relationships (Yule Ball)/Relationship of Harry, Hermione, Ron **Harry's confrontation with Voldemort/Death of Cedric (Chpts 32-34) Collaborative Project Update (Formatting)	30 HPGF  (Bring both HPGF & DC) **The Pensieve (Ch 30) (movie clip) **Dumbledore: Importance of unity and solidarity (Chpts 36-37)/ (movie clip) **Sirius Black, Rita Skeeter, Professor Trelawney **Chapter illustrations **Final Thoughts ---------------------------------------------------- DC Chpts I-II (Chapters are grouped in monthly parts - see table of contents to the Penguin DC) **Mr. Murderstone, Clara Copperfield, Aunt Betsy, Peggotty, David **Memory, imagination/Childhood
April
Tuesday	Thursday
04 DC - Introduction **Movie Clip: BBC R Baker introduction **Course Notes: DC Flowchart/Historical Bkgrd: Victorian Period **Penguin edition: Dickens Chronology - DC (Charles Dickens) as autobiographical fiction **Preface to DC **Penguin Critical Intro: "The Novel in 1850" (xvi-viii) Chpts I-II (Continue from TH's class) Chpts III-VIII Brief plot summaries **Peggottys/Little Emily **Mr Creakle/Salem House/Steerforth **Murdstones/Clara Copperfield	06 DC Continue with Chpts III-VIII Brief plot summaries **Peggottys/Little Emily **Mr Creakle/Salem House/Steerforth **Murdstones/Clara Copperfield  **Movie Clip: Chpt 1 Chpts IX-XIV Brief plot summaries **Murdstone & Grinby's (from Dickens's autobiographical fragment, pp 895-96) **Mr & Mrs Micawber **Aunt Betsy/Mr Dick Collaborative Essay & Presentation: Proposal Due by April 7, 4pm (Outside of class, drop off proposal at my office)
11 DC Chpts XIII-XIV **Micawbers **Road to Dover **Aunt Betsy/Mr. Dick Chpts XV-XX Brief plot summaries **Dr Strong/Annie/Canterbury School/David's "beginning" **Mr Wickfield, Agnes, Uriah Heep **Retrospective chapter **Steerforth/Mrs Steeforth/Rosa Dartle	13 DC **Micawbers (see 4/11) **Aunt Betsy/Mr. Dick **Retrospective - chapter 18 **education Brief plot summaries Chpts XXI-XXVI **Peggottys **Miss Mowcher/Martha Endell **Mr Spenlow/Dora **Law (Doctor's Commons) **Waterbrooks Resubmit Reading Schedule Card (see 2/2): Updates
18 DC Chpts XXI-XXVI **Miss Mowcher/Martha Endell **Mr Spenlow/Dora Chpts XXVII-XXXII Brief plot summaries **Tommy Traddles **David's dinner party **Rosa Dartle/Mrs Steerforth **Peggottys **Steerforth and Little Emily Quiz 3: Chpts 1-26	20 DC Chpts XXVII-XXXII **Waterbrooks **Tommy Traddles **Rosa Dartle/Mrs Steerforth **Steerforth and Little Emily Chpts XXXIII-XXXVIII Brief plot summaries **Law (Doctor's Commons)/David's critique **David and Dora **David's trials/earnestness
25 DC Chpts XXXIX-XLIV Brief plot summaries **Agnes, David, Uriah **David and Dora's housekeeping **Annie/Dr Strong subplot (Mr. Dick) **Retrospective In-class cards: grp work (5pts) (Chpts 39, 42, 43, 44)	27 DC Sit in Collaborative Project Groups **Proposals **Outline--Essay **Presentations **Planning Charts (TH, 5/11) **Social class [Ch 39; Penguin Critical Intro: "States of Conflict" (xxxiii-vii)] **Rosa Dartle/Miss Mowcher: Women in the Novel (see Course Notes) Chpts XLV-L Brief plot summaries **David and Dora **Martha Endell **Annie and Dr. Strong *Rosa Dartle/Emily/Mr Pegotty (Ch 50)
May
Tuesday	Thursday
02 DC Chpts LI-LVI Brief plot summaries **Writing and language (Ch 52//Mr. Micawber, Uriah Heep/Dr. Strong, Mr. Dick) **Steerforth (Ch 55) **Retrospective Chapter **Penguin Critical Intro: Autobiography and Memory (xxvi-vii);  "Dickens and Mr. Micawber" (xxxvii-ix)	04 DC  (Also, bring both HP novels) Chpts LVII-LXII Brief plot summaries **David's Travels/Writing (Chpts 43, 45, 48) **Emigrants **David and Agnes **Traddles and Sophy **Visit to the prison **Review exams **Connections to HPSS & HPGF Quiz 4: Chpts 27-53; Penguin Critical Intros ("States of Conflict"; "Autobiography and Memory"; "Dickens and Mr. Micawber")
09 DC Chpts LXIII-LXIV (Also, bring both HP novels) Share midterm responses (bring yours) Brief plot summaries Writing and Memory **Illustration (p 870) **Penguin Critical Intro: Autobiography and Memory (xxvi-vii) **David's Travels/Writing (Chpts 43, 46, 48, 58) Women in the Novel **Rosa Dartle, Dora & Agnes, Martha Endell & Emily, Annie Strong **Conclusion, Ch 64 **Dickens and Rowling--Final Thoughts ---------------------------------------------- Final Class Meeting, 5/18 Presentations for Collaborative Project **Bring all three books **Loose Ends: Dickens and Rowling **Share midterm responses as/if time allows (Bring yours) Collaborative Project Due 5/16: Drop off at my office during office hours: T, 1-3 Essay + Outline + Planning Charts (both partners) See Blue Boxes below	11 No Class Meeting Meet with your group to work on your essay Canvas Posting (10pts): Final Thoughts about Rowling & Dickens: Due Sat, May 20, 11pm. See Canvas page for our course, under Assignments

Final Exam Week: May 15 - 19
Office hours finals week:  See website home page

Finals Week Class Meeting: TH, May 18, 12:30-2:30, in our usual classroom

Groups will give presentations during our finals week class meeting.  With remaining time, wrap up course
Essay Due 5/16: Drop of at my office.  Essay and Outline (one per group) + Planning Charts (all partners): T, 1-3pm

Canvas Posting (10pts): Final Thoughts about Rowling & Dickens: Due Sat, May 20, 11pm.
See Canvas page for our course, under Assignments

Course Grades posted on AccessPoint (not Canvas): May 25 or 26

The General Education Program--The Humanities

The humanities explore the fundamental ideas and values shaping cultures and civilization, in life and as represented in the written word, using scholarly approaches that are primarily analytical, critical, or interpretive. By introducing students to concepts and beliefs within and outside their own perspectives, courses in the humanities help students to understand and critically engage a variety of worldviews and the ideas that give them meaning.

1. Closely, think critically, and write effectively about texts or cultural artifacts that reflect on perennial questions concerning the human condition (such as the search for truth and meaning, the confrontation with suffering and mortality, or the struggle for justice, equality, and human dignity).

2. Investigate and thoughtfully respond to a variety of ideas, beliefs or values held by persons in situations other than one’s own.

Engl 385 Course Description and learning Outcomes

This course is for Muggles who want to experience the adventurous, socially aware, magical worlds of Charles Dickens’s David Copperfield (published serially, 1849-1850) and J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (1997) and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000). We will read these novels for their imaginative worlds, heroes and villains, and descriptive language. In addition, we will compare and contrast novels, thinking about the parallels between the worlds of the novels and even our own (e.g., education, social class, and magic/fairytales). Through class discussions, you will have the chance to share your thoughts about the novels—to analyze and evaluate them, to debate issues, and to explore personal connections to the reading. Literature, after all, is an imaginative engagement of life. Films are the perfect complement to novels, so we will watch adaptations of the novels (clips), which will help us realize why these novels (and their authors) continue to have popularity and cultural power today.

During the semester, we will work to

• Analyze literature critically during class discussions and in writing to demonstrate an understanding of key themes, of the conventions/language of literature, and of key concepts about nineteenth- and twentieth-century British culture
• Summarize and explain plots and themes when reading literature individually and during class discussions
• Explain the reciprocal relationship between literature and culture--how literature and culture interact to reinforce and challenge social attitudes and values--by comparing and contrasting Charles Dickens and J. K. Rowling as writers and as authors
• Evaluate and engage literature as an imaginative expression of the human condition

TEXTS

Purchase at Bookstore (or from another vendor)

DAVID COPPERFIELD (ED: TAMBLING) Penguin, 978-0-14-043944-1
HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE, Scholastic, 978-0-439-13960-1
HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE, Scholastic, 978-0-439-70818-0

Warning: If you choose not to use these editions, you will have trouble following our class discussions and noting page references. You will also not have textual notes and the critical introduction for David Copperfield.

Requirements

This is a reading-intensive course.  Success in the course will require that you establish set (and consistent) reading times outside of class when reading and thinking can occur.  Our class discussions will focus on the assigned readings, but we cannot read every work line by line. In keeping with the course learning outcomes, you will be able to use our class discussions to help you study sections of works we do not have time to cover fully in class. Before each class meeting, it is useful to mark key passages that point to central concerns or ideas in works and to write down ideas and questions you have. The purpose of class discussion is not to give you answers; instead, class discussions will help you develop reading strategies, understand background/contexts, and raise questions that you will think about and answer.

There will be quizzes and some assignments, a midterm examination, and a collaborative presentation and course essay.  The course grade will be determined mathematically using the percentages below. Please remember that your course grade will be based on the work that you complete, not simply the effort you make or my subjective opinion.

Course Grade	%
Assignments/Quizzes**	25%
Midterm	40%
Collaborative Essay	25%
Collaborative Presentation	10%
** Will be determined by point values (Approx Grades): 5pt Assignments: A/A-=5-4.5; B- =4; C- =3.5; D- =3; F=2.5-0 10pt Assignments: A/A- =10-9; B/B- =8.5-8; C/C- =7.5-7; D/D- =6.5-6; F=5-0

All work must be completed on time. It is your responsibility to keep copies of all of your essays and assignments. Some assignments maybe submitted via email, and email communication will be required throughout the semester.