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French Caribbean Literatures
of the Department of Modern Languages & Literatures, on Mondays & Wednesdays from 2pm to 3:50pm, in Nichols 173. |
In this course we will read and
discuss six full-length novels during the course of the
semester. We will also incorporate some poetry, theater,
music and film into the course curriculum. In the middle and at the end of the
semester, student groups will augment the course content
with oral presentations on short stories from Edwidge Danticat's
Krik! Krak! (at mid-semester), and The Whistling Bird (at the end of the semester). The additional texts will be covered on
the regular reading quizzes (see below), so all students will be
responsible for reading them as they are announced.
Class will be conducted, insofar as is possible with a group
of this size, in the form of a seminar, with short lectures
and presentations on the part of the instructor, along with
extensive group work and discussion amongst the students. It
is important that all students read the texts to be
discussed before class and take notes on the theme or character assigned to them. Please consult the reading
calendar to make sure that you come to class
prepared.
To insure full class cooperation in the timely preparation of readings before every class meeting, there will be a short reading quiz (short-answer questions) at the beginning of each class. This quiz will also incorporate material covered in the previous class, so note-taking is strongly encouraged! Note that this quiz will also serve as your proof of attendance and participation. If you miss the reading quiz due to tardiness, it is up to you to inform the instructor of your presence in the class before you leave class that day. There will be no make-up quizzes. Should you miss a quiz, you will receive a failing grade (0) for that quiz. However, when calculating your final grade, I will drop the worst two grades.
NOTE: Because of workload issues, you may not write all three papers and take the best two grades, so choose your paper topics wisely and do an excellent job on the two papers you do choose to write!
In this course, you will write two papers, and you will be able to choose from three options (papers A, B or C). They are due at different times throughout the semester and are designed to help you engage with different course readings, so I strongly recommend you read all options before just skipping Paper A in favor of Papers B and C. Indeed, your semester might be easier if you write the first two and don't have to write another at the end for my class!
PAPER A will be due on WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8, and will explore the notion of family as it is developed in one or both of the first two novels we have read during the beginning of this course: Jacques Roumain’s Masters of the Dew and Joseph Zobel’s Black Shack Alley.
In each of these novels, various ideas about what constitutes “family” are foregrounded by the authors. These ideas may or may not conform to your idea of a family, traditional or otherwise. Indeed, the definition of family in the United States is complex and multivalent; family is a contested term in contemporary American society. The word has been related to certain value systems (e.g. “conservative values”) or to specific lifestyles (e.g. a “non-traditional family” as part of an “alternative lifestyle”). It is impacted by cultural expectations; families have been judged as intact or not intact, nuclear or non-nuclear, based on pre-established criteria. Family may be defined by biology (to whom were you born?) or proximity (with whom do you live?). It may be related to spiritual bonds or to blood. In short, it’s not an easy word to get one’s head around.
In this paper, I would like you to attempt to develop a workable personal definition of the idea of family, both as evidenced by textual examples and in a short anecdote from your own experience. Think about what epitomizes a given novelist’s formulation of family in his novel; think also about how your idea of family has been shaped by episodes from your own life. Come up with a definition of what you think family is, and then support your argument for this definition with specific reference to an incident or incidents in at least one of the two texts named above. You may include one (and only one) brief anecdote from your own experience of family if the story in question is somehow related to your argument for a particular definition; however, you must put this personal anecdote in context with the textual examples you use to support your argument for the definition of family you have devised. (Note: Please do not cite a dictionary or web or wikipedia definition of family! You should come up with a definition of your own.)
Please note that I expect you to reach for a level of reflection that goes well beyond simple narration of plot line or personal experience. It’s not simply a question of retelling the stories we’ve read, or of telling your own story, but of using those stories as a springboard for nuanced reflection and a thought-provoking argument.
As far as audience, please write as if your reader is one of your peers who is not familiar with the novels we have read (e.g. a graduating junior or senior at SSU who has never taken this class).Please write at least 4 entire pages and no more than 6 entire pages and type your paper (double-spaced, 12-point font, with 1-inch margins.)
I will use the following criteria to assign a grade to your first paper in this course. Each grade level is described in terms of its positive features. The base grade is for content, organization, and syntax. I will subtract step(s) from the grade for difficulties with punctuation, mechanics, and spelling.
The C paper meets the basic requirements of the assignment. In addition:
The B paper meets C criteria, sustains a central focus, and develops a convincing academic response to the reading. In addition:
The B+, A- and A papers display the characteristics of B & C papers, and in addition have one (B+), two (A-) or three (A) of the strengths listed below. (There are numbers without descriptors so that I can describe strengths I haven't anticipated and give credit for them.)
NOTE: Late work will not be accepted; please consult the course calendar regularly for due dates and other important information. Please note that any instance of plagiarism (defined as the use of another's words or ideas without adequate citation or acknowledgement) will result in a grade of "F" for the class.
PAPER B will be due on WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, and will explore the notion of truth as it is developed in one or more of the third and fourth novels we have read during the beginning of this course: Patrick Chamoiseau’s Solibo Magnificent and Maryse Condé’s Crossing the Mangrove.
Both Solibo Magnificent and Crossing the Mangrove begin with a death that comes to be construed as a murder; in a way, they both develop into mysteries or detective/crime stories. Consequently characters in each of the two novels spend considerable time in pursuit of truth, of the truth or a truth, depending on one’s perspective.
If you choose this paper option, you will reflect upon the notion of truth as it is developed in either Solibo or Mangrove or both. In the cross-cultural context of this course (Caribbean / American), the idea of truth (or truths) might be mediated by power dynamics, by cultural caste systems, by physical location, by subjective interpretation, or by any number of other factors. Please use the following questions as a springboard for your analysis of the place and determinability of truth in Caribbean society as presented in the novels we have read. (Note: you need not attempt to answer every question; rather, the questions should simply give you food for thought.)
In a paper of no fewer than four (entire) and no more than six pages, you will attempt to address the question of why it is so important in Chamoiseau’s novel for the various character s to know how and why Solibo died? and/or similarly, why, in Condé’s novel, so many characters are involved or interested in François Sancher’s death? In either case, is this need universal? And if so, why do we as human beings need to know “the truth”?
Please note that I expect you to reach for a level of reflection that goes well beyond simple narration of plot line or personal experience. It’s not simply a question of retelling the stories we’ve read, but of using those stories as a springboard for nuanced reflection and a thought-provoking argument. (Note: Please do not cite a dictionary or web or wikipedia definition of truth! You should come up with a definition of your own.)
As far as audience, please write as if your reader is a peer who is not familiar with the novels we have read (e.g. a graduating junior or senior at SSU who has never taken this class).
Please write at least four entire pages and no more than six pages and type your paper (double-spaced, 12-point font with 1-inch margins).
I will use the following criteria to assign a grade to your second paper in this course. Each grade level is described in terms of its positive features. The base grade is for content, organization, and syntax. I will subtract step(s) from the grade for difficulties with punctuation, mechanics, and spelling.
The C paper meets the basic requirements of the assignment. In addition:
The B paper meets C criteria, sustains a central focus, and develops a convincing academic response to the reading. In addition:
The B+, A- and A papers display the characteristics of B & C papers, and in addition have one (B+), two (A-) or three (A) of the strengths listed below. (There are numbers without descriptors so that I can describe strengths I haven't anticipated and give credit for them.)
NOTE: Late work will not be accepted; please consult the course calendar regularly for due dates and other important information. Please note that any instance of plagiarism (defined as the use of another's words or ideas without adequate citation or acknowledgement) will result in a grade of "F" for the class.
PAPER C will be due on MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24. (This is the week of Thanksgiving and you need to hand in a hardcopy yourself!! Please don't send it to me and ask me to print it out.) Students may pick one of two prompts, one (option 1) based on Lilas Desquiron's Reflections of Loko-Miwa, and the other (option 2) on Gisèle Pineau's Macadam Dreams. These options are described in detail below:
Option 1: REFLECTIONS OF LOKO-MIWA
Much of Haitian literature is imbued with a keen sense of the role of the vodou or vodun belief system in the everyday lives of Haitian people. Lilas Desquiron's book Reflections of Loko Miwa explores the place of vodou in the individual lives of her characters, situating it within the historical, social, religious, and political framework of twentieth-century Haiti.
Your task in this paper will be to engage critically and intellectually with the belief system of vodou and its concomitant Catholic elements, as it is developed in the novel and through our discussions in class, and to situate yourself in relation to it. In order to do this, you will need to begin with an examination of your own belief system. (For the purposes of this assignment, I will consider atheism and agnosticism to be "belief systems.")
Imagine, therefore, that you have been invited by one of your professors to participate with him/her in a six-month-long study of Haitian culture. (Imagine also, for the purposes of this paper, that the socio-political situation in Haiti is stable enough to allow for such a trip in relative security.) During the course of this study, you would be required to live with a Haitian family and participate in every aspect of daily life, including, when called upon, rituals associated with vodou traditions. You would be asked to keep a journal of your experiences and to participate in regular conversations with your professor and other student assistants in order to come to a better understanding of the culture in which you are immersing yourself. The ultimate goal of the project is to publish an account of the trip that will allow American readers an in-depth understanding of Haitian cultural traditions.
Based on your own belief system and your understanding of Haitian traditions, you must now decide whether or not you can be an effective participant in this study. Your decision should be based solely on your ability to engage with the culture and not on financial, personal, or other concerns. (Imagine that everything else is equal, and only your own feelings about the project will determine whether you go or not.) Whatever your decision, your final paper must demonstrate your intellectual engagement with the course content. You should respond to this assignment with a critical yet respectful voice, so that your reader understands clearly your reasons for your decision.
Your decision is YES. If you decide that you will participate, your assignment is as follows: Write a letter to your parents/partner/significant other that addresses her/his/their concerns about your undertaking. Recall that the average American's knowledge of Haiti and its traditions is largely limited to stories of boat people in the news and B-level voodoo flicks. You must therefore help your reader to come to a reasonably well-developed understanding of the cultural practices in which you have accepted to participate. You should also compare and contrast this belief system to your own, and situate yourself in relation to it. You should explain why you believe you would be a particularly effective participant in this study.
Your decision is NO. If you decide that you will not participate, your assignment is as follows: Write a letter to your professor explaining your reasons for this decision. Your letter should first make your own understanding of the project and all that it entails very clear to your professor. That is, you should make the professor understand first of all that you are well-acquainted with the kinds of rituals and practices you might need to engage in during the project, and the reasons for the existence of these practices in Haitian culture. You should then situate these practices in relation to your own belief system and explain why your own set of beliefs would not allow you to be an effective participant in this study.
Your final paper should be no less than 4 full pages and no more than 6 full pages. 12 point font, 1 inch margins, double-spaced.
I will use the following criteria to assign a grade to your paper. Each grade level is described in terms of its positive features. The base grade is for content, organization, and syntax. I will subtract step(s) from the grade for difficulties with punctuation, mechanics, and spelling.
The C paper meets the basic requirements of the assignment. In addition:
The B paper meets C criteria, sustains a central focus, and develops a convincing academic response to the reading. In addition:
The B+, A- and A papers display the characteristics of B & C papers, and in addition have one (B+), two (A-) or three (A) of the strengths listed below. (There are numbers without descriptors so that I can describe strengths I haven't anticipated and give credit for them.)
NOTE: Late work will not be accepted; please consult the course calendar regularly for due dates and other important information. Please note that any instance of plagiarism (defined as the use of another's words or ideas without adequate citation or acknowledgement) will result in a grade of "F" for the class.
This option will doubtless appeal most to students who prefer to write more "traditional" literary, theme-based papers (example: English majors). If you choose this option, you will choose a trope or theme developed at length in Gisèle Pineau's Macadam Dreams, and write a four- to six-page analysis of this topic. Topics might include represenation of men in the text; or the figure of the cyclone; or speech and silence; representations of sexuality in the novel; memory and memory loss; the search for identity; the desire for progeny; etc. Pick a topic that interests you. It does not have to be any of the topics listed above. I encourage you to design your own topic. If you do so, talk to me about it before you launch into writing or researching.
You must have a guiding idea that will lead you through your exploration of the topic. Once you have identified your subject and explored the novel once more with this idea in mind, looking for illustrations and evidence, you must articulate a thesis statement and have a specific approach in mind. In order to help you develop an argument, formulate your topic in the form of questions, to which you will seek to find answers. So as to illustrate your argument, search the text for relevant passages that highlight the relevance of your topic. Clearly articulate the reasons why these passages seem to you to be crucial for the interpretation and understanding of the whole work. Take note of possible intersections between your chosen topic and others important themes at work in the text.
Again, any use of outside sources requires that you cite appropriately. Even using another person's ideas requires citation! So, take careful note of where you gain your outside information and make sure you have a well-developed bibliography!
Your final paper should be no less than 4 full pages and no more than 6 full pages. 12 point font, 1 inch margins, double-spaced.
I will use the following criteria to assign a grade to your paper. Each grade level is described in terms of its positive features. The base grade is for content, organization, and syntax. I will subtract step(s) from the grade for difficulties with punctuation, mechanics, and spelling.
The C paper meets the basic requirements of the assignment. In addition:
The B paper meets C criteria, sustains a central focus, and develops a convincing academic response to the reading. In addition:
The B+, A- and A papers display the characteristics of B & C papers, and in addition have one (B+), two (A-) or three (A) of the strengths listed below. (There are numbers without descriptors so that I can describe strengths I haven't anticipated and give credit for them.)
NOTE: Late work will not be accepted; please consult the course calendar regularly for due dates and other important information. Please note that any instance of plagiarism (defined as the use of another's words or ideas without adequate citation or acknowledgement) will result in a grade of "F" for the class.
At the middle and at the end of the semester, you will be asked to participate in a group oral presentation before the class. You will choose the text of your presentation in consultation with the instructor. For the first set of oral presentations, texts will be chosen from Krik! Krak! For the second set, texts will be chosen from The Whistling Bird.
Two weeks in the early middle and two weeks at the end of the course will be reserved for oral presentations. Students should purchase both texts for this part of the class (Danticat and The Whistling Bird ) so as to have their own copy when the time comes to choose and work with a text for the presentation, and also to study for the quizzes.
Your goal in this project is to work collaboratively with your peers to present, analyze and lead a discussion around a short literary text from the francophone Caribbean. You should focus your efforts on helping your peers to appreciate the writer's choice of genre, themes, stylistic devices, structural forms, political message, etc., with an eye to illuminating some aspect(s) of the culture and community in which the text was produced.
Please choose your text from each bookand inform me as soon as you have made a choice. Distribution of texts will be first-come-first-served.
Please note that part of each of your presentation grades will be based on your contribution to the discussion of the presentations of your classmates, so don't be absent on those days, read the texts in advance, and be prepared to contribute to the conversation.
Your own participation grade during the oral presentations will be dependent on your written comments on the presentations, which you will hand in at the end of each class. I will summarize these comments anonymously for the groups in question.
Your introduction should situate the text in the context of the course as a whole and suggest the plan of the presentation.
The most important thing is to own your text: know it well enough so that you can talk about it without fumbling for quotes or delaying the discussion in any way. Be enthusiastic about your ideas! Be sure that the group's discussion of the text itself, its engagement with the work as a piece of literature (rather than context, etc.) makes up at least 75% of the presentation. In addition, the oral presentation should include any of the following elements your group deem pertinent; items marked with a * are obligatory:
Your conclusion should present a well-developed synthesis which details how all of the various elements you included in your presentation interact to form a coherent, unified whole.
By all means, make your presentation interactive if you can, getting the class involved throughout rather than just at the end. Engage them in your experience of the piece. Also, feel free to be creative in your presentation, through the use of the blackboard, visuals, dramatic representation, powerpoint, art, music, etc. (However, please only incorporate external materials if they are relevant -- for example, there is no need to play music by Bob Marley just because you're talking about Jamaica; however, if the author talks about Bob Marley, as Pineau does, that would be a good place to play some reggae!) You are responsible for knowing how to use the equipment available in the classroom if you choose to use it. I can bring a CD player if you let me know enough in advance. You may incorporate a game if you like, but it should further the learning goals of the presentation and not just review the obvious; it should not last more thank 5 minutes.
Your group must respect its time slot. Do not go over your allotted time. Do not underprepare.
Each student will receive an individual grade based on my perception of the student's contribution to the presentation as a whole, as well as on the student's individual presentational skills. See the list of grading criteria for details. Groups or individuals who miss the alloted presentation date will receive a 0 (zero) for this assignment.
EVERY GROUP MUST PREPARE A BIBLIOGRAPHY (MLA format -- see the library website or talk to a reference librarian if you are unfamiliar with this). You should cite every source utilized in the presentation, including books, articles, websites, musical selections, artwork, other images, etc. You may either share the bibliography with the class in the form of a handout, or on an overhead, or in a powerpoint presentation. Any group that fails to cite sources will be docked at least 10 points from each individual's grade.
Please note that all of the texts presented by your peers will be incorporated into class quizzes. It is therefore to your great advantage for you to attend all of the oral presentations.
TECHNICAL/ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS (20 pts)
TOTAL POINTS POSSIBLE: 100
At the request of students who took this class before you, I have instituted an optional final exam that can count for 30% of your final grade in the class in the place of the quizzes. This exam will be administered at at time TBA. You must let me know at least three weeks in advance if you wish to take the exam.