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JACK HEIFNER
GFA Room 215
Office hours: by appointment
Telephone 468-1343
Email: [email protected]
THR 471-002
SOUTHERN PLAYWRIGHTS
Spring Semester 2012
TR
2:00 – 3:15 pm
Required texts:
VANITIES by Jack Heifner
PATIO/PORCH by Jack Heifner
THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL by Horton Foote
LONE STAR & LAUNDRY AND BOURBON by James McLure
SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH by Tennessee Williams
CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF by Tennessee Williams
THE LITTLE FOXES by Lillian Hellman
CRIMES OF THE HEART by Beth Henley
THE MEMBER OF THE WEDDING by Carson McCullers
DRIVING MISS DAISY by Alfred Uhry
‘NIGHT, MOTHER by Marsha Norman
GENERAL OUTLINE OF THE COURSE:
The student who successfully completes this course will have read and discussed selected
works by 20th Century American playwrights writing about the Southern United States.
All the writers studied were born in the South and the plays to be studied all focus on that
region. The class will examine the characters, themes, conflicts and construction of
thirteen one-act and full-length plays exploring Southern life
In addition to studying the dramatic structure of these plays, discussions and research will
be directed toward the history of the authors involved. The student will also explore such
topics as growing up in the South, the language, story telling, the history of the South as
reflected in the works, and the image of Southern men and women represented by the
characters in the plays. Films of some of the plays will be viewed, as well as some other
films that either reflect Southern life or are about the lives of the playwrights.
(Approximately 50% of the total class time.)
The course is designed to cover approximately a play and author each week. The student
will be asked to write a short paper on each dramatic work answering a series of
questions set forth by the instructor. These papers are due on the day the discussion of
the play commences. A quiz may be given on the play at the time the report is turned in.
A schedule of these due dates for reports and quizzes will be given to you. Note: The
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plays will be read in the order as listed on the first page of this syllabus. (Approximately
30% of the total class time.)
The student will write two major essays during the semester. Both are due on the
date assigned and will be presented orally to the class.
The first composition will concentrate on one of the authors of the plays being studied.
The essay should examine the author’s life and/or career (both in and out of the South)
and/or the production history of his or her works, or another topic related to the writer
that may be of interest to the student. The instructor must approve all topics in advance.
One or more students will be assigned to write about each author. If more than one
student is involved, the students may split the material between them in any way they
like. For example, one student may do a paper on the personal life of the playwright while
the other could write a paper about his or her career, their literary legacy or their influence
on the American theatre. How this dividing of the material is to be accomplished must be
decided with the guidance of the instructor and the number of students working on each
author will be determined by the class size.
Special consideration will be given to students whose authors are more difficult to
research. There is a wealth of information available about Tennessee Williams, but not as
much about James McLure. You may take a creative approach to this paper. For
example, it may include interviews with the author or people who know or knew the
author. It may include photographs or slides. The biographical report is essentially about
the author and his or her life and career in the theatre. Again, this paper is to be presented
to the class. The author each student will write about will be decided by lottery on the
first day of class. Each student must write an individual paper on his or her topic,
and no two papers may be about the same aspect of the writer’s life.
The second and final paper should concentrate on a topic that compares or draws from
at least four if not all of the plays being studied during the semester. It should focus on
life and characters from “the South” as presented in the works we have studied. The
subject is of the student’s choosing and must be approved by the instructor. The topic
should be selected after mid-semester. Again, the final paper will be presented orally and
no two papers may have the same topic.
An example of a topic for the final paper would be to focus on the male and female
characters in the plays. What is the role of men or women in the South as presented in
the works we have studied? One could also focus on the economic or social structure of
Southern life as illustrated by the characters. Another topic would be the structure of the
family or the sexual roles or the state of marriage and relationships as reflected in the
works. These are just examples of ideas the student may explore.
The first and final papers are due on the dates assigned. These papers do not have to
be any longer than it takes to carefully, creatively and intelligently explore the chosen
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subject. The first paper will be graded primarily on the quality of the research involved.
The final paper will be graded on the exploration of an idea or theme drawn from the
plays. (Approximately 20% of the total class time.)
All source material in these papers must be noted. At least three books must be
listed as sources on the biographical papers, along with any website or material
gathered from the Internet. The written biographical and final papers will be graded on
the paper alone. The oral presentation is not part of the grade but is done in order to share
the papers with the entire class.
The final paper will be due approximately three weeks before the end of the semester to
allow time for an oral presentation. The order of the presentations will again be
determined by a lottery. Neither the biographical nor the final paper should be longer
than 15 typed double-spaced pages. That is the maximum length. There is no
minimum number of pages. The quality of the writing and the examination of the subject
are the most important elements.
ALL PAPERS, INCLUDING THE PLAY REPORTS MUST BE TYPED. Hard
copies of homework and reports must be given to the instructor. Nothing submitted
via email will be accepted.
There will also be a final written exam at the end of the semester. As stated before,
quizzes will also be given on most or all of the plays to make sure the students have read
the works assigned. The two major papers will be presented orally and are due on the two
dates chosen by a lottery. Participation in class discussions and attendance is essential to
this course.
Grading in the course will be based on the following:
Written reports on the 13 plays & quizzes
Participation and discussion, attendance
Report on the playwright
Final report
Final exam
30%
10%
20%
20%
20%
Failure to turn in either major paper will result in a failing grade in the course. Any
plagiarism, or any using of research material without giving the source of the
material, will result in a failing grade in the class and in disciplinary action. Any
paper not written by the student, but claimed to be written by the student, will
result in a failing grade in the course and in disciplinary action.
The brief written reports on the individual plays will not be graded, but the failure to turn
in a written report on each play (and on time) will result in a lowering of your grade by 2
points for each missing report.
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PLEASE TAKE NOTE THAT ATTENDANCE IS CRUCIAL TO THIS COURSE
AND EXCESSIVE ABSENCES WILL RESULT IN A LOWERING OF YOUR
GRADE. A total of 7 excused and unexcused absences will result in the student
receiving a failing grade. In addition, excessive unexcused absences (over two) will
result in a lowering of your final grade. (See The Department Attendance Policy.)
Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) supported in this course:
1. The student will be able to analyze a script in ways that are necessary to a theatre
practitioner or scholar/critic.
2. The student will demonstrate an understanding of theatre history and a variety of
theatrical styles.
3. The student will be able to form and articulate a critical analysis and evaluation of a
work of theatre.
4. The student will demonstrate an understanding of the component areas of theatrical
creation, process, production, performance, and study, and their interrelationships.
Student Learning Outcomes for this course (with supported PLOs):
Students will be able to:
1. form and articulate a critical analysis and evaluation of a work of theatre and the
playwright involved (1, 2, 3, 4)
2. demonstrate an understanding of the component areas of theatrical creation, process,
production, performance and study, and their interrelationships (1, 2)
3. write a biographical paper and a comparative essay bringing together the knowledge
learned in this course (1, 2, 3)
4. understand the history of the American South as it has influences some of its most
important writers (1, 2).
Academic Integrity (A-9.1)
Academic integrity is a responsibility of all university faculty and students. Faculty
members promote academic integrity in multiple ways including instruction on the
components of academic honesty, as well as abiding by university policy on penalties for
cheating and plagiarism.
Definition of Academic Dishonesty
Academic dishonesty includes both cheating and plagiarism. Cheating includes but is not
limited to (1) using or attempting to use unauthorized materials to aid in achieving a
better grade on a component of a class; (2) the falsification or invention of any
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information, including citations, on an assigned exercise; and/or (3) helping or attempting
to help another in an act of cheating or plagiarism. Plagiarism is presenting the words or
ideas of another person as if they were your own. Examples of plagiarism are (1)
submitting an assignment as if it were one's own work when, in fact, it is at least partly
the work of another; (2) submitting a work that has been purchased or otherwise obtained
from an Internet source or another source; and (3) incorporating the words or ideas of an
author into one's paper without giving the author due credit.
Please read the complete policy at http://www.sfasu.edu/policies/academic_integrity.asp
Withheld Grades Semester Grades Policy (A-54)
Ordinarily, at the discretion of the instructor of record and with the approval of the
academic chair/director, a grade of WH will be assigned only if the student cannot
complete the course work because of unavoidable circumstances. Students must complete
the work within one calendar year from the end of the semester in which they receive a
WH, or the grade automatically becomes an F. If students register for the same course in
future terms the WH will automatically become an F and will be counted as a repeated
course for the purpose of computing the grade point average.
Students with Disabilities
To obtain disability related accommodations, alternate formats and/or auxiliary aids,
students with disabilities must contact the Office of Disability Services (ODS), Human
Services Building, and Room 325, 468-3004 / 468-1004 (TDD) as early as possible in the
semester. Once verified, ODS will notify the course instructor and outline the
accommodation and/or auxiliary aids to be provided. Failure to request services in a
timely manner may delay your accommodations. For additional information, go to
http://www.sfasu.edu/disabilityservices/.
Students with documented disabilities who need course adaptations or accommodations
please make an appointment with me as soon as possible.
AFTER READING THE ASSIGNED PLAY, BRIEFLY ANSWER THE
FOLLOWING QUESTIONS PRIOR TO OUR DISCUSSION OF THE WORK.
(This report is to be typed and handed in to the instructor on the date assigned.)
1) What is the theme of the play?
2) What does the major character (or characters) want?
3) What is the central conflict? What is the major obstacle?
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4) What is the role of “the South” in this play? Briefly, do the setting, language, beliefs
and so forth contribute to an understanding of life in “the South.” Are the characters
greatly influenced by their environment?
5) What is your reaction to the play? What do you like or dislike about it?
DUE DATES FOR THE 13 WRITTEN REPORTS ON THE PLAYS (subject to
change):
1/31
VANITIES report due
2/2
PATIO/PORCH reports due (a total of 2 reports due today)
2/7
THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL report due
2/16
LONE STAR and LAUNDRY AND BOURBON reports due (a total of 2 reports
due)
2/21
SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH report due
3/1
CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF report due
3/8
THE LITTLE FOXES report due
3/27
CRIMES OF THE HEART report due
3/29
THE MEMBER OF THE WEDDING report due
4/3
DRIVING MISS DAISY report due
4/17
‘NIGHT MOTHER report due
DUE DATES FOR THE WRITTEN AND ORAL REPORTS ON THE
PLAYWRIGHTS (subject to change):
If two people are assigned a writer, one will do a report on the life of the playwright and
the other person will do a report on the works of the writer. The person writing about the
works should read and include a report on the play listed beside each writer below. You
should also include other works in your report, but the following play must be included.
2/14
Horton Foote (The Young Man from Atlanta)
2/16
James McLure (Private Wars)
2/21
Tennessee Williams (Summer and Smoke)
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3/8
Lillian Hellman (Another Part of the Forest)
3/27
Beth Henley (The Wake of Jamie Foster)
3/29
Carson McCullers (The Square Root of Wonderful)
4/3
Alfred Uhry (The Last Night of Ballyhoo)
4/12
Hispanic and African-American writers
4/17
Marsha Norman (Getting Out)
OTHER IMPORTANT DATES:
4/19
Review for final exam
4/24
Final exam
4/26
Play Festival Q&A with writers
5/1
Final essays due and presented from Group 1
5/3
Final essays due and presented from Group 2