TRAUMA RHETORIC
ENG 4230/5310
OVERVIEW
Trauma studies and rhetorical studies have a common purpose: to redress acts of direct, symbolic, and
structural violence. Yet the fact of trauma, here understood as the psychic and physical response to an
unexpected and overwhelming experience of violence, poses a serious problem for rhetoric. The
testimonies of traumatized subjects all attest to the impossibility of symbolically rendering one’s
experience of trauma. For this reason, Lynn Worsham has argued that trauma traumatizes rhetoric,
exposing its limits and signaling its incapacities. The term trauma rhetoric would thereby seem to be a
misnomer if it postulates that a symbolic system is capable of adequately rendering the experience of
trauma. But this misnomer may be valuable if we understand trauma rhetoric not just as the impossibility
of rendering symbolically one’s experience of traumatic violence, but also as the study of how symbol
systems prepare us for catastrophic violence, explain catastrophic violence once it has occurred, and allow
us to bear witness to those who must recount an experience of violence that is impossible to explain. In this
respect, rhetoric proves to be a valuable tool for trauma studies because it allows us to conceive of trauma
as a rhetorical situation that implicates every symbol-using, symbol-misusing animal—whether they are
traumatized or not.
The goal of this course is to develop a rigorous familiarity with trauma studies and to use their conceptual
system, in concert with rhetorical concepts, to study the effects of trauma that constitute this historical
moment. The content of this course is intellectually taxing, emotionally difficult, and physically exhausting.
For this reason, only serious students should enroll.
REQUIRED READING
A Rhetoric of Motives by Kenneth Burke
Regarding the Pain of Others by Susan Sontag
Trauma: A Social Theory by Jeffrey Alexander
Ontology of the Accident by Catherine Malabou
Writing History, Writing Trauma by Dominick LaCapra
Testimony: Crisis of Witnessing in Literature, Psychoanalysis, & History
Trauma: A Genealogy by Ruth Leys
Literature in the Ashes of History by Cathy Caruth
Beloved by Toni Morrison
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
REQUIRED ASSIGNMENTS
Attendance & Participation (10%)
You are allowed to miss no more than three classes before it begins to affect your grade. For every missed
absence beyond three, you can expect to have a full letter grade deducted from this portion of your final
grade. Participation consists of being active in class discussion and producing work consistently in your
notebook.
Hupomnemata (15%)
In ancient Greece, hupomnemata were used as memoranda where one “entered quotations,
fragments of works, examples, and actions to which one had been witness of or of which one had
read the account, reflections or material memory of things read, heard, or thought, thus offering
these as an accumulated treasure for rereading and later meditation. They also formed a raw
material for the writing of more systematic treatises in which were given arguments and means by
which to struggle against some defect . . . or to overcome some difficult circumstance” . . . “no
technique, no professional skill can be acquired without exercise.”
—Michel Foucault, “On the Genealogy of Ethics”
Dr. Kyle Jensen · [email protected] · Office: T, Th 8:30-9:30 · Languages 409G
Although I will offer specific directives on how to create and use this text throughout the term, generally I
ask that students purchase a Moleskine notebook (or its off brand equivalent) and use it to copy crucial
passages in the readings; raise questions about those readings for further discussion; catalogue popular
artifacts that resonate with the course readings; and, sketch ideas for future papers. In effect, these
notebooks should provide you a space to begin testing the initial arguments that you will elaborate in the
artifact portfolio for this course.
Quizzes x 5 (25%) UNDERGRAD
Quizzes will consist of a handful of concept identifications. I will discuss in class which concepts you need
to learn in order to pass the quiz. I would encourage you to study as a group outside of class in order to
adequately prepare for the exam.
Short Essays x 3 (25%) GRADUATE
These papers are to be no longer than (2) pages, single-spaced, 10pt. Times New Roman. In these papers
you will demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of the concepts advanced in course readings by
applying his concepts to a phenomenon of your choosing. Each paper should be carefully conceived and
argued, revised multiple times, and represent a level of sophistication that is characteristic of advanced
graduate work. Although these papers are short, you should approach them with the same level of
preparation and seriousness as you would a final seminar paper.
Final Exam (25%)
The final exam will consist primarily of concept identification. It is a cumulative exam, which means that
you will be responsible for knowing all the material we have discussed throughout the term. We will have a
pre-test preparation session where you will be responsible for teaching a particular concept to your peers.
As with the midterm, I would encourage you to study as a group outside of class in order to adequately
prepare for the exam.
Trauma Rhetoric Dictionary (25%)
The purpose of this assignment is to help you develop a deeper understanding of the concepts that trauma
studies. As you will find, although the concepts might be the same in name their definitions evolve and
change over time. To navigate this research effectively, you will need to be rigorous in your effort to locate,
follow, and define key concepts. The instructions below will serve as a guide to help you organize your
efforts. Basically, you will need to identify the concept, trace its appearance in each book, locate associated
terms, cite a key passage, and, provide a glossed definition. Initially, I will identify the key concepts you
need to learn. But as the semester unfolds, you will begin to assume responsibility for identifying and
explaining them. You should log each concept in a Moleskine notebook or its off brand equivalent. No
other formats will be accepted. If you have any questions, please speak to me after class or stop by office
hours.
You should format your dictionary in the following manner:
Term: Testimony
Book or Article (Include author):
Key Passages (Include page number):
Gloss (Explain in your own words):
Associated Terms: Witnessing, Narrative
Dr. Kyle Jensen · [email protected] · Office: T, Th 8:30-9:30 · Languages 409G
READING SCHEDULE
The titles underneath the date signify what we will be discussing that day. You need to prepare your
notebooks and dictionaries accordingly.
January 14
Syllabus & Course Introduction
January 16
“Education and Crisis” Felman & Laub (1-57)
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January 21
“Bearing Witness” Felman & Laub (57-74)
“An Event Without a Witness” Felman & Laub (75-92)
“Composing Identity in a Post-traumatic Age” Worsham (Handout)
January 23
“Writing History, Writing Trauma” LaCapra (1-42)
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January 28
“Trauma, Absence, Loss” LaCapra (43-85)
January 30
“Holocaust Testimonies” LaCapra (86-113)
“Perpetrators & Victims” LaCapra (114-140)
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February 4
“Conclusion” LaCapra (181-219)
February 6
“Introduction” Leys (1-17)
“Freud and Trauma” Leys (18-40)
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February 11
“The Real Miss Beauchamp” Leys (41-82)
February 13
“Traumatic Cures” Leys (83-119)
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February 18
“Imitation Magic” Leys (120-152)
“The Hysterical Lie” Leys (153-189)
February 20
“Splintering the Mind” Leys (190-228)
Dr. Kyle Jensen · [email protected] · Office: T, Th 8:30-9:30 · Languages 409G
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February 25
“The Science of the Literal” (229-265)
February 27
“The Pathos of the Literal (266-297)
“Conclusion” (298-307)
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March 4
Ontology of the Accident Malabou (1-54)
March 6
Ontology of the Accident Malabou (55-end)
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March 10-16
Spring Break | Read Beloved
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March 18
“The Range of Rhetoric” Burke (3-46)
March 20
“Traditional Principles of Rhetoric” Burke (49-110)
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March 25
“Traditional Principles of Rhetoric” Burke (111-180)
March 27
“Order” Burke (183-221)
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April 1
“Order” Burke (221-260)
April 3
“Order” Burke (261-294)
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April 8
“Order” Burke (294-end)
April 10
“Introduction” Alexander (1-5)
“Cultural Trauma” Alexander (6-30)
Dr. Kyle Jensen · [email protected] · Office: T, Th 8:30-9:30 · Languages 409G
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April 15
“Holocaust and Trauma” Alexander (31-96)
April 17
“Partition and Trauma” Alexander (136-155)
“Globalization and Trauma” Alexander (155-165)
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April 22
The God of Small Things (1-90)
April 24
The God of Small Things (90-205)
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April 29
The God of Small Things (205-end)
May 1
Final Exam Review
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May 3-9
Finals Week
Dr. Kyle Jensen · [email protected] · Office: T, Th 8:30-9:30 · Languages 409G