English 338: Studies in Genre—Memoir

Dr. Susanne George Bloomfield

Spring 2008

English 338 Requirements

English 338: Studies in Literary Genre will engage students in exploring the Memoir through reading, critical analysis, writing, and peer reviewing. Students will analyze readings by established writers, and either respond to the texts through literary analysis or create their own memoirs. In either case, students will critique each other’s writings in a workshop environment. The course will fill the requirements for both the Literature Emphasis and the Creative Writing Emphasis.

The required texts (tentatively) for the course will be Riding the White Horse Home by Teresa Jordan, Rock, Ghost, Willow, Deer by Allison Hedge Coke, This Death by Drowning and Restoring the Burnt Child (2008 Nebraska One Book selection) by William Kloefkorn, Refuge by Terry Tempest Willams, All But the Waltz by Mary Clearman Blew, and a sixth memoir chosen individually by the students.

Course Objectives

The educational goals of this course are to help students:

1) advance their knowledge of creative nonfiction, especially the memoir;

2) discover contemporary writers who continue to play a significant role in shaping modern literature;

3) identify and compare the major themes, symbols, concerns, and techniques of diverse American writers;

4) strengthen their own writing, especially in the use of techniques such as detail, voice, plot, setting, character, dialogue, theme, style, and grammar;

5) create work which exhibits originality and insight;

6) evaluate the writing of their peers and communicate their suggestions in a helpful and supportive manner;

7) improve critical reading and oral communication skills;

8) and become an integral part of a community of writers who share their insights, resources, and special abilities.

Course Requirements:

Reading of Assigned Texts

Every class session, students will complete the reading assignment from the syllabus and participate in class discussions.

Daily Short Essay Quiz

For each class session, students will respond to a prompt and apply it to the reading for the day.

Creative Nonfiction/Critical Analysis

Students will complete three writing assignments that will be approximately 7-8 pages long (12 point Courier New). They may choose to write a traditional critical analysis of the works (including critical research), three separate short memoirs on different subjects, a combination of critical and creative writings, or one long memoir that combines the three assignments. (12 pt. New Courier double spaced).

Grading Policy

30% Daily Quizzes/Class Participation/ Workshop Participation

70% Three Critical and/or Creative writing assignments of 20%, 25%, and 25%

Faculty Contact Information

My office is 109D Thomas Hall, and this semester my office hours will be from 10:00-11:00 and 2:00-2:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you cannot meet with me during this time period, I will be happy to make special arrangements. My office telephone number is 308-865-8867; my office e-mail is bloomfields@unk.edu and my home e-mail is stbloomfield@hughesnet.

My UNK Home Page is http://faculty.unk.edu/b/bloomfields. To access the class Home Page, go to this site and click on English 338.