ENG 251: Film and Literature, Fall 2018 Section C2: Thursday, 8:30–11:15 am, G-235 CRN 10917

Brian T. Murphy Bradley Hall, Y-16 516-572-7718 e-mail: brian.murphy@ncc.edu Schedule and Office Hours

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Description	Objectives	Texts	Policies
Assignments	Grading	Schedule	Links

Important Announcements and Updates: Click HERE

Print-friendly (MS Word) course outline here.
Other printable documents:
Model for Evaluation of Student Writing
Works Cited page (Instructions & Sample
Cover Page for Research Essays (Sample)
Standard MLA Format for Essays
Revision and Editing Checklist
Incorporating Sources
Paragraph Outline
Essay Outline

“Everyone who sees films based on novels feels able to comment, at levels ranging from the gossipy to the erudite, on the nature and success of the adaptation involved. That is, the interest in adaptation [...] ranges backwards and forwards from those who talk of novels as being ‘betrayed’ by boorish film-makers to those who regard the practice of comparing film and novel a waste of time.”

—Brian McFarlane, Novel to Film

“On the morrow I announced that I had thought of a story.”

—Mary Shelley, Introduction to the 1831 edition

Note: For Fall 2018, ENG 251-C2 is Frankenstein-themed in honor of the 200th anniversary of its publication.
All readings and viewings will be connected to the classic Mary Shelley text and its interpreters.

DESCRIPTION:
This course compares different techniques and effects of literature and film. Students explore genre, form, structure, symbolism, myth, and convention in both media. Writing is an integral component of the course.

Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 109.

This course explores the complex interplay between film and literature. Selected literary works are analyzed in relation to film versions of the same works in order to gain an understanding of the possibilities—and problems—involved in the transposition to film. As this is a course in literature and film analysis, students do not need to have taken other film courses before taking this course. However, it is assumed that students have successfully completed the prerequisites for this course, ENG 101 and ENG 102 (or their equivalent).  Therefore, students are expected to have the necessary background and experience in analyzing, discussing, and responding to literature, as well as the ability to conduct independent research and to write correctly documented research essays  using MLA format. Students are cautioned that this course requires extensive reading and writing in addition to viewing films and taking part in class discussions. Students not prepared to read (up to 150 pages/week), to write on a regular basis, and to take an active part in class discussions should not consider taking this course.

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OBJECTIVES:

Course Goals	Learning Outcomes
Writing Literacy: to produce precise, clear,   grammatically-correct, well-developed, and well-organized writing appropriate   to academic, social, and occupational fields	Students will produce coherent texts within common college level forms and revise and improve such texts.
Critical Thinking: to be able to question information and to use reason to determine what to believe or what to do	Students will identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments as they occur in their own and others’ work and develop well-reasoned arguments.
Informational Literacy: to locate, evaluate,   and incorporate relevant source materials into the construction and   expression of an informed point of view	Students will access and utilize basic computer and internet functions, demonstrating appropriate and effective utilization of programs and functions; use basic research techniques, demonstrating appropriate, effective research skills; locate, evaluate, organize, and synthesize information from a variety of sources, demonstrating the ability to implement an effective search strategy to obtain reliable information; and apply ethical and legal standards for use of source information, demonstrating the application of accepted ethical and legal restrictions on the use of published works.
Cultural Literacy: to engage with literary texts that reflect the diversity of the human experience in a variety of historical and cultural framework	Students will recognize the diversity and similarities of the ways in which people in different cultural traditions perceive and experience their lives; demonstrate understanding of the various influences that shape perspectives, values, and identities; and demonstrate understanding of social divisions such as gender, ability, ethnicity, and racial formations in a pluralistic nation and world.
Humanities Competency:	Students are able to analyze or interpret texts, ideas, discourse systems, and the human values they reflect.

Students will

  Enhance their ability to understand, appreciate, and discuss works of literature through extensive reading and discussion of short stories, novels and plays.

  Analyze works of fiction and drama for plot structure, setting, characterization, theme, and narrative point of view.

Develop an understanding of critical analysis of film through careful examination of cinematic adaptations of literary texts, focusing on character development, dramatic structure, and performance.

  Learn and utilize the terminology of film analysis, both those terms shared with literary discussion (character, plot, theme, setting) and those specific to cinema (lighting, montage, special effects, etc.).

  Demonstrate an understanding of the possibilities and problems involved in the transposition of literature to film, applying terminology and critical skills acquired during the semester to analyze a cinematic adaptation of a text not discussed in class.

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TEXTS:
(see also Additional Textbook Options, below)

Required:

Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. Edited by J. Paul Hunter. New York: W. W. Norton, 2012. ISBN 978-0-393-92793-1 (Available used starting at $7.57 at Amazon.com***)

The primary text for this class, Frankenstein, has been ordered and should be available at the Nassau Community College bookstore . Although Frankenstein is widely available in several different mass market editions, I have ordered one specific edition, the Norton Critical Edition. This book contains a scholarly introduction, contexts, and criticism, much of which will constitute additional assigned reading for the course. Prices listed at Amazon.com (below) do not include shipping, and are accurate as of posting date only; no guarantees of prices or availability are express or implied§.
NCC Bookstore prices:

• Paperback, new: $19.75
• Paperback, used: $15.00
• Paperback rental, new: $15.80
• Paperback rental, used: $3.95
• Digital (eBook): $12.00

A good college-level (paperback) dictionary (Available used starting at $0.01 at Amazon.com***).

Additional  required readings will also be assigned and  will made available as photocopies or as links.

Other materials:

A thumb drive or other portable storage device.
Pens (blue or black ink only) and a notebook and/or supply of 8½ x 11” ruled paper, not spiral bound. Paper torn out of spiral-bound notebooks is not acceptable and will be returned unread and ungraded.

Recommended:

Hacker, Diana and Nancy Sommers. Rules for Writers, 7 ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2012, or another current college-level handbook including 2009 MLA updates. (Available used starting at $21.35 at Amazon.com)
Note: The sixth edition of Rules for Writers with 2009 MLA Updates is also available, and quite a bit less expensive (Available used starting at $14.00 at Amazon.com).

Monaco, James. How to Read a Film: Movies, Media, and Beyond, Revised 9 ed.. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2009. (Available used starting at $9.00 at Amazon.com)

A good college-level dictionary (Available used starting at $0.01 at Amazon.com).

Additional recommended readings, predominantly critical essays or background information, will be indicated on the schedule (see Outline, below) with an asterisk (*). 

Recommended additional texts, Frankenstein:**

Ackroyd, Peter. The Casebook of Victor Frankenstein. New York: Nan A. Talese, 2010. (Available starting at $14.85 at Amazon.com)†***

Armit, Lucy, ed. Where No Man Has Gone Before: Women and Science Fiction. London: Routledge, 1991. (Available starting at $2.99 at Amazon.com).

Bloom, Harold, ed. Modern Critical Interpretations: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. New York and Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 1987. (Available starting at $3.64 at Amazon.com).

Botting, Fred. Making Monstrous: Frankenstein, Criticism, Theory. Manchester and New York: Manchester UP, 1991. (Available starting at $75.00 at Amazon.com).

Glut, Donald. F. The Frankenstein Archive: Essays on the Monster, the Myth, the Movies, and More. Jefferson, NC and London: McFarland, 2002. (Available used starting at $24.95 at Amazon.com).

Gould, Stephen Jay. “The Monster’s Human Nature.” Dinosaur in a Haystack: Reflections in Natural History. New York: Harmony, 1995. 53-62. (Available starting at $1.70 at Amazon.com)

Haining, Peter, ed. The Frankenstein Omnibus. Edison, NJ: Chartwell, 1994. (Available used starting at $2.94 at Amazon.com).

Hoobler, Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler. The Monsters: Mary Shelley and the Curse of Frankenstein. New York: Little, Brown, 2006. (Available starting at $0.99 at Amazon.com)

Judge, Lita. Mary's Monster: Love, Madness, and How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein. New York: Roaring Brook P, 2018. (Available used starting at $10.99 at Amazon.com).

LaValley, Albert J. “The Stage and Film Children of Frankenstein: A Survey.” The Endurance of Frankenstein: Essays on Mary Shelley’s Novel. Eds. George Levine and U. C. Knoepflmacher. Berkeley: U of California P, 1979. 243-248. (Available starting at $39.95 at Amazon.com***)

Levine, George and U. C. Knoepflmacher, eds. The Endurance of Frankenstein. Berkeley: U of California P, 1979. 243-248. (Available starting at $39.95 at Amazon.com)

Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein: Classics Illustrated Deluxe Graphic Novels. Adapted by Marion Mousse. New York: Papercutz, 2009. (Available used starting at $3.19 at Amazon.com).

Tropp, Martin. Mary Shelley’s Monster: The Story of Frankenstein. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1976. ( Available used starting at $2.97 at Amazon.com)

Recommended additional texts, General:**

Bloom, Harold. How to Read and Why. New York: Scribner, 2000. (Available starting at $1.00 at Amazon.com)***

Cahir, Linda Costanzo. Literature into Film: Theory And Practical Approaches. [New York?]: McFarland, 2006.(Available used starting at $21.84 at Amazon.com)

Casagrande, June. Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies: A Guide to Language for Fun and Spite. New York: Penguin, 2006. (Available starting at $3.94 at Amazon.com)

---. Mortal Syntax: 101 Language Choices That Will Get You Clobbered by the Grammar Snobs—Even If You’re Right. New York: Penguin, 2008 (Available used starting at $6.61 at Amazon.com).

Cathcart, Thomas and Daniel Klein. “Logic.” Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar...: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes. New York: Abrams Image, 2006. 27-49. (Available used starting at $6.73 at Amazon.com)

---. Aristotle and an Aardvark Go to Washington: Understanding Political Doublespeak through Through Philosophy and Jokes. New York: Abrams Image, 2007. 27-49 (Available used starting at $10.85 at Amazon.com).

Corrigan, Timothy, ed. Film and Literature: An Introduction and Reader. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1999. 340-356. (Available starting at $11.00 at Amazon.com)

---. Film and Literature: An Introduction and Reader, 2 ed. [New York?]: Routledge, 2011. (Available used starting at $32.10 at Amazon.com)

Crystal, David. Words, Words, Words. New York: Oxford U P, 2006 (Available used starting at $9.28 at Amazon.com).

Denby, David. Great Books: My Adventures with Homer, Rousseau, Woolf, and Other Indestructible Writers of the Western World. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996. (Available starting at $0.29 at Amazon.com).

Desmond, John M. Adaptation: Studying Film and Literature. Boston/New York: McGraw-Hill, 2005. (Available used starting at $23.00 at Amazon.com)

Dirda, Michael. Classics for Pleasure. Orlando, FL: Harcourt, 2007. (Available starting at $1.49 at Amazon.com)

Foster, Thomas C. How to Read Literature Like a Professor. [New York: Harper, 2008 ?]. (Available used starting at $3.21 at Amazon.com)

---. How to Read Novels Like a Professor. New York: Harper, 2008. (Available used starting at $4.51 at Amazon.com)

Garvey, Mark. Stylized: A Slightly Obsessive History of Strunk & White’s The Elements of Style. New York: Touchstone/Simon & Schuster, 2009. (Available starting at $14.48 at Amazon.com).

Giannetti, Louis. Understanding Movies, 10 ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2005. (Available starting at $54.00 at Amazon.com)

Harrison, Stephanie. Adaptations: From Short Story to Big Screen: 35 Great Stories That Have Inspired Great Films. [New York?]: Three Rivers P, 2005. (Available used starting at $8.50 at Amazon.com)

Lederer, Richard. Anguished English: An Anthology of Accidental Assaults Upon Our Language. Charleston, SC: Wyrick & Company, 1987 (Available used starting at $0.01 at Amazon.com).

---.  More Anguished English: An Expose of Embarrassing Excruciating, and Egregious Errors in English. New York: Dell, 1994 (Available used starting at $0.01 at Amazon.com).

Levitin, Daniel J. A Field Guide to Lies: Critical Thinking in the Information Age. New York: Dutton/Penguin, 2016. (Available new starting at $9.53 at Amazon - cheaper than used!)

McFarlane, Brian. Novel to Film: An Introduction to the Theory of Adaptation. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1996. (Available used starting at $9.99 at Amazon.com)

Mendelsohn, Daniel and Zoe Heller. “What Are We Meant to Get Out of Movies Based on Short Stories and Novels?“ New York Times Sunday Book Review 29 Dec. 2013.

Monaco, James. How to Read a Film: Movies, Media, and Beyond, Revised 9 ed.. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2009. (Available used starting at $9.00 at Amazon.com)

Postman, Neil. Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business. New York: Penguin, 1985, 2005. (Available used starting at $6.74 at Amazon.com).

Truss, Lynne. Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation. New York: Gotham Books, 2004 (Available used starting at $2.70 at Amazon.com).

Seger, Linda. The Art of Adaptation: Turning Fact And Fiction Into Film.  [New York?]: Owl Books, 1992. (Available starting at $1.25 at Amazon.com)

Vankin, Jonathan. Based on a True Story: Fact and Fantasy in 100 Favorite Movies. Chicago: Chicago Review P, 2005. (Available starting at $4.99at Amazon.com)

Wynorski, Jim, ed. They Came from Outer Space: 12 Classic Science Fiction Tales That Became Major Motion Pictures. New York: Doubleday, 1980. (Available used starting at $8.00 at Amazon.com)

** Recommended additional texts are not required purchases, and have not been ordered for the course; however, they provide—depending on the course— alternative readings, historical and cultural backgrounds, criticism, personal literary responses, or entertaining (irreverent, possibly sacrilegious) revisions. Students who find themselves becoming deeply interested in one or more of the required readings may find these interesting and/or useful. When indicated with a dagger (†), texts are only provisionally recommended, as I have not read these works yet, although they have received excellent reviews or recommendations.

*** Prices listed at Amazon.com do not include shipping, and are accurate as of original posting date only; no guarantees of prices or availability are express or implied§.

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POLICIES:

Attendance:
As per the Nassau Community College attendance policy,  “Students are expected to attend all classes. Absences due to illness or for other serious reasons may be excused at the discretion of the instructor. Students are advised that absences in excess of 10% of the total class meetings may result being dropped from the course.”  Students must not only attend every class and lab meeting, but also arrive on time, be prepared, and take an active part in class (see Participation, below); students may be required to sign in each class session to verify their attendance. Excessive absences or latenesses will adversely affect your grade: Students may miss no more than three classes or lab meetings; further absences will result in a reduction of the final grade by one full letter grade for each additional absence. Students unable to attend class should contact the instructor regarding their absence; in addition, students are responsible for submitting all work on time regardless of absences. In addition, once students get to class, they are expected to stay in the classroom until the class is over. Leaving class early or getting up in the middle of class is considered disruptive behavior and should happen only in extreme emergencies.

Classroom Behavior:
Students are expected to be present, prepared, attentive, and active participants in the learning process. As such, any distracting or inappropriate behavior or unauthorized use of electronic devices* is strictly prohibited. Students who wish to use a laptop for note-taking may be allowed to do so at the instructor’s discretion, but will be required to sit in the front row and to submit a copy of their notes to the professor at the end of each class; failure to do so will result in being recorded as absent. Eating, sleeping, texting, or other inappropriate behavior may result in your being asked to leave the class and will adversely affect your final grade. According to the “Student Code of Conduct,” “The College is committed to providing an atmosphere in which students have freedom to learn and engage in the search for truth, knowledge, and reason in accordance with the standards set forth by the academic community. Conduct that adversely affects a student’s responsible membership in the academic community shall result in appropriate disciplinary action.” Appropriate disciplinary action may include but is not limited to probation, suspension, and expulsion from the college. See the Nassau Community College “Classroom Management Policy“ and “Student Code of Conduct“ in the college catalog.

*On cell phone use in class, see Andrew Lepp, Jacob E. Barkley, and Aryn C. Karpinski. “The Relationship between Cell Phone Use and Academic Performance in a Sample of U.S. College Students.” SAGE Open 19 Feb. 2015.

Plagiarism and Cheating:
Plagiarism includes copying or paraphrasing another’s words, ideas, or facts without crediting the source; submitting a paper written by someone else, either in whole or in part, as one’s own work; or submitting work previously submitted for another course or instructor. Plagiarism, cheating, or other forms of academic dishonesty on any assignment will result in failure (a grade of zero) for that assignment and may result in further disciplinary action, including but not limited to failure for the course and expulsion from the college. See the Nassau Community College policy on “Academic Dishonesty & Plagiarism.”

Homework/Essay Submission:
All writing assignments must be received by the instructor on or before the due date, by the beginning of the class period, as indicated on the schedule, below. Students may also be required to submit an electronic copy of their work via TurnItIn.com; details to be announced. Essays submitted by email will not be accepted, and late work if accepted will be penalized 10% for each day it is late; see below. All at-home work must be typed (in 12-point Times New Roman), double-spaced, with one-inch margins, and stapled when submitted. In-class work must be neatly printed in blue or black ink on loose-leaf composition paper or in bluebooks provided by the instructor and double-spaced^§. All essays must also include a proper heading (see Purdue Online Writing Lab’s Formatting and Style Guide), including Word Count; have an appropriate, original title; contain a clear, explicit, assertive, objectively worded thesis statement (thesis statements must be underlined); and (unless otherwise indicated) avoid use of I or you throughout. Finally, all work should be grammatically correct, free of errors in mechanics, grammar, usage, spelling, and documentation, and will be evaluated according to the Model for Evaluation of Student Writing. Please refer to the Paragraph Outline or Essay Outline and Revising and Editing Checklist for additional assistance.

^§  On format, handwriting, and neatness, see Chase, Clinton I. “Essay Test Scoring: Interaction of Relevant Variables.” Journal of Educational Measurement 23.1 (1986): 33-41; and  Marshall, Jon C. and Jerry M. Powers. “Writing Neatness, Composition Errors, and Essay Grades.” Journal of Educational Measurement 6.2 (1988): 306-324.

Make-up Exams/Late Work:
All assignment deadlines and scheduled exam dates are provided at the beginning of the semester; therefore, no make-up opportunities will be offered or late work accepted, except under extraordinary circumstances with appropriate documentation, and late work will be penalized 10% for each day or portion thereof it is submitted after the due date. Note: As all work is due at the beginning of the class period, this includes work submitted after class has begun on the due date.

Excuses such as “crashed computers,” “lost flash drives,” or “empty printer ink cartridges” will not be accepted. All essays or work should be saved both on your computer’s hard drive and again on removable storage device as well as uploaded to cloud storage. (OneDrive, et cetera) Students should also keep backup copies of all work submitted.

*See also,  Mike Adams, “The Dead Grandmother/Exam Syndrome.”

Disabilities and Accommodations:
If you have a physical, psychological, medical, or learning disability that may impact on your ability to carry out the assigned coursework, I urge you to contact the staff at the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD), Building U (516 572-7241), TTY (516) 572-7617. The counselors at CSD will review your concerns and determine to what reasonable accommodations you are entitled as covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. All information and documentation pertaining to personal disabilities will be kept confidential.

Additional Assistance: Students should avail themselves of the Writing Center, located in Bradley Hall (Bldg. Y), 572-7195, and on the second floor of the Library, room L 233, 572-3595. The Writing Center offers one-on-one tutoring as well as workshops. email: wcenter@ncc.edu.

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ASSIGNMENTS:

ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION (5 %):
As this class will combine both lecture and discussion, students are expected both to attend every session and to take an active part in class—joining in discussions and raising questions. Discussion is one of the best ways to clarify your understandings and to test your conclusions. Open discussion always involves personal exposure, and thus the taking of risks: your ideas may not be the same as your fellow students’ or even the instructor’s. Yet as long as your points are honest and supportable, they need to be respected by all of us in the classroom. Questions, discussion, disagreement, and laughter are all encouraged in this class. (However, ridicule or scoffing is never tolerated.)

QUIZZES (7.5 %):
With the exception of the first day, class may begin with a short (five- to ten-minute) quiz or response paper on the reading(s) for the day, at the instructor’s discretion. Quizzes cannot be made up; if you miss a quiz due to absence or lateness, that grade will be regarded as a 0. At the end of the semester, the lowest quiz grade will be dropped. Total number of quizzes during the semester determines the point value of each; that is, the more quizzes during the semester, the less each individual quiz is worth.

RESPONSE PAPERS (5 @ 10 %):
Students will complete at least five short essays during the semester, on topics to be assigned (see Response Paper Topics, below). Essays must be at least 2-3 pages long (500-750 words), typed, double-spaced, grammatically correct, and submitted on or before the due date indicated on the schedule, below. Essays will be evaluated according to the Model for Evaluation of Student Writing. Please refer to the Essay Outline and Revision and Editing Checklist.

RESEARCH PAPER (27.5 % total)
Students will also complete an argumentative (persuasive) Research Essay of at least seven to twelve pages (a minimum of 1500-2500 words), using a minimum of five to seven primary or secondary sources (secondary sources must be reliable: scholarly criticism or analysis, not summaries, reviews, or “analysis” from sites such as e-Notes, SparkNotes, Wikipedia*, 123HelpMe, or Gradesaver.com), correctly documented utilizing MLA format (see also Documenting Films in MLA Style), with a cover page and Works Cited page (cover page and Works Cited do not count toward the seven-page requirement). Topics should be selected from a list of suggestions provided (see Research Paper Topics, below), or developed in consultation with the instructor. The research essay will be completed in stages during the semester; points will accrue as follows:

Topic Selection (2.5 %):
Before beginning the research essay assignment, students will develop and submit a clear, well-written, one-page explanation of the topic chosen from the list provided and the reason for selection. This proposal should include a preliminary idea of the plan of the paper, its intention or research question, and a preliminary thesis.

Annotated Bibliography (5 %):
Students will develop and submit an annotated bibliography for the research essay assignment, with a minimum of five to seven sources, correctly documented according to MLA format.

Research Paper: Final Draft (20 %):
The final draft of the research paper must be submitted in a folder, including copies of all sources used and all of the above assignments associated with the research paper.

FINAL EXAM (10%):
Students will complete a final exam during the official final exam period, evaluating students’ recognition and comprehension of material studied during the previous weeks. This exam will cover specific texts and films, as well as the principles of cinematic adaptation and critical analysis, and may combine objective questions and short essay answers. Students may be allowed to use notes or textbooks for the essay portion of the exams only.

EXTRA CREDIT (possibly various opportunities, at 1–2 points each):
Students may be notified of opportunities for extra credit during the semester, including attendance at various cultural events related to the class (“Recommended Field Trips”). If students attend one or more of these events, and provide evidence of attendance (ticket stub, program, unretouched digital image, et cetera) along with a typed one- to two-page personal response (review, analysis, reflection, critique, et cetera), they can receive additional points: a single event and written response is worth 2 points extra credit unless otherwise noted; attendance at additional events will earn one additional point each. Note: you may not attend the same events two or more times for additional extra credit!

Note: As a general rule, extra credit only helps if you have already completed all of the assigned work, and will not make up for missing an essay (or two, or three). Extra credit opportunities for Fall 2017 will be announced in class, and they will also be posted here as well as on the class Announcements page, so do not ask at the end of the semester for “extra credit” to bring your average up.

Extra credit opportunities:

David Hogg
Parkland High School shooting survivor
Co-founder of March for Our Lives
Wednesday, November 28
11:00 am and 12:30 pm
CCB Multipurpose Room.

Imbolo Mbue,
author of Behold the Dreamers.
Wednesday, November7
11:00 am and 2:00 pm
CCB Multipurpose Room.

National Theatre Live presents

Frankenstein by Nick Dear,
based on the novel by Mary Shelley

Frankenstein returns to international cinemas to mark the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley’s most famous novel.
Captured live in 2011 from the National Theatre stage in London, this thrilling, sold-out production became an international sensation, experienced by almost half a million people in cinemas around the world.
Directed by Academy Award®-winner Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire), Frankenstein features Benedict Cumberbatch (Hamlet, BBC’s Sherlock) and Jonny Lee Miller (Elementary, Trainspotting) alternating between the roles of Victor Frankenstein and his creation.

Monday 22 October

Tuesday 23 October

Monday 29 October

Tuesday 30 October

Various times and locations

Women and Gender Studies and the Philosophy Department present
Kate Manne, author of Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny
to speak about “Himpathy”
(See “Brett Kavanaugh and America’s ‘Himpathy’ Reckoning.” New York Times 26 Sep. 20018.)
Tuesday, October 2, at 1:00 pm
CCB 252

College Night 2018–Monster Masquerade

The Morgan Library and Museum
225 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016
(212) 685-0008

Thursday, October 18, 2018, 6–8 pm
Free for students with valid ID.
Online reservation required: RSVP

With Drawing New York, students can enjoy a Frankenstein themed after-hours experience with a costume contest, exhibition tours, sketching, live music, and more!

Featured Exhibitions:

• It’s Alive! Frankenstein at 200
• Drawing in Tintoretto’s Venice
• Pontormo: Miraculous Encounters
• A Merchant Ivory Production: Highlights from the James Ivory Collection
• Pierpont Morgan's 1906 Library

Please call (212) 685-0008 ext. 560 or e-mail tickets@themorgan.org for information.

While focusing on a particular historical period, this exhibit does offer insights into definitions of monsters and the monstrous:

Medieval Monsters: Terrors, Aliens, Wonders
The Morgan Library and Museum
225 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016
(212) 685-0008

“Monsters captivated the imagination of medieval men and women, just as they continue to fascinate us today. Drawing on the Morgan's superb collection of illuminated manuscripts, this major exhibition, the first of its kind in North America, will explore the complex social role of monsters in the Middle Ages. Medieval Monsters will lead visitors through three sections based on the ways monsters functioned in medieval societies. "Terrors" explores how monsters enhanced the aura of those in power, be they rulers, knights, or saints. A second section on "Aliens" demonstrates how marginalized groups in European societies—such as Jews, Muslims, women, the poor, and the disabled—were further alienated by being figured as monstrous. The final section, "Wonders", considers a group of strange beauties and frightful anomalies that populated the medieval world. Whether employed in ornamental, entertaining, or contemplative settings, these fantastic beings were meant to inspire a sense of marvel and awe in their viewers.”

Only through September 23!

It’s Alive! Frankenstein at 200
The Morgan Library and Museum
225 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016
(212) 685-0008

“Commemorating the two hundredth anniversary of Frankenstein—a classic of world literature and a masterpiece of horror—a new exhibition at the Morgan shows how Mary Shelley created a monster. It traces the origins and impact of her novel, which has been constantly reinterpreted in spinoffs, sequels, mashups, tributes and parodies. Shelley conceived the archetype of the mad scientist, who dares to flout the laws of nature, and devised a creature torn between good and evil. Her monster spoke out against injustice and begged for sympathy while performing acts of shocking violence. In the movies, the monster can be a brute pure and simple, yet he is still an object of compassion and remains a favorite on stage and screen.”

Exhibit and numerous programs events, October 12, 2018 through January 27, 2019; see below.

Related programs:

Type	Title	Date
Adult Workshop	Reading Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein	Wednesday, October 17, 1–3 pm
Film	Frankenstein & Young Frankenstein	Sunday, October 21, 2 pm
Lecture and Discussion	Frankenstein’s Dark and Stormy Birth	Friday, October 26, 6:30 pm
Event	Frankenreads	Wednesday, October 31, 3–5 pm
Gallery Talk	It’s Alive! Frankenstein at 200	Friday, November 2, 6 pm
Film	Bride of Frankenstein & Gods and Monsters	Sunday, November 4, 2 pm
Lecture and Discussion	Frankenstein and his Monster in Today’s World	Wednesday, November 14, 6:30 pm

Hammer Horror: A Frankenstein Septet
The Museum of Modern Art
11 West 53 Street
New York, NY 10019

“Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, published in 1818, has inspired hundreds of films; in 1910 Thomas Edison produced the first cinematic version in his Bronx studio, starring Charles Stanton Ogle as the monster. Hollywood audiences fell in love with Frankenstein after the 1931 Universal Pictures version, featuring Boris Karloff’s iconic block-headed, neck-bolted creature and the hysterical doctor’s spectacular laboratory of tesla coils and steam-spewing equipment, all in glorious black and white.

“In 1957, the British production company Hammer Films produced the first of its seven Frankenstein films, which focused more on the Gothic aspects of the book and the obsession, ambition, and guilt of the doctor (usually played by Peter Cushing). These films overflow with mournful music, overwrought Victorian décor and costumes, lusty characters, and decidedly more disfigured, wrathful monsters—all amplified by a highly artificial, gruesome color palette that makes even a glimpse of blood into a horrifying experience.”

Seven different films, with multiple screenings, October 12–18, 2018

Blackboard Training for Students (1 point)
Dates, Times, and Locations TBA
The Office of Distance Education will be offering on-campus demonstrations for students during the first two weeks of classes this fall, and we are asking you to encourage students to attend so that they can familiarize themselves with Blackboard in order to make their transition to college more manageable.

No advance registration needed; first come, first served basis.

Writing Center Grammar Review Workshops (1 point each)
Sentence Building and Avoiding Run-ons, Comma Splices, and Fragments
Using Correct Punctuation: Commas, Semicolons, and Colons
Subject-Verb Agreement, Verb Formation, Tense Usage

Club Hour Series

Tuesday	October 2	11:30 am to 12:45 pm Bradley Ballroom	Building Compound Sentences
Tuesday	October 9	11:30 am to 12:45 pm Bradley Ballroom	Building Complex Sentences
Thursday	October 11	11:30 am to 12:45 pm Library L233A	Conjunction Usage
Tuesday	October 16	11:30 am to 12:45 pm Library L233A	Conjunction Usage
Tuesday	October 23	11:30 am to 12:45 pm Bradley Ballroom	Subject-Verb Agreement
Thursday	October 25	11:30 am to 12:45 pm Library L233A	Tense Usage
Tuesday	October 30	11:30 am to 12:45 pm Bradley Ballroom	The Verb Phrase

Wednesday Afternoon Series

Wednesday	October 3	2:00 pm to 3:15 pm Bradley Ballroom	Building Compound Sentences
Wednesday	October 10	2:00 pm to 3:15 pm Bradley Ballroom	Building Complex Sentences
Wednesday	October 17	2:00 pm to 3:15 pm Bradley Ballroom	Subject-Verb Agreement
Wednesday	October 24	2:00 pm to 3:15 pm Bradley Ballroom	The Verb Phrase

Tuesday Evening Series

Tuesday	September 25	8:30 pm to 9:50 pm CCB (Room TBA)*	Conjunction Usage
Tuesday	October 9	7:00 pm to 8:20 pm Library L233A	Pronoun Usage
Tuesday	October 23	7:00 pm to 8:20 pm CCB (Room TBA)*	Tense Usage
Tuesday	October 30	7:00 pm to 8:20 pm Library L233A	Adjectives and Adjective Clauses
Tuesday	November 6	7:00 pm to 8:20 pm Library L233A	Punctuation Usage

*Evening Activity Hour. Regular classes are cancelled but check with your instructor.

The Writing Centers are located in Bradley Hall (Bldg. Y) and on the second floor of the Library, room L233
572-7195 or 572-3595
wcenter@ncc.edu www.ncc.edu/writingcenter

Writing Center MLA Research and Documentation Workshops (1 point)
Topics include: Locating and Evaluating Sources
Integrating Sources into an Essay
Creating and Formatting a Works Cited List

MLA Sessions

Tuesday w/Prof. D’Angelo	November 6	11:30 am to 12:45pm	Bradley Ballroom
Tuesday w/Prof. Posillico	November 13	11:30 am to 12:45 pm	Library L233A
Tuesday w/Prof. D’Angelo	November 20	11:30 am to 12:45pm	Bradley Ballroom
Tuesday w/Prof. D’Angelo	November 27	11:30 am to 12:45pm	Bradley Ballroom
Thursday w/Prof. Posillico	November 29	11:30 am to 12:45 pm	Library L233A
Tuesday w/Prof. D’Angelo	December 11	11:30 am to 12:45 pm	Bradley Ballroom
Thursday w/Prof. Posillico	December 13	5:30 pm to 6:50 pm	Library L233A

APA Sessions (No extra credit, but recommended)

Tuesday w/Prof. Posillico	November 27	5:30 pm to 6:50 pm*	CCB, Room TBA
Tuesday w/Prof. Posillico	December 4	11:30 am to 12:45 pm	Library L233A

* 5:30pm classes are cancelled but check with your instructor (room location to be determined).

Seating is limited! Sign up now by calling or visiting the Writing Center.

The Writing Centers are located in Bradley Hall (Bldg. Y) and on the second floor of the Library, room L233
572-7195 or 572-3595
wcenter@ncc.edu www.ncc.edu/writingcenter

Academic Success Workshops and Learning Skills Workshops (1 point each)
NCC Center for Educational and Retention Counseling

Academic Success Workshops

IT’S “ABOUT TIME”

MANAGING, TIME, SELF & COLLEGE

October 2, 11:30am–12:45pm

M 206

ACADEMIC PLANNING

October 25, 11:30am–12:45pm

M 206

BEING SUCCESSFUL IN AN ONLINE CLASS

October 11, 11:30am–12:45pm

G 149

Learning Skills Workshops

It is recommended that students attend all five of the following:

1. LISTENING/NOTE-TAKING

October 9, 11:30 am–12:45pm

M 206

2. STUDYING AND ORGANIZING FOR CLASSES

October 16, 11:30am–12:45pm

M 206

3. READING COLLEGE TEXTBOOKS

October 23, 11:30am–12:45pm

M 206

4. TEST-TAKING

October 30, 11:30am–12:45pm

M 206

5. MANAGING TEST ANXIETY

November 6, 11:30am–12:45pm

M 206

For questions, call 516-572-7141
CERC Office, Nassau Hall, M19

Free, but advance registration is required.

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GRADING:

Final average will be calculated as follows:

Final average will determine the grade received for the course, as follows:

Final Percentage	Final Grade
90–100+	A
85–89	B+
80–84	B
75–79	C+
70–74	C
65–69	D+
60–64	D
0–59	F
Note: Percentages ending in .5 or greater are rounded up. Therefore, 79.5 rounds to 80, a B, but 79.4 rounds to 79, a C+.

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SCHEDULE AND PROJECTED OUTLINE:

Important Dates: FALL SEMESTER 2018
Monday 3 Sep	100% refund ends online by 11:59 p.m. Labor Day – COLLEGE HOLIDAY – offices closed
Tuesday 4 Sep	Day, 1st half semester, Evening & Distance Education classes begin Late payment fee begins
Friday 7 Sep	Weekend classes begin
Monday 10 Sep	Rosh Hashanah – classes do not meet 75% refund ends in-person by close of business or online by 11:59 p.m. Last day drop/add full & 1st half semester classes
Monday 17 Sep	50% refund ends in-person by close of business or online by 11:59 p.m.
Tuesday 18 Sep	Day classes meet on a Monday schedule Evening classes do not meet (classes beginning AFTER 5:01 p.m.)
Wednesday 19 Sep	Yom Kippur – classes do not meet; COLLEGE HOLIDAY – offices closed
Monday 24 Sep	25% refund ends in-person by close of business or online by 11:59 p.m. Last day drop full semester classes without a W grade online by 11:59 p.m.
Tuesday 25 Sep	Evening Activity Hour: 8:30 p.m. class will not meet; all other classes follow a regular schedule
Thursday 4 Oct	Immunization Records Submission Deadline Tuition Payment Plan – second payment due
Friday12 Oct	Last day automatic W 1st half semester classes
Tuesday 23 Oct	Evening Activity Hour: 7:00 p.m. classes will not meet; all other classes follow a regular schedule
Monday 29 Oct	1st half semester classes end Deadline for Fall graduation application
Tuesday 30 Oct	2nd half semester classes begin
Friday 2 Nov	Transcripts available 1st half semester classes
Monday 5 Nov	Last day drop/add 2nd half semester classes
Tuesday 6 Nov	Tuition Payment Plan – third and final payment due
Friday 9 Nov	Last day automatic W full semester classes
Sunday 11 Nov	Veterans’ Day – classes do not meet
Wednesday 21 Nov	Evening classes do not meet (classes beginning AFTER 5:01 p.m.)
Thursday 22 Nov	Thanksgiving – COLLEGE HOLIDAY – offices closed
Friday 23 Nov	Thanksgiving Recess – COLLEGE HOLIDAY – offices closed
Saturday 24 Nov	Classes do not meet
Sunday 25 Nov	Classes do not meet
Tuesday 27 Nov	Evening Activity Hour: 5:30 p.m. class will not meet; all other classes follow a regular schedule
Friday 7 Dec	Last day automatic W 2nd half semester classes
Thursday 13 Dec	Evening classes must be extended by 5 minutes for final exams
Monday 17 Dec	Evening classes must be extended by 5 minutes for final exams
Tuesday 18 Dec	Evening classes must be extended by 5 minutes for final exams
Wednesday 19 De	Evening classes must be extended by 5 minutes for final exams Evening classes end
Thursday 20 Dec	ME Makeup – if necessary EVENING classes will meet
Friday 21 Dec	Day, 2nd half semester & Distance Education classes end ME Makeup – if necessary EVENING classes will meet
Saturday 22 Dec	MW - Makeup Weekend – if necessary WEEKEND classes will meet
Sunday 23 Dec	Weekend classes end
Monday 24 Dec	MD Makeup – if necessary DAY classes will meet
Monday 31 Dec	Transcripts available full & 2nd half semester classes
Note: All dates subject to change; See Academic Student Calendar: Fall 2018 (.pdf)

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Projected Schedule of Readings and Assignments

Note: All readings below are required, and must be completed by the day indicated; the only exceptions are those indicated with an asterisk (*), which are recommended additional readings or resources. Unless otherwise indicated, page numbers refer to the required text, Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. Edited by J. Paul Hunter. New York: W. W. Norton, 2012. ISBN 978-0-393-92793-1.

Red text indicates due dates or links to assignments; Blue text indicates links to assignments, resources, or online versions of texts (Note: While every effort is made to verify the accuracy and usefulness of these links and their contents, no guarantees are made. Please notify me of any broken or outdated links at brian.murphy@ncc.edu).

Note: This schedule is subject to revision according to the instructor’s discretion, the Academic Calendar for the semester, school closings due to inclement weather or other reasons, and the progress of the class. Additions or changes will be announced in class, and they will also be posted here as well as on the class Announcements page.

NOTE: ONLY FIFTEEN SESSIONS!

Readings and Assignments
6 Sep.	Introduction: Syllabus, texts, policies, assignments Problems and Possibilities of Cinematic Adaptation
13 Sep.	Introduction (Hunter ix-xviii); Title Page, Dedication, and Preface (1818 ed.) (3-9); Introduction to Frankenstein, Third Edition (1831 ed.) (165-169) Criticism and analysis: M.K. Joseph, “The Composition of Frankenstein” (170-173); Charles E. Robinson, “Texts in Search of an Editor: Reflections of the Frankenstein Notebooks and on Editorial Authority” (198-204); Anne K. Mellor, “Choosing a Text of Frankenstein to Teach” (204-211) Viewing: Frankenstein (Edison Studios, 1910), dir. J. Searle Dawley Response Paper 1 due * Wollstonecraft Family Tree *Newman, Jenny. “Mary and the Monster: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Maureen Duffy's Gor Saga.” Where No Man Has Gone Before: Women and Science Fiction, ed. Lucie Armitt. London: Routledge, 1991. 85-96. *O’Rourke, James. “The 1831 Introduction and Revisions to Frankenstein: Mary Shelley Dictates Her Legacy.” Studies in Romanticism 38.3 (Fall, 1999):. 365-385. *Poovey, Mary. “’My Hideous Progeny’: The Lady and the Monster.” Modern Critical Interpretations: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein., ed. Harold Bloom. New York and Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 1987: 81-106. *The Romantic Period and Timeline: Edmund Burke: from Reflections on the Revolution in France Mary Wollstonecraft: from A Vindication of the Rights of Men) Thomas Paine: from Rights of Man Mary Wollstonecraft: from A Vindication of the Rights of Woman
20 Sep.	Volume I, Letter I–IV (7-18); Chapter1–4 (18–40) Criticism and analysis: James. A. W. Heffernan, “Looking at the Monster: Frankenstein and Film” (444-467) Viewing: Kenneth Branagh’s Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994); James Whale’s Frankenstein (1931); “Creation” from Jim Sharman’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) (Excerpts) Response Paper 2 due
27 Sep.	Volume I, Chapter 5–Volume II, Chapter 9 (40–105) Criticism and analysis: Peter Brooks, “What Is a Monster?” (368-390) Patrick Brantlinger, “The Reading Monster” (468-476) Jonathan Bate, “[Frankenstein and the State of Nature]” (476-480) Viewing: James Whale’s Frankenstein (1931) continued; The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920); Kenneth Branagh’s Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994) (Excerpts); “Creation” from Jim Sharman’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) Research Topic Due Response Paper 3 due
4 Oct.	Volume I, Chapter 5–Volume II, Chapter 9 (40–105) continued; Volume III, Chapter 1–Chapter 7 (107–161) Viewing: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) (excerpts); Kenneth Branagh’s Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994) continued; “Creation” from Jim Sharman’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) (excerpt). Response Paper 4 due; Response Paper 5 due
11 Oct.	Volume III, Chapter 1–Chapter 7 (107–161) continued Criticism and analysis: Tropp, Martin. “Recreation” from Mary Shelley’s Monster: The Story of Frankenstein. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1976. (Handout) Viewing: James Whale’s Bride of Frankenstein (1935); Possibly Fritz Lang’s Metropolis (1927) 1, 2 (excerpts); The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) (excerpts); “Creation” from Jim Sharman’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) (excerpt). Response Paper 6 due
18 Oct.	Criticism and analysis: Glut, Donald F. “Young Frankenstein–Classic in the Making” from The Frankenstein Archive: Essays on the Monster, the Myth, the Movies, and More. Jefferson, NC and London: McFarland, 2002. “Comedy,” “Parody,” and “Satire,” LiteraryDevices.com Viewing: Mel Brooks’s Young Frankenstein (1974) Response Paper 7 due * Jonathan Swift, “A Modest Proposal (For preventing the children of poor people in Ireland, from being a burden on their parents or country, and for making them beneficial to the publick). ”
25 Oct.	Meyrink, Gustav. “The Golem” (Handout) Criticism and analysis: Rowen, Norma. “The Making of Frankenstein's Monster: Post-Golem, Pre-Robot.” State of the Fantastic: Studies in the Theory and Practice of Fantastic Literature and Film, ed. Nicholas Ruddick (Westport: Greenwood, 1992), pp. 169-77. Viewing: The Golem (1920) Writing about film: Dargas, Manohla. “In 'A Star Is Born,' Equality Is Deadly.” New York Times 24 Oct. 2018: C1+. Boose, Lynda E. and Richard Burt. “Totally Clueless? Shakespeare Goes Hollywood in the 1990s” from Shakespeare, The Movie: Popularizing the Plays on Film, TV, and Video. London and New York: Routledge, 1997. 8-21. (reprinted in Film and Literature: An Introduction and Reader. Ed. Timothy Corrigan. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1999. 340-356) Cohen, Paula Marantz. “Shakespeare Goes to the Movies.” DOJ: The Drexel Online Journal. Feldman, Gail M. “Adapting Shakespeare to Film.” Inside Film Magazine Online. Response Paper 8 due * “Sample Annotated Bibilography” *The Golem (novel) by Gustav Meyrink: Mike Mitchell *The Golem (novel) by Gustav Merink: E.F. Bleiler
1 Nov.	Annotated Bibliography Due Criticism and analysis: Bing, Jon. “The Riddle of the Robots.” Journal of International Commercial Law & Technology, vol. 3, no. 3, July 2008, pp. 197–206. (Also here in .pdf) Viewing: The Android Prophecy: Are Robots a Threat? and Robots: The Real History of Science Fiction. No response papers due this week. (Concentrate on your Annotated Bibliographies instead!) Response Paper 9 due * Elon Musk discusses AI, Cyborgs, and the Future. Joe Rogan Experience 1169. YouTube.
8 Nov.	Isaac Asimov, I, Robot (selections): Read at least “Introduction,” “Robbie,” “Catch That Rabbit,” and “Little Lost Robot” Criticism and analysis: Brayton, Sean. “The Post-White Imaginary in Alex Proyas's I, Robot.” Science-Fiction Studies Mar. 2008, Vol. 35 Issue 1, p72-87. Martin, Daria and Dave Beech. “I, Genius. I, Robot.” Art Monthly. Apr. 2018, Issue 415, p8-12. Viewing (Due to technical difficulties, the viewing schedule must be revised): I, Robot (2004) The Bride (1985) Response Paper 10 due *See also, “What Are Little Girls Made of?” STOS (Season 1, Episode 7)
15 Nov.	Karel Capek, R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) (.pdf), (eBook) (Selections): Read at least through Introductory Scene in eBook version/Act I in pdf. Criticism and analysis: Moran, Michael. “Rossum's Universal Robots: Not The Machines.” Journal of Endourology. 21.12 (Dec. 2007): P1399+. Viewing: Gibel Sensatsii (1935): Soviet Television Adaptation Of R.U.R. (Excerpt) R.U.R. Trailer (Edward Alderton Theater, Bexleyheath, Kent) R.U.R. Act I (Edward Alderton Theater, Bexleyheath, Kent, Dress Rehearsal) Response Paper 11 Due *See also: Ball of Fire (1941). Dir. Howard Hawks. Perf. Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, Oskar Homolka.; Star Trek: The Next Generation: “Datalore”; Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, especially Chapter 1
22 Nov.	Thanksgiving - College Holiday
29 Nov.	Karel Capek, R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) (.pdf), ( eBook) (Selections): Read through Act III (eBook)/(.pdf). Criticism and analysis: Dinan, Matthew. “The Robot Condition: Karel Čapek's R.U.R. and Hannah Arendt on Labor, Technology, and Innovation.” Perspectives on Political Science. Apr.-Jun. 2017, Vol. 46 Issue 2, p108-117. Guizzo, Erico; Ackerman, Evan. “When Robots Decide to Kill.” IEEE Spectrum. Jun. 2016, Vol. 53 Issue 6, p38-43. Viewing: R.U.R. Act II (Edward Alderton Theater, Bexleyheath, Kent, Dress Rehearsal); Act III (Performance) Research Paper due Response Paper 12 due
6 Dec.	Criticism and analysis: Goscilo, Margaret. “Deconstructing The Terminator.” Film Criticism, vol. 12, no. 2, Winter87/88 1987, pp. 37–52. Larson, Doran. “Machine as Messiah: Cyborgs, Morphs, and the American Body Politic.” Cinema Journal, vol. 36, no. 4, Summer 1997, p. 57. Telotte, J. P. “The Terminator, Terminator 2, & the Exposed Body.” Journal of Popular Film & Television, vol. 20, no. 2, Summer 1992, p. 26. Viewing: The Terminator (1984), possibly additional short films. Response Paper 13 due
13 Dec.	Discussion: Research Paper, Final Exam Viewing: The Terminator (1984), Blade Runner (1982) Response Paper 14 due Final Exam Research Paper Revisions Due: Final research project, in folder with all ancillary materials
20 Dec.	Deadline for receipt of Final Exam Final Conferences (by appointment only): Y-16 Day & Distance Education classes end

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WRITING ASSIGNMENTS:

Response Paper Topics:
For each week, a question or topic will be provided. You may complete any five response papers, but  your response must be on the assigned topic for the week it is submitted, and must be submitted on or before the due date, by the beginning of the class period, or it will receive a zero (0). Late work will not be accepted. Students may complete more than five response papers for extra credit: only the best five scores will be utilized in determining final grades.

Instructions: Respond to each question or topic in a brief, well-developed, coherent, and thoughtful essay of at least two to three pages (500-750 words). Your essay should include independent analysis and demonstrate careful thought, but no research is necessary, nor should any secondary sources be used. This is not a research essay; the only sources utilized or quoted should be the texts themselves. Use of secondary sources, whether credited or not, will be considered grounds for failure. Although these are personal responses, and therefore there is no “correct” answer, remember that they are still formal essays: in your analyses, formulate a clear, explicit, assertive (persuasive), objectively-worded thesis statement, and avoid use of “I” or “you” throughout. Do not attempt to address all aspects of the text, but carefully focus your topic, and avoid merely paraphrasing or summarizing the work. Be sure to support your answers with specific references to the work. Essays must be typed, double-spaced, and grammatically correct; essays will be evaluated according to the Model for Evaluation of Student Writing.

1) Due 13 Sep. Choose one of the following:

A) Why The Modern Prometheus? That is, what is the significance of the novel’s subtitle, how does it affect the readers’ interpretation and understanding of the text, or what sort of foreshadowing should we assume it provides?

B) Having read not only the Preface (1818 ed.) and Introduction (1831 ed.) but also M.K. Joseph, Charles E. Robinson, and Anne K. Mellor, explain why it matters which edition we read and what differences between the two versions can affect the readers’ interpretation and understanding. Alternatively, explain why it does not matter which edition we read.

2) Due 20 Sep. Choose one of the following:

A) Consider the nested nature of the narrative so far: J. Paul Hunter’s Introduction (Hunter ix-xviii) introduces the novel, which in turn includes a Preface (1818 ed.) (3-9) and/or Introduction (1831 ed.) establishing the circumstances of the novel’s creation. Then, the novel begins with the Letters from Walton, which contain Victor’s account of his history and education, the animation of the creature, and so on. (As you will see, the levels of narration become even more detailed as we go forward, and include autobiography, letters, and supporting textual evidence for some accounts.) What is the purpose of this nested narration? What is its effect? You might also read “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner“ by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1797–98, rev. 1817) or “Ozymandias“ by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1818).

B) Contrast Victor’s description of the creation and animation of the creature with standard or cliché versions with which you are familiar. How do the versions differ, and more importantly, why?

3) Due 27 Sep. Choose one of the following:

A) Consider the history of the De Lacey family, placed as it is in what is essentially the center of the novel: Volume II, Chapter 5 begins on page 84 (in our edition) of 161 pages. In addition, their history is embedded within the Creature’s own account (of his origin, development, and attaining consciousness, education, and maturity), which is in turn contained within Victor’s story, which is recorded in Walton’s letters to his sister. Why is the De Lacey family so central to the novel, physically, symbolically, or otherwise? (You may also wish to consider the author’s own life and how it shapes or is reflected in the narrative.)

B) In the Creature’s account, beginning with Volume II, Chapter 3, he explains what he remembers of the beginnings of consciousness and language. Shelley here is presenting contemporary theories and discussions concerning man’s essential nature and the origins of language. What specific ideas does she present, and which does she seem to favor, if any?

C) Beginning with Chapter 6, the Creature reveals how he became literate. Discuss his rather eclectic reading: why does Shelley present such specific texts for the Creature to read, and what effect does each have on him? What is Shelley suggesting about education, reading, or intellectual and moral development?

4) Due 4 Oct. Choose one of the following:

A) The construction of the female creature seems more difficult than that of the original creature, and also differs in some other ways. Discuss these differences, and explore both “practical” reasons for them (i.e. Why is it more challenging or difficult for Victor this time?) as well as more theoretical approaches (i.e. Consider psychological and/or feminist critical approaches to the text.)

B) The Creature states that he “will be with [Victor] on [his] wedding night”; somehow, however, Victor is unable to conceive of the Creature’s intent. Consider the two scenes, III.3 and III.6, and explore the doubling and parallels Shelley presents. Again, as above, you might consider psychological and/or feminist critical approaches.

5) Due 4 Oct. In-Class Writing:

Kenneth Branagh’s Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein presents a version of the story that is in some ways much closer to Mary Shelley’s text than more traditional interpretations, such as James Whale’s Frankenstein (1931), or adaptations such as Paul McGuigan’s Victor Frankenstein (2015) or Bernard Rose’s Frankenstein (2015). However, Branagh also takes considerable liberties with the text. Based on your viewing of the film and your reading of the text, how is Branagh’s work both faithful and unfaithful, and why? That is, how does he actually present “Mary Shelley’s” Frankenstein, and how is it really Kenneth Branagh’s?
Note: This is a required writing assignment!

6) Due 11 Oct.

A) Having read the creation—and destruction—of the female Creature in Frankenstein and seen Kenneth Branagh’s Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, consider “The Bride of Frankenstein.” That is, discuss the meaning or significance of the title, the phrase, itself. Why Bride of Frankenstein? The Creature is not named Frankenstein; that is Victor, the creator’s name. You may also watch James Whale’s Bride of Frankenstein (1935) in advance of class to write this response, if you wish.

B) In-Class Writing: Answer each of the following questions in a well-developed, complete, correct paragraph, using specific references to the film.

1. What is the significance of the title of the film? Why Bride of Frankenstein? The Creature is not named Frankenstein; that is Victor, the creator’s name. To whom does the title refer, and why?

2. How would you characterize Dr. Pretorius? IN what ways is he similar to Henry and, more importantly, in what ways does he differ?

3. Unlike in James Whale’s original Frankenstein (1931), the creature speaks and has dialogue in this film. What is the significance of the creature’s learning to speak, and how does this compare to Mary Shelley’s version??

4. What role or roles do women play in the film? Consider not merely the obvious, such as Valerie Hobson as Elizabeth and Elsa Lanchester as the female creature, but Una O'Connor as Minnie, the housekeeper, or Elsa Lanchester as Mary Shelley.

Note: This is a required writing assignment!

7) Due 18 Oct. In-Class Writing:

Young Frankenstein is a comedy in and of itself; however, it perhaps functions even better as a parody, of James Whale’s Frankenstein (1931) and Bride of Frankenstein (1935) and, at times, possibly, the entire body of Frankenstein films. Identify three separate specific scenes or events from Young Frankenstein that serve as direct parody, and discuss each in a well-developed, complete, correct paragraph, using specific references to the films.

Note: This is a required writing assignment!

8) Due 25 Oct.

The Golem by Gustav Meyrink presents just one version of the centuries-old Jewish folktale of the man-made creature animated through magic; in fact, modern versions/adaptations of the 300-plus year old tale range from DC Comics (Ragman, 1991) to The X-Files (“Kaddish,” 1997) and The Simpsons (“Treehouse of Horror XVII,” 2006). The account of the creature brought to life to defend the Prague Ghetto also seems to have had a direct impact on Mary’s conception of the creature in her novel. In what specific ways is Frankenstein’s creation similar to the Golem, and how does he differ? In addition to the handout, you may consider looking at the complete novel, here and here.

9) Due 1 Nov. In-Class Writing:

Note: This is a required writing assignment!

10) Due 8 Nov.

The stories that comprise I, Robot were all originally published between 1940 and 1950. Considering that socio-cultural context, in what ways could Asimov’s portrayal of the struggle to define robots’ essential nature, to grant them essential rights and recognition, be read as allegorical?

11) Due 15 Nov. Choose one of the following:

A) Contrast the description of the creation and animation of the creature in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, especially Volume I, Chapters 1–4, with the analogous story in R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) . How do they differ, and more importantly, why? In your answer, consider the century between the two stories, especially in terms of specific technological and scientific advances.

B) Karel Capek himself once stated, "I recoil in horror from any idea that metal contraptions could ever replace human beings and awaken something like life, love, and rebellion. Such a grim outlook is nothing but an oversimplification of the power of machines and a grave insult to life" (qtd. Moran, Michael. “Rossum's Universal Robots: Not the Machines.”) Can we reconcile such a sentiment with that avowed by Helena and the League of Humanity in the play itself? If so, how? And what does his statement suggest about the Robots’ revolt?

12)  Due 29 Nov.

In Act III of Rossum's Universal Robots, Damon states, “To be like people, it is necessary to kill and to dominate. Read the history books. Read the books written by people. To be like people it is necessary to dominate and to murder.” Science fiction and fantasy often uses this trope, especially that of a satirical nature, to differentiate the “ideal” from the human; consider, for example, Orwell’s Animal Farm , Swift’s Gulliver's Travels, Part II: "A Voyage to Brobdingnag” or Book IV: “A Voyage to the Country of the Houyhnhnms” or the Planet of the Apes movies (“Ape shall not kill ape”). However, Capek’s intention here seems to be quite different. While showing man’s flaws, suggesting satirical intent, he also indicates that the robots, in becoming more human, also become more flawed. What is the ideal, then, according to Capek’s views as expressed in R.U.R. (and, if you wish, The War with the Newts)?

13) Due 6 Dec.

In “Deconstructing The Terminator,” Margaret Goscilo writes,

Sarah's triumph over him [the Terminator] has none of the sexualized, gender-specific charge of the Terminator's own pursuit of her. What she destroys is no longer Schwarzenegger's recognizably male persona but a neuter machine run amok. Then too, John Connor, Reese's second alter ego, remains in reserve as the hero of the family romance and of the future. And finally Sarah's pregnancy encompasses her heroism, in reassurance that maternity differentiates and secures the feminine, however strong a woman may become. (49)

Is The Terminator a progressive, feminist film, or is it conservative and traditional in its depictions of female and male roles, even within the context of potentially apocalyptic events?

14) Due 13 Dec.

Research Paper: Due in stages (see below)
Compose a clear, well-written, properly documented (MLA format) argumentative essay of at least seven to twelve pages (1500-2500 words minimum), with a cover page and Works Cited page (cover page and Works Cited do not count toward the seven-page requirement). The paper must be argumentative (persuasive), with a clear, explicit, and assertive thesis statement, and must use a minimum of five to seven sources, including three to five secondary sources; secondary sources must be scholarly criticism or analysis, not summaries, reviews, or “analysis” from sites such as e-Notes, SparkNotes, Wikipedia*, 123HelpMe, or Gradesaver.com. You must include at least one short quotation, one long—block—quotation, and one paraphrase, and these sources must be properly documented (utilizing MLA format), and integrated into your writing smoothly and correctly. See also Research Paper checklist.

* On use of Wikipedia in college-level research, see Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales on PBS NewsHour, here: “I don’t think at a university level it makes sense to cite any encyclopedia in an academic paper. That’s just not what an encyclopedia’s role is in the research process. Maybe if you’re in junior high, you know? If some kid out there is twelve years old and they wrote something and they put in a footnote, we should be thrilled, right? That’s his first start on the idea of crediting other people with ideas and things like that, but at the university level? No, it’s a bit junior high to cite an encyclopedia.”

Please refer to the following as well:

Formatting and Style Guide (Purdue Online Writing Lab)

Incorporating Sources (class handout)

Class Plagiarism Policy (on syllabus), as well as the Nassau Community College Policy on Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism (page 63 in the college catalog).

You might also find the following additional resources useful:

Works Cited page (Instructions & Sample) (Microsoft Word document)

Avoiding Plagiarism (Houghton-Mifflin web site)

Practice Incorporating Sources into Your Work (Houghton-Mifflin web site)

MLA format (Purdue university’s Online Writing Lab)

Topic Selection and Preliminary Thesis: Thursday, 27 September
You must establish a plan and a clear thesis before you can begin to put together a focused, well-organized, and purposeful research essay. Therefore, as your first step in the research essay assignment, you must develop and submit a clear, well-written, one-page explanation of the topic you have chosen, your reason for the selection, your focus and opinion, and a clear, well-written, explicit, and assertive preliminary thesis. This proposal may also include a preliminary idea of the plan of the paper, its intention or research question. Note: Choose your topic carefully. You will not be allowed to change your topic once you have made your selection, although you may change your position on the particular issue and will, presumably, modify your thesis during the process of research and writing. *Note: Students must obtain prior approval for independent topics; speak to me before or after class or email me to set up an appointment during my office hours.

Your work should take the following form:
Topic: the topic selected from the list provided or one you have developed in consultation with the instructor.
Rationale: why you have chosen to research and write about this particular topic.
Focus: a narrowed form of the subject, and the issue or debate involved.
Opinion: your subjective opinion on the debate or issue.
Thesis: your opinion, worded objectively.

For example:
Topic: War and Dystopia in Harlan Ellison’s “Soldier Out of Time,” The Terminator, and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (Note: this is not a real topic choice!)
Rationale: I selected this topic because I saw all of the Terminator films and I just heard the newest one will feature Linda Hamilton again. I am curious about how the film versions differ and why, and what relation they all have to the short story.
Focus: How do these works differ in terms of realism and audience appreciation? Is each a true dystopia, or merely an end-of-the-world scenario, and how do we distinguish between the two?
Opinion: I think that while all three are okay, the Terminator films are more interesting for contemporary audiences.
Thesis: While “Soldier Out of Time” is at least innovative and interesting for its time, the movie series captures and expands upon the central conceit of the story  in an entertaining, realistic, and commercially successful manner, despite presenting less of a critique of contemporary society and thus diverging from traditional notions of dystopia.

Topic Choices:

1) In addition to those discussed in class, a number of films (cinema or television) have adapted Frankenstein or, more commonly, have adapted other, earlier adaptations, just as James Whale’s 1931 film is based on Peggy Webling’s 1927 play rather than Mary Shelley’s novel. Select and analyze at least two or three texts and/or films, ideally from different decades, not including any works on the syllabus. (See Sample Introduction) How does each version adapt, revise, or alter the story? What is changed or left out, and why? How do all of these individual changes contribute to a different interpretation of the text; that is, what is the significant difference between the versions? And, finally, how does the socio-cultural milieu of each film inform these differences? Some suggested works (see me if you have others in mind):

House of Frankenstein (1944)

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)

I Was a Teenage Frankenstein (1957)

Frankenstein 1970 (1958)

Frankenstein: The True Story (1973) (TV Movie)

Frankenweenie (2012)

I, Frankenstein (2014)

The Frankenstein Chronicles (2015) (TV Series)

Victor Frankenstein (2015)

Frankenstein (2015)

and many, many more ...

2) Many familiar tropes, ideas, or themes that are evident in Frankenstein or its adaptations appear over and over again in works of literature, film, or both. For example, numerous texts and films focus on one or more of the following:

“Rise of the Machines”: Computer, Robot, or Cyborg Domination

Artificial life/AI

Doppelgangers

Romanticism/Byronic Heroes

“Hideous Progeny”: Monstrous (?) Children (?)

Select a recurrent trope such as one of these, and analyze how it features in at least two or three texts and/or films, ideally from different decades, not including any works on the syllabus. For example, “Hideous Progeny” could in theory include such diverse works as Demon Seed (1977), A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001), Ex Machina (2014), and countless others. As above, your discussion should focus on the significant difference between the interpretations, and how (and why) the socio-cultural milieu of each film creates and reveals these differences.

Annotated Preliminary Bibliography: Due 1 November
You must submit an  annotated preliminary bibliography with a minimum of five to seven sources, correctly cited according to MLA style. This may include up to three primary sources and a minimum of three to five secondary sources; secondary sources must be scholarly criticism or analysis, not summaries, reviews, or “analysis” from sites such as e-Notes, SparkNotes, Wikipedia*, 123HelpMe, or Gradesaver.com; instead, use the library resources, including the available electronic databases such as Academic Search Complete, InfoTrac General OneFile, Lexis-Nexis Academic, Opposing Viewpoints in Context, Points of View Reference Center, and CQ Researcher, to locate appropriate sources. To access the databases from home, click on the individual database link. Then, when prompted, enter your username (N #) and password (PIN). You may also utilize MRQE.com, The Movie Review Query Engine, but be sure to select only professional, reliable reviews: New York Times? Probably okay. JoBlo’s Movie Emporium? Not so much.

In addition to a correct citation for each source, you must include a description or summary of the source, at least one paragraph long, and an explanation of how you foresee incorporating it into your essay. For additional information on Annotated Bibliographies, see the Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL)‘s Annotated Bibliographies, as well as “Sample Annotated Bibilography“ and Ebel, Kimberly, “Class and Gender in Cinderella: Annotated Bibliography.”

You might also find the following additional resources useful:

MLA Documentation of Films: Works Cited and In-Text Citations

Works Cited page (Instructions & Sample) (Microsoft Word document)

MLA format (Purdue university’s Online Writing Lab)

Preliminary Draft: Due 29 November

A finished, typed draft of the completed research essay must be submitted for review, evaluation, and comments. This should be a complete draft of your research essay, using a minimum of three to five secondary sources, five to seven pages, and including both a cover page and Works Cited page. This draft is worth 5% of your final grade; failure to bring the required essay will result in a zero for the assignment.

Note: You do not need to submit the folder containing copies of your sources at this time.

Research Paper: Due 13 December
The final research essay must be submitted, in its folder with all supporting materials: photocopies or printouts of all sources, Topic Selection and Preliminary Thesis, Annotated Preliminary Bibliography, Preliminary Draft, outline–if you have completed one–and any other related materials. Failure to submit the complete folder on the due date will result in a zero for the assignment.

Final Exam: 13 December

Students will complete a final exam during the official final exam period, evaluating students’ recognition and comprehension of material studied during the previous weeks. This exam will cover specific texts and films, as well as the principles of cinematic adaptation and critical analysis, and may combine objective questions and short essay answers. Students may be allowed to use notes or textbooks for the essay portion of the exams only.

Students will complete an open-book take-home exam, to be returned via email (in MS Word or compatible format) on or before Thursday Dec. 20 at 8:30 am.

Back to Top

Links

Grammar, Writing, and Research Papers:
Prentice Hall’s iPractice	Study Guides and Strategies
Patterns for a Purpose	How to Write a Research Paper
Online English Grammar	More on Writing a Research Paper
A Guide to Grammar & Writing	MLA-Style Citations
Another Guide to Grammar and Style	Getting an A on an English Paper
Plagiarism.org	TurnItIn.com
The Grammar Curmudgeon	Society for the Preservation of English Language and Literature

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