Fall 2016
Tues. & Thurs. 1-2:15
ENGL 270
Aspects of Modern Literature:
Technology and Consciousness
Instructor: Jade Hagan
E-Mail: [email protected]
Office Hours: Tues. & Thurs. 11-12
Office: Herring 248
Course Overview
This course will track the influence of new technologies
upon human consciousness through close readings of
various modern and postmodern novels, short stories,
poetry, and film. Through our readings of these twentieth
and twenty-first century texts, we will explore the
relationship between information and experience, the rise
of cybernetics, and the impact of technology on the
environment and on our human and nonhuman
relationships. We will also examine texts on technology
that these writers and filmmakers may have read, as well as
more recent works of intellectual history and literary
criticism that engage with technology.
Required Texts
You should purchase the following texts in the editions listed:
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Aldous Huxley, Brave New World (Harper Perennial Modern Classics; Reprint Edition.
ISBN-13: 978-0060850524)
Margaret Atwood, Oryx and Crake (Anchor; Reprint Edition. ISBN-13: 9780385721677)
William Gibson, Neuromancer (Ace; Reprint Edition. ISBN-13: 978-0441007462)
Octavia Butler, Dawn (Aspect; Reprint Edition. ISBN-13 978-0446603775)
The following texts will be made available through Owlspace:
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Walter Benjamin, “The Storyteller”
Selections from Gleick, The Information
Norbert Wiener, “Cybernetics in History”
Selections from Marshall McLuhan, Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man
Poetry selections from Buckminster Fuller, No More Secondhand God
Selections from Katherine Hayles, How We Think
Selections from Jean Baudrillard, Simulacra and Simulation
Selections from Sherry Turkle, Alone Together
Spike Jonze, Her (film)
Aspects of Modern Literature: Technology and Consciousness
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Course Schedule
*Note: This schedule is subject to change.
Week 1
Introductions
T 8/23
Overview of course and syllabus; Walter Benjamin, “The Storyteller;”
formation of theory groups
TH 8/25
Alan Turing, “Computing Machinery and Intelligence”
Week 2
The Birth of Cybernetics
T 8/30
Ch. 1 and Epilogue of James Gleick, The Information
TH 9/1
Norbert Wiener, “Cybernetics in History;” meet with theory group
Week 3
The Cybernetic Self and Society
T 9/6
Aldous Huxley, Brave New World Ch. 1-6
TH 9/8
Aldous Huxley, Brave New World Ch. 7-12
Week 4
The Cybernetic Self and Society cont’d + The Medium Is the Message
T 9/13
Aldous Huxley, Brave New World Ch. 13-18
TH 9/15
Selections from Marshall McLuhan, Understanding Media: The Extensions of
Man; watch clip of interview with McLuhan found here; meet with theory
group
Week 5
The Medium Is the Message cont’d
T 9/20
Poetry selections from Buckminster Fuller, No More Secondhand God;
Selections from Jean Baudrillard, Simulacra and Simulation
TH 9/22
In-class writing workshop
 Essay 1 due on Sunday 9/25 by midnight
Week 6
Bioengineering and the Ecological Unconscious
T 9/27
Margaret Atwood, Oryx and Crake
TH 9/29
Margaret Atwood, Oryx and Crake; meet with theory group
Week 7
Bioengineering and the Ecological Unconscious cont’d
T 10/4
Margaret Atwood, Oryx and Crake
TH 10/6
Margaret Atwood, Oryx and Crake
Week 8
Towards the Posthuman
Aspects of Modern Literature: Technology and Consciousness
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T 10/11
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MIDTERM RECESS—NO CLASS
Proposals for theory group projects due on Tuesday 10/11 by midnight
TH 10/13
Donna Haraway, “The Cyborg Manifesto;” meet with theory group
Week 9
Virtual Realities
T 10/18
William Gibson, Neuromancer
TH 10/20
William Gibson, Neuromancer
Week 10
Virtual Realities cont’d
T 10/25
William Gibson, Neuromancer
TH 10/27
William Gibson, Neuromancer; meet with theory group
 Essay 2 due on Sunday 10/30 by midnight
Week 11
Other Worlds, Other Subjects
T 11/1
Octavia Butler, Dawn
TH 11/3
Octavia Butler, Dawn
Week 12
Other Worlds, Other Subjects cont’d
T 11/8
Octavia Butler, Dawn
TH 11/10
Octavia Butler, Dawn; meet with theory group
Week 13
The Uncanny Valley
T 11/15
Spike Jonze, Her
TH 11/17
Spike Jonze, Her cont’d; Selections from Sherry Turkle, Alone Together
Week 14
Wrapping Up
T 11/22
Prep for presentations—NO CLASS
TH 11/24
THANKSGIVING—NO CLASS
Week 15
Show Your Work!
T 11/29
In-class Presentations
TH 12/1
In-class Presentations
 Final Reflective Essay due 12/11 by midnight
Aspects of Modern Literature: Technology and Consciousness
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