Course Policy and Syllabus

Updated Sept 26, 2019

 

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Course: ENG 2400

Title: Films from Literature

Professor Sean Scanlan

Fall 2019

Instructor: Professor Sean Scanlan

Section: E250

Time: Wednesday 6:00 – 8:30pm

Place: Library L235

Office: Namm 511

Office Hours: Tues and Wed 4 – 5pm (and by appointment)

Course Website on OpenLab: https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/profscanlan-english2400-e250-fall2019/

E-mail: sscanlan@citytech.cuny.edu

Office Phone: 718-260-5123

Mailbox: Inside the English Dept. office: Namm 512

Pre-requisite: English Composition 1101 (3 hours, 3 credits)

Course description: ENG 2400 is a course that allows students to examine the relationship between films and their literary sources. Through classroom discussion and out-of-class assignments, students will analyze classic and contemporary literary texts and their cinematic versions. Students will examine the relationship between film and literature, with specific focus on the techniques used in fiction, drama, and film and the influences of censorship and society. Students will focus on the similarities and differences of literary works adapted into films.

This course is writing intensive.

Course Objectives:

•Recognize literary devices such as foreshadowing, symbol, and stream-of-consciousness.

•Understand forms and techniques of both literary and cinematic narratives.

•Investigate technical, cultural, political, historical, and economic contexts that shape the construction of films

based on published works.

•Develop communication skills by discussing and writing about literature-based motion pictures employing

analysis and comparison/contrast. We will review and utilize Modern Language Association (MLA) citation and

style in our formal writing assignments.

•Improve reading/viewing skills that enhance appreciation of the relationship between literature and films.

•Enhance critical thinking skills.

Grading Assessments:

Item	Percentage
Essays (2)	40%
Homework (4)/Quizzes (4)	20%
Final Exam	20%
Attendance/Participation (unique course content)	20%
	100%

Required Texts Please get these versions. They will soon be available at the City Tech Bookstore 1. Dick, Phillip K. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. New York: Del Rey, 1996. Print. ISBN-13: 978-0345404473. $8.92 – Amazon; $15 at CT book store (soon) 2. Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. New York: Scholastics Paperbacks. ISBN-13: 978-0439136365. $6.71 – Amazon; $10.99 at CT book store (soon) 3. Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. New York: Signet Classic. ISBN-13: 978-0451526861. $3.99 – Amazon; $18 at CT book store (soon) Other readings will be available on our course website

In order to help us improve college-level grammar and writing, we will use a free, online grammar guide called Purdue OWL, published by Purdue University. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/

Other Materials: 

Bring to class one sturdy notebook with paper for notes and at least one folder with pockets for handouts/assignments. Both spiral-bound or 3-ring are acceptable. You must devise a system to record, store, and organize the course materials. It is very important that you save all of your work for this class. Devise a filing system that allows you to maintain prior drafts and final copies of all major assignments, as well as your notes, outlines, and written evaluations. In addition to keeping a copy of your work on the hard drive of your computer, save all final drafts of assignments on a stable format such as a flash drive or on a remote hard drive/server such as iCloud, Dropbox, or Google Docs. Never throw away or delete drafts or notes until after you have received your final grade. Computer/Printer malfunctions are not viable excuses for late or lost work.

Important Notes:

1. Attendance: Attendance is mandatory in this discussion-based and content-based course. Arriving late or leaving early will count as a partial absence. City Tech’s policy states that two of more absences will result in a WU grade. I will not grant excused absences since two absences are permitted without penalty. Being absent is not an excuse for missing or late work: you must get notes from a classmate and keep up with the assignments.

2. Drafts and Typing: The two essays will require organization, honesty, and clarity. The essays may require drafts. If you have word processing questions, please ask me. All students have access to Microsoft Word. You can also use Google Docs for free (https://docs.google.com/) or Open Office for free (www.openoffice.org/).

3. Late Papers and homework: Two full letter grades (20 points) will be deducted for each day that an assignment is late. After three days, the assignment will be recorded as a “0.”

4. Homework Requirement: According to Federal eligibility requirements for a college or university in the US, 3 hours of in-class contact time require approximately 6 hours of homework, study, and/or preparation per week. This is a CUNY standard. And this requirement is also referred to as a Carnegie Unit.

[See: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/credits.doc]

5. College Policy on Academic Integrity: “Students who work with information, ideas, and texts owe their audience and sources accuracy and honesty in using, crediting, and citing sources. As a community of intellectual and professional workers, the College recognizes its responsibility for providing instruction in information literacy and academic integrity, offering models of good practice, and responding vigilantly and appropriately to infractions of academic integrity. Accordingly, academic dishonesty is prohibited in CUNY and at New York City College of Technology, and is punishable by penalties, including failing grades, suspension, and expulsion. The complete text of the College policy on Academic Integrity may be found in the catalog.”

Plagiarism is the act of presenting another person’s ideas, research or writings as your own. The following are some examples of plagiarism, but by no means is it an exhaustive list: • Copying another person’s actual words without the use of quotation marks and footnotes attributing the words to their source. • Presenting another person’s ideas or theories in your own words without acknowledging the source. • Using information that is not common knowledge without acknowledging the source. • Failing to acknowledge collaborators on homework and laboratory assignments.

6. Be on time: tardiness disrupts the entire class. Come prepared: turn off/silence all electronic gadgets, please (see page 91 of the student handbook: “Prohibited: The use of cellular phones in academic and study areas of the college including but not limited to classrooms, libraries, laboratories, learning centers and auditoriums.”)

7. The Atrium Learning Center: I encourage all students to take advantage of the writing tutors at the Learning Center. This is an excellent recourse for writers of all abilities. ATRIUM LEARNING CENTER: Atrium Building LG-18:

https://www.citytech.cuny.edu/alc/writing.aspx

8. Revision Policy: Revision Policy: students may revise the first two major essays. Such revisions must be submitted, at the latest, two weeks before the end of the semester (Dec. 20). The overall grade for the essay will be the average of the original essay grade and the revised essay grade.

9. Accessibility Statement: City Tech is committed to supporting the educational goals of enrolled students with disabilities in the areas of enrollment, academic advisement, tutoring, assistive technologies and testing accommodations. If you have or think you may have a disability, you may be eligible for reasonable accommodations or academic adjustments as provided under applicable federal, state and city laws. You may also request services for temporary conditions or medical issues under certain circumstances. If you have questions about your eligibility or would like to seek accommodation services or academic adjustments, please contact the Center for Student Accessibility at 300 Jay Street, L-237, 718 260 5143 or http://www.citytech.cuny.edu/accessibility/.

WEEKLY SCHEDULE (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

Dates:	Objectives:	Assignments:
Week 1: Aug 28	Introductory discussion, terminology, and course plan.	 Introduction to class, Definitions, Website  The Captive; Voyage to the Moon  Homework: Questionnaire (Homework 1)  Homework: Read “The Tell Tale Heart” by Poe  Homework: Read “The Yellow Wallpaper”
Week 2: Sept 4	Viewing practice, reading practice	 Due: Questionnaire (Homework 1)  View: Film versions of TTH and TYW  Homework: Read Stephen King’s “Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption” on our course website  Homework: Prepare for Quiz 1, which will be over Stephen King’s “Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption”
Week 3: Sept 11	Definitions Viewing Assessment Discussion of Narrative	 Due: Quiz 1  Finish viewing Shawshank Redemption and discussion of translation and narrative  review Categories of Analysis handout  Homework: Masiello handout on OpenLab  Homework: Homework 2
Week 4: Sept 18	Translations and Narration	 Due: Homework 2  Discuss and View: Shawshank R. and Midterm Essay Details  Homework: Homework 3 (TBA)
Week 5: Sept 25	Compare a modern novel to its films.	 Due: Homework 3  Discuss adaptation, techniques, 5 cat. of analysis  Homework: prepare for Quiz 2
Week 6: Oct 2	Compare modern short stories to their films.	 Due: Quiz 2  Discuss adaptation, techniques, and 5 categories  Homework: Homework 4 (TBA)  Homework: Begin reading Harry Potter and Work on Midterm Essay
Week 7: Oct 9	NO CLASS	NO CLASS  Homework: Continue reading Harry Potter
Week 8: Oct 16	NO CLASS	NO CLASS  Homework: Finish Harry Potter; complete Homework 4; finish drafting and revising the Midterm Essay
Week 9: Oct 23	Compare a modern novel to its film.	 Due: Homework 4  Due: Draft of Midterm Essay  Discuss and finish Harry Potter  Homework: Begin reading Romeo and Juliet; revise and edit Midterm Essay
Week 10: Oct30	Compare a classic play to its film.	 Due: Final Draft of Midterm Essay  Discuss, read, and view versions of Romeo and Juliet  Homework: R & J: Introduction and Acts I and II. Prepare for Reading Quiz 3
Week 11: Nov 6	Anatomy of a play	 Due: Quiz 3  Discuss and view versions of Romeo and Juliet and Shakespeare in Love  Homework: Finish reading Romeo/Juliet
Week 12: Nov 13	Film techniques, Compare a science fiction novel to its film	 Finish viewing Shakespeare in Love  Homework: Begin reading Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep
Week 13: Nov 20	Film techniques, Compare a science fiction novel to its film	 Homework: Continue reading Do Androids to p 166, study for Quiz 4
Week 14: Nov 27	Final Essay and revision techniques	 Due: Quiz 4  Discuss Philip K. Dick’s novel: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep—which forms the basis for the film, Blade Runner. View: beginning of Bladerunner  Homework: Homework #4=draft Final Essay
Week 15 Dec 4	Final Essay and revision techniques	 Due: Draft of Final Essay  Homework: Finish Final Essay
Week 16: Dec 11	Bringing it all together	 DUE: Final Essay  Review for Final Exam
Week 17: Dec 18	Final Exam	Final exam in class