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AML 2070: Survey of American Lit, section 6102
American Literature
Through the Eyes of a Child
“And when he came to the place where the Wild Things are,
they roared their terrible roars and they gnashed their terrible teeth
and they rolled their terrible eyes”
--Maurice Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are (1963)
Spring 2010
Instructor: Cari Keebaugh
Period: T/TH per. 8-9/9
Place: CBD 310
Office: Turlington 4415
Office Hours: Thur per. 8
Phone: 392-6650 (email is quicker)
Email: [email protected]
Course Webpage:
http://plaza.ufl.edu/Spring10AML2070.html
Course Description
It is an interesting fact that most “classic” or “canonical” works of American Literature were either a)
written for children, b) written about children, or c) have since been assimilated by children into the
body of literature generally accepted as ‘children’s literature.’ The rationalization for this course, then, is
that an examination of American Literature “through the eyes of a child” will necessarily include most of
the major works of American Lit traditionally studied in surveys (“canonical” works). In addition, this
approach allows the reader a unique perspective on and point of entry into such issues as American
identity, racism/slavery, the definition of “childhood literature,” and myth in American literature, as well
as the notion of an American canon, in works spanning from the 17th century to contemporary
publications. Although this course’s primary concern will be the primary texts themselves, some critical
scholarship will be paired with the readings in order to enhance students’ understanding of and ability
to engage with the materials in a meaningful way.
This course can satisfy the UF General Education requirement for Composition or Humanities. For more
information, see:
http://www.registrar.ufl.edu/catalog/policies/advisinggened.html.
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This course can satisfy the UF requirement for Writing. For more information, see:
http://www.registrar.ufl.edu/catalog/policies/advisinggordon.html.
Course Objectives
This course is both a survey and a writing course. Thus, the student will be expected to engage with
numerous American authors, as well as produce several scholarly written works, by the end of the
semester.
This course will expose the student to numerous and varied works by American authors spanning from
the 1600s through contemporary authors, as well as several key issues found within these authors’
texts. By the end of the course, the student ought to have a working knowledge of and be able to
engage with both the authors (and their texts) and such issues in American literature as identity
(national and personal), racism/slavery, “childhood” as defined by American culture, mythology present
in American literature, and issues of canonicity. In order to facilitate discussion of these topics, the
semester will be broken down into five units (see schedule below).
In addition, by the end of the semester the student will be able to produce such writings as formal
summaries, short critical analyses, short biographical sketches, and longer research papers. Emphasis
will be placed on scholarly research and methods of textual and contextual analysis.
The student learning outcomes for this course are as detailed in the Undergraduate Catalog at:
http://www.registrar.ufl.edu/catalog/policies/advisinggened.html#requirements.
Required Readings
You may purchase these books online and you may purchase the edition of your choice; please
note, however, that you must find unabridged or original versions of the books. Some books are
available online – for free – at Project Gutenberg (http://gutenberg.org).
Avi. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. (1990)
Baum, L. Frank. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. (1900) *Available at Project Gutenberg
Bray, Libba. A Great and Terrible Beauty. (2003)
Burroughs, Edgar Rice. Tarzan of the Apes. (1914) *Available at Project Gutenberg
Chin, Frank. Donald Duk. (1991)
Dorris, Michael. Sees Behind Trees. (1996)
Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. (1932)
Sendak, Maurice. Where the Wild Things Are. (1963)
---. In the Night Kitchen. (1970)
Seuss, Dr. Theodor Geisel. The Butter Battle Book. (1984)
Twain, Mark. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. (1889) *Available at Project Gutenberg
All short works – critical readings, poems, and short stories – are available on the library’s
electronic course reserve system (ARES) unless otherwise noted.
“Alfred Bulltop Stormalong.” <http://www.activated-storytellers.com/folktales/old_stormalong.html>.
Bradstreet, Anne. “Childhood.” (1650) <http://poetry.poetryx.com/poems/8488/>.
---. “In Reference to Her Children.” (1659) <http://poetry.poetryx.com/poems/8483/>.
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Brown, Joanne, & St. Clair, Nancy. “The ‘Truth’ Of Young Adult Historical Fiction.” The Distant Mirror:
Reflections on Young Adult Historical Fiction. Lanham: Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2006. 32-56.
Clark, Beverly Lyon. “The Case of American Fantasy: There’s No Place Like Oz.” Kiddie Lit: The Cultural
Construction of Children’s Literature in America. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press,
2003. 128-148.
Dickinson, Emily. “As Children Bid the Guest Goodnight.” (1859)
<http://poetry.poetryx.com/poems/2081/ >.
Frost, Robert. “Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening.” (1923)
<http://poetry.poetryx.com/poems/247/ >.
Griswold, Jerry. “Ur of the Ur-Stories: Tarzan of the Apes.” Audacious Kids: Coming of Age in America’s
Classic Children’s Books. New York: Oxford University Press, 1992. 104-120.
Hubler, Angela. “Beyond the Image: Adolescent Girls, Reading, and Social Reality.” NWSA Journal 12.1:
(Spring 2000): 84-99.
Hutcheon, Linda. “What? (Forms).” A Theory of Adaptation. New York: Routledge, 2006.
Inge, Thomas. "Poe and the Comics Connection." Edgar Allan Poe Review 2:1 (2001 Spring): 2-29.
“Johnny Appleseed.” Harper’s New Monthly Magazine 43.258 (Nov 1871):
<http://digital.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/pagevieweridx?c=harp;cc=harp;rgn=full%20text;idno=harp0043-6;didno=harp00436;view=image;seq=00840;node=harp0043-6%3A1,>.
Irving, Washington. “Rip Van Winkle.” (1819) <http://www.bartleby.com/195/4.html>.
---. “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” (Recommended Reading)
Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth. “The Children’s Hour.” (1890)
<http://poetry.poetryx.com/poems/6324/>.
---. “The Song of Hiawatha.” (1855) (“Introduction” and “Hiawatha’s Departure” only) (Recommended
Reading: “Hiawatha’s Childhood”). <http://theotherpages.org/poems/hiawatha.html>.
Plath, Sylvia (1932-1963). “Bluebeard.” <http://www.angelfire.com/tn/plath/bluebeard.html>.
---. “Child.” <http://www.angelfire.com/tn/plath/child.html>.
---. “Cinderella.” <http://www.angelfire.com/tn/plath/cin.html>.
Poe, Edgar Allan. “The Fall of the House of Usher.” (1839) <http://www.bartleby.com/195/10.html>.
---. “The Raven.” (1845) <http://www.online-literature.com/poe/335/>.
---. “The Tell-Tale Heart.” (1843) <http://www.literature.org/authors/poe-edgar-allan/tell-taleheart.html>.
Sammond, Nicholas. “Disney Makes Disney.” Babes in Tomorrowland: Walt Disney and the Making of
the American Child, 1930-1960. Durham: Duke University Press, 2005. 25-80.
Silverstein, Shel. “Forgotten Language.” (1974) <http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/forgottenlanguage/>.
---. “Sick.” (1974) <http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/sick-20/>.
---. “Where the Sidewalk Ends.” (1974) <http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/where-the-sidewalkends/>.
Stevenson, Robert Louis. “The Land of Story-Books.” (1920)
<http://poetry.poetryx.com/poems/10823/ >.
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Schedule
Introduction: America Does Childhood
Week 1:
Jan 5
-Intro to course
-Review of MLA, using databases
Jan 7
-Stevenson, “The Land of Story-Books” (1920)
-Plath, “Cinderella,” “Bluebeard,” “Child” (1932-1963)
Week 2: Dead and Dying but Darn Cute: Classic Poetry About Children VS Empowered & Encouraged:
Contemporary Poetry for Children
Jan 12
-Assign Essay 1 (see below for assignment details)
-Discuss Close Reading as an analytical method
-Bradstreet, “In Reference to Her Children” (1659), “Childhood” (1650)
-Dickinson, “As Children Bid the Guest Goodnight” (1859)
-Longfellow, “The Children’s Hour” (1890)
-Frost, “Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening” (1923)
Jan 14
-Seuss, The Butter Battle Book (1984)
-Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are (1963) and In the Night Kitchen (1970)
-Silverstein, “Where the Sidewalk Ends,” “Sick,” & “Forgotten Language” (1974)
UNIT 1: The Classics, The Comics – What Every
American Child is Expected to Know (But Not Necessarily to
Have Read)
Week 3: “Quoth the Raven, ‘Eat My Shorts’!”
Jan 19
-Poe, “The Tell-Tale Heart” (1843) or “Fall of the House
of Usher” (1839), and “The Raven” (1845)
Jan 21
-Essay 1 due
-Inge, “Poe and the Comics Connection”
-Discussion about “Cultural Literacy”
Week 4: A Connecticut Yankee/Kid/Pup/Rabbit in King Arthur’s
Court
Jan 26
-Assign Tarzan character analysis
-Twain, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (1889) (Intro through chapters 1-5, 22 & 23)
-Screening of adaptations of Connecticut Yankee – Bugs Bunny (screen), Dark Knight, Wishbone,
A Kid, etc. (time permitting)
Jan 28
-Assign Essay 2
-Hutcheon, “What? (Forms)”
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Week 5: “Put Your Faith in What You Must Believe In” (as long as it isn’t Disney)
Feb 2
-Character analysis due
-Burroughs, Tarzan (1912/1914) (first half of book only)
-Discussion of Tarzan in Children’s/Popular Culture
Feb 4
-Tarzan, con’t (last half of book)
-Griswold, “Ur of the Ur-Stories: Tarzan of the Apes”
UNIT 2: American Mythology
Week 6: Blue Bulls and Big Trees (American Legends)
Feb 9
- Assign Oz character analysis
-Longfellow, “The Song of Hiawatha” (“Introduction” and “Hiawatha’s Departure.”
Recommended: “Hiawatha’s Childhood”) (1855)
-Screen Disney’s remake
-Guest lecture on Hiawatha in song & story
Feb 11
-Irving, “Rip Van Winkle” (1819); also discuss “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”
- “Johnny Appleseed”
-“Alfred Bulltop Stormalong”
Week 7: The Wonderful World of No Morals (Fairy Tales for Americans)
Feb 14
-Oz character analysis due
-Assign Brave New World character analysis
-Assign Essay 3
-Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) (first half)
-Screen MGM’s adaptation
Feb 16
- Essay 2 due
-Oz, con’t (last half)
-Clark, “American Fantasy”
Week 8: Dystopian Fairy Tales
Feb 23
-Brave New World character analysis due
-Huxley, Brave New World (1932) (first half)
Feb 25
-Brave New World, con’t (last half)
Week 9: Native Mythology
March 2
-Assign Donald Duk character analysis
-Dorris, Sees Behind Trees (1999) (first half)
March 4
-Sees Behind Trees, con’t (last half)
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Week 10 March 8 – Spring
Break
UNIT 3: American Identity
Week 11: Writing Forsoothly (Historical [In]Accuracy in Historical Fiction)
March 16
-Essay 3 due
-Donald Duk character analysis due
-Assign Final Essay
-Assign Charlotte Doyle character analysis
- Chin, Donald Duk (first half)
March 18
-Donald Duk, con’t (last half)
- Brown & St. Clair, “The ‘Truth’ Of Young Adult Historical
Fiction.”
Week 12: “Trouser Roles”: Adolescent Girls in American Fiction
March 23
-Doyle character analysis due
-Assign Terrible Beauty character analysis
-Avi, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle (first half)
March 25
-Charlotte Doyle, con’t (last half)
-Hubler, “Beyond the Image”
Week 13: Feminism in Contemporary YA American Fiction
March 30
-Beauty character analysis due
-Bray’s A Great and Terrible Beauty (full text)
April 1
-No class; Research Day for Final Essay
Disney
Unit 4: Contemporary Americana – Science Fiction and
Week 14: An American Icon – How Disney Destroyed Your Childhood (Without You Even Knowing)
April 6
-Disney screenings (TBA)
April 8
-Sammond, “Disney Makes Disney”
Week 15: “What the hell – it works in Star Trek!” – American Science Fiction & Contemporary Science
April 13
- Screen How William Shatner Changed the World documentary (1st half only)
-Screen Spaceballs (time permitting)
April 15
-Spaceballs, con’t
Week 16: “Live Long and Prosper”
April 20
Final Paper due
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Assignments
All assignments have a minimum page count; please note, however, that meeting the minimum
requirements does not, in any way, guarantee a passing grade. I am looking for quality over
quantity.
Character Analyses:
Throughout the course of the semester, I will assign each student one particular character or theme to
trace in upcoming readings. These responses will serve as discussion starters in class; please discuss
those things that interest you about the particular character you have been assigned throughout your
essay.
When reading the book assigned for the following week, pay particular attention the character/theme
you have been assigned. These short assignments will be applied to Burroughs, Baum, Huxley, Chin, Avi,
and Bray. You will be assigned a character/theme one week prior to the date the reading is due.
Remember, most times the character analysis will be due before the final chapters of the book; you may
perform the analysis on the text that is due (generally the first half of the book only). I will grade your
analysis while keeping in mind that you have not finished the book.
To get you started:
For characters: Describe this character briefly, and discuss how they interact with other characters, how
they further/hamper the plot progression, whether the character is a protagonist or antagonist, etc.
Mention anything about the character that you find important.
For themes: Describe this theme briefly, and discuss how this theme informs our exploration of
American literature. What does the theme tell us about the society in which the work was written? How
does the theme shape/change the story?
Each analysis needs to be at least one page (300 words) and is due the day we begin discussing the text.
For example, your analysis of a character in Tarzan will be assigned on Jan 26th and due Feb 2nd. These
analyses may be informal, but they must still display proper grammar, a logical organizational structure,
and the content must be well thought-out and exhibit careful consideration of the topic. These essays
will be collected at the end of class so that you may refer to them during class discussions.
Essay 1 - Critical Summary (due Jan 21):
Choose one text from Jan 14th and write a critical summary of the text. Paraphrase the story, then
explain what the author is trying to say about childhood. Explain how, exactly, you can trace the
author’s theme through the entirety of the work (word choice, repetition, images, etc). This essay must
be 2-3 pages (600-900 words). This assignment, as it is your first in this class, will be pass/fail. This essay
will be my first impression or your writing and analytical skills, so do your best work.
Essay 2 – Comparison/Close Reading (due Feb 14):
Choose a work of literature that has something to do with childhood (either written for children, written
about children, or assimilated into children’s culture) and compare it to a movie adaptation of the same
text. Does the story remain the same? What is changed? And, most importantly, why are those changes
important/what do they tell us? Is the new work better for a child audience? For an adult audience? The
goal of this assignment is to answer the question: What does the adaptation’s deviation from the
original text tell us about America’s changing views of childhood? Or, in other words, how has the
attitude toward children changed from the publication of the first text to the release of the second?
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These attitudes are apparent when comparing the differences between the original book and the
adaptation/movie. (This question will be a bit easier to answer for those who choose an older book with
a newer adaptation; for example, Burroughs’ original Tarzan and Disney’s Tarzan). You may not choose
to work with any text we have already covered in class, though you may choose to work with one
assigned later in the semester.
You must use at least two scholarly sources, one of which must be Hutcheon. The other source must be
an outside scholarly source.
This essay must be at least 4 pages (1200 words), though it is likely you will need to go over the
minimum page requirement in order to do a good job on this essay. You must also include an MLAformatted bibliography. You will be graded on content, grammar, your inclusion of sources, how well
you assimilate your sources, how well you support your argument, and the formatting of your
bibliography.
Essay 3 – Biographic Analysis/Close Reading (due March 2):
Choose one American author we have covered (or will cover) this semester and determine how knowing
about the author’s life helps readers engage with that author’s text(s). Choose one text to work with
closely for this assignment. Investigate the author’s life using published works such as biographies,
autobiographies (if any exist), letters, etc., and consider how the author’s beliefs and values – as found
in the book you’re focusing on – may or may not reflect the values of his or her time. NOTE: It is easiest
to choose one value or belief, i.e. the role of women in society or the role of religion/war in society, to
examine thoroughly. Look for evidence of the author’s views embedded in his/her text.
You must use at least three scholarly sources. At least two must be outside scholarly sources.
This essay must be at least 4 pages (1200 words). You will be graded on content, grammar, how well
you support your argument, and how well you make use of both the original text and your
critical/biographical sources as evidence supporting your analysis.
Essay 4 - Final Research Essay/Contextual Analysis (due April 20):
You have a choice between two options for this essay. Please choose one:
1) Choose one American text (book, movie, video game, etc) and explore how this text has
impacted modern culture. As we saw in the documentary How William Shatner Changed the
World, the Star Trek series has shaped modern society and science in very obvious, concrete
ways. In this essay option, choose a different text/series (you may not choose Star Trek) and
explore how it has impacted modern culture.
or
2) Choose one theme we have discussed this semester – identity, racism/slavery, “childhood” as
defined by American culture, American mythology, or American canonicity – and discuss how
this theme manifests itself in an American author’s body of works (books, movies, video games,
the medium is up to you) we have not covered in class this semester. (This is essentially a longer,
more complex version of essay 3.) You must examine at least three works by one author.
This essay must be at least 6 pages (1800 words), though it is likely you will need to go over the
minimum page requirement in order to do a good job on this essay. You must also include at least four
scholarly sources (you may not use more than one source we covered in class towards the four source
minimum). You must also include an MLA-formatted bibliography. You will be graded on content,
grammar, your inclusion of sources, how well you assimilate your sources, how well you support your
argument, and the formatting of your bibliography.
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Policies
Reading Assignments
You should complete readings and assignments included in the syllabus before coming to class on the
date they are assigned (unless otherwise indicated). In general, when you are in class I will expect that
you have something constructive and relevant to contribute. Consistently refusing to participate will
impair your participation grade.
Essays
Essays are due at the beginning of class on the assigned date (except for character analyses, which you
may turn in at the end of class on the day they’re due). If you know in advance that you will be late to or
missing class the day an essay is due, you need to speak with me about it and hand the essay in early.
Detailed descriptions of the essay assignments can be found above and will be discussed in class well
before each essay is due. Grades for essays will be based on the criteria listed above. If you are unclear
about what an assignment entails or what I will be looking for when I grade, please simply ask.
Remember to avoid extensive, all-encompassing summaries of texts during analyses and instead choose
several key concepts that you would like to analyze and interpret in conjunction with ideas from the
scholarly articles and original text. Always remember that I'm after original essays and ideas.
Avoid slang and personalized language.
See me with a draft of written text in advance if you would like some feedback on your writing. I do not
read whole essays before grading them, but I’d be happy to help you with sections or specific problems
before an essay is due.
All printed assignments should be double-spaced, Times New Roman font (12 pt.), with 1” margins and
STAPLED. I get to claim any paper clips, clamps, diamond-encrusted bobby pins, or other various objects
you might use instead.
The writing assignments in this class call for scholarly research and MLA-formatted bibliographies. If you
are not comfortable doing scholarly research and/or with the MLA citation style, come see me. Do not
wait until after the assignment to tell me you’re uncomfortable with MLA – I will help you, but it won’t
do you any good on the assignment you’ve already handed in.
Though not required, it is generally a good idea to keep a Xeroxed copy of each writing assignment
submitted for your own records.
Please note that I will not accept any excuses about lost work, dog (or cat or bunny or komodo
dragon…)-eaten homework, computer meltdowns or crashes, etc. It is your responsibility to back up and
save your work. Use your freezer if you have to. I, personally, recommend using flash drives. (Or the
“poor-man’s” flash drive: email your work to yourself so it’s backed up online.)
Quizzes & Final Exam
Reading quizzes will be given at my discretion. The best way to ensure a quiz is to not do the reading. In
other words, if you do the reading and participate in a meaningful way in class, I won't give quizzes. If I
ever need to give you quizzes, be assured that many questions may come from class lectures and not
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just the reading. Anything in the reading, lectures, and any class presentations are fair game for quizzes.
Please note that a final essay exam may also be administered at my discretion. Thoughtful
participation in class discussions and well-written essays by the large majority of the class will help your
class avoid such a fate…
Attendance, Participation, & Professionalism
Much of this course will be based on class discussions, and many of the themes /concepts we discuss
will pop up more than once. Consequently, frequent absences will affect your progress and success
dramatically. Because we are all human, though, you may miss four class periods without penalty. Note
that missing a double class period will result in two absences. However, after your forth unexcused
absence your final grade will be lowered one full letter grade for every class period missed. Missing
more than six class periods will jeopardize your ability to pass this course.
In addition to the instructor's policies, the policy of the University of Florida is that no student shall
absent himself or herself from the University for more than 12 scholastic days per semester in order to
participate in athletic activities. Thus, prolonged absences, even for medical reasons, cannot be
excused. UF exempts from this policy only those absences involving university-sponsored events, such
as athletics and band, and religious holidays. (In these cases, you must discuss the situation with me
beforehand and provide written documentation from your coach, your director, or your religious
counselor. You must also turn in any essays due during your absence beforehand.)
It is your responsibility to keep track of your own absences. In addition, if you are absent for any
reason it is your responsibility to take the initiative and find out about anything covered in class, any
assignments you missed, and/or class schedule changes that may have been made as you will still be
accountable.
Coming in late to class disturbs and is disrespectful to everyone. If you begin to make a habit of showing
up late, I reserve the right to begin docking you points for your tardiness (either by docking essay grades
or your final grade, depending on the severity of the case at hand). It would behoove you to show up on
time! As this is not a 7:30am class, this should not be a problem! 
Also, this class hopes to test your boundaries and get you thinking critically; thus, on occasion
controversial or adult topics – such as, for example, the depiction of sex and family-hood in Brave New
World – may arise. You should treat each other (and your instructor) with respect and dignity during
such conversations. Those who cannot conduct themselves in a mature manner will be excused from the
classroom, counted as absent, and will lose participation points.
Cell Phones – The “I can hear you now” Clause
Unless there is a family emergency or other extenuating circumstance (which
you will have discussed with me before class), there is no excuse for a cell
phone ringing in class; it is disrespectful both to your instructor and to your
fellow classmates. In other words, you MUST TURN OFF your cell phone. If
your cell phone rings during class you will be counted as absent for that class.
The ‘Net Clause
During the semester, changes to the class schedule are bound to occur. Also,
examples, assignments, and links of interest will be placed on the web. It is
your responsibility to check the course webpage often for updates. (I would recommend at least once
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a day before class.) It is also your responsibility to check your UF email often. If you do not check the
webpage and/or do not check your email, any information you miss or assignments you fail to do will
result in a failing grade for that assignment; the excuses “I forgot to check the webpage” and/or “I
haven’t checked my email in a while” will not be accepted and late policies will apply.
Academic Honesty
Plagiarism is one of the many facets of writing that we will explore as a class. Please note that plagiarism
is a serious violation of the Student Honor Code. You commit plagiarism when you present the ideas or
words of someone else as your own. Remember, you are responsible for understanding the University's
definitions of plagiarism and academic dishonesty, which include the following:
* Submitting all or part of someone else’s work as if it is your own.
* “Borrowing,” without crediting the source, any of the following:





Any part of song lyrics, poetry, or movie scripts
Any part of another person’s essay, speech, or ideas
Any part of an article in a magazine, journal, newspaper
Any part of a book, encyclopedia, CD-ROM, online WWW page, etc.
Any idea from another person or writer, even if you express that idea in your own words.
* “Borrowing” verbatim text without enclosing in quotation marks and citing the source.
* Making "duplicate submissions" of assignments - that is, submitting work in one class that you also
submit in another class
* “Collaborating” or receiving substantive help in writing your assignment unless such collaboration is
part of the given assignment (however, you may receive general advice from tutors, writing lab
instructors, or OWL staff).
* Failing to cite sources, or citing them improperly.
Important Tip: You should never copy and paste something from the Internet without using
"quotation marks" and providing the exact location from which it came.
If a student plagiarizes all or any part of any assignment, I will award him/her a failing grade on the
assignment. In addition, University policy suggests that, as a MINIMUM, instructors should impose a
course grade penalty and report any incident of academic dishonesty to the Office of the Dean of
Students. Your work might be tested for its originality against a wide variety of databases by antiplagiarism guardian sites to which the University subscribes, and negative reports from such sites
constitute PROOF of plagiarism. Other forms of academic dishonesty will also result in a failing grade on
the assignment as a minimum penalty. Examples include cheating on a quiz or citing phony sources or
quotations to include in your assignments.
All students are required to abide by the Academic Honesty Guidelines which have been accepted by the
University. The academic community of students and faculty at the University of Florida strives to
develop, sustain, and protect an environment of honesty, trust, and respect. Students are expected to
pursue knowledge with integrity. Exhibiting honesty in academic pursuits and reporting violation of the
Academic Honesty Guidelines will encourage other to act with integrity. Violations of the Academic
Honesty Guidelines shall result in judicial action and a student being subject to the sanctions in
paragraph XIV of the Student Conduct Code. The conduct set forth hereinafter constitutes a violation of
the Academic Honesty Guidelines (University of Florida Rule 6C1-4.017).
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All students are required to abide by the Student Honor Code. For more information about academic
honesty, including definitions of plagiarism and unauthorized collaboration, see:
http://www.dso.ufl.edu/sccr/honorcodes/honorcode.php
Students with Disabilities
The Disability Resource Center in the Dean of Students Office provides students and faculty with
information and support regarding accommodations for students with disabilities in the classroom. For
more information, see: http://www.dso.ufl.edu/drc/
Harassment
UF provides an educational and working environment for its students, faculty, and staff that is free from
sex discrimination and sexual harassment. For more about UF policies regarding harassment, see:
http://www.dso.ufl.edu/studentguide/studentconductcode.php#s4041
Grading
Here is the meaning behind the grades I assign to your papers (you should use the statements to
determine how you might work toward a higher grade):
A - You did what the assignment asked for at a high quality level, and your work shows originality and
creativity. Work in this range shows all the qualities listed below for a B, but it also demonstrates that
you took extra steps to be original or creative in developing content, solving a problem, or developing a
style. Since careful editing and proofreading are essential in writing, papers in the A-range must be free
of typos and grammatical or mechanical errors (papers with more than two or three major errors cannot
receive an A).
B - You did what the assignment asked of you at a high quality level. Work in this range needs revision;
however, it is complete in content, is organized well, and shows special attention to style.
C - You did what the assignment asked of you. Work in this range needs significant revision, but it is
complete in content and the organization is logical. The style is straightforward but unremarkable.
D - You did what the assignment asked of you at a poor quality level. Work in this range needs significant
revision. The content is often incomplete and the organization is hard to discern. Attention to style is
often nonexistent or chaotic.
E - An E is usually reserved for people who don’t do the work or don’t come to class. However, if your
work is shoddy and shows little understanding of the needs of the assignment, you will receive a failing
grade. (If you try to write your paper the night before it is due, it is likely that you will receive a grade of
D or E.)
Please remember, one reason I have office hours is so that you can come talk to me about your
papers, both before AND after they’ve been graded!
Final Grade Calculation:
The grading for this course will be based upon a 2,700-point* scale and will be weighted as follows:
Character Analyses (6 at 50 pts each) 300
Essay 1: Critical Summary
100
Essay 2: Comparison
500
Essay 3 - Textual Analysis
600
Essay 4 - Contextual Analysis
700
Quizzes/Participation (TBA)
500
*If deemed necessary, the final essay exam will be worth an additional 1,000 points.
P a g e | 13
Grading Scale for your Final Course Grade:
A
4.0
93-100%
A3.67 90-92
B+
3.33 87-89
B
3.0
83-86
B2.67 80-82
C+
2.33 77-79
C
2.0
73-76
C1.67 70-72
D+
1.33 67-69
D
1.0
63-66
D0.67 60-62
E
0.00 0-59
E, I, NG, U, WF = 0
***Writing and Math (Gordon Rule) Requirement:
Students earning a "C-" (1.67) in writing/math courses taken to fulfill these requirements will not receive
writing/math (Gordon Rule) credit.
***Gen Ed Requirement:
A "C-" (1.67) will not result in an award of General Education credit.
Minus Grades
UF has recently instituted minus grades. As a result, letter grades now have different grade point
equivalencies. For more information, see:
http://www.registrar.ufl.edu/catalog/policies/regulationgrades.html
Grade disputes
Any concerns about individual assignment grades should be addressed to me and not the Department. I
will not discuss grades with students the day that assignments are returned, as I require that students
take time to review their grade and my comments on papers. I am happy to discuss graded assignments
24 hours after they have been handed back.
If you have any disagreements about the final grade for the class, then you may schedule a conference
with me at the beginning of the next term to go over your concerns. If the conference does not resolve
the problem, you will then need to speak with Carla Blount, Program Assistant in the English
Department Office to begin proceedings and paperwork to challenge your final grade. In this case, you
must keep a portfolio of your graded written work (including any web or in-class assignments) and be
able to present it to a review committee who will then evaluate your work and determine if the final
grade was justified. The committee reserves the right to maintain the original grade, raise it, or lower it.
The committee’s decision is final, however.
Image Sources:
About the header image: Illustrator Cory Godbey has started the Terrible Yellow Eyes project to celebrate Maurice
Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are and Director Spike Jonze’s film of the same name released in Oct 2009. Many
artists have contributed to the project, sending in images that were inspired by the book so many children have
read and love. See http://www.terribleyelloweyes.com/.
Shirley Temple: http://www.freewebs.com/hemetsphere/Shirley%20Temple0005.JPG
“The Raven” comic: http://toon-books.com/blog/uploaded_images/mad-raven-742286.jpg
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz illustration by Denslow:
http://www.postercartel.com/uploads/postercartel_product_option.imageDetail/1700-62387.jpg
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle: http://csmt.cde.ca.gov/images/0030547091.jpg
“Live Long and Prosper” sign: http://www.trekkietees.com/images/live.jpg
Uncle Sam “No Cell Phone” sign:
https://www.glastonburyus.org/schools/glastonburyhigh/ghslibrary/about/PublishingImages/Uncle%20Sam%20ce
ll%20phone.jpg