On the Front Lines:
World War II through Literature and Film
Important Note: The syllabus will be revisited and possibly revised by
the instructor prior to it being posted on the course Canvas site;
however, the selection in textbooks is firm.
ENG-L381, Spring 2016
Class Meets T/H 1-2:15 (KO 201)
Instructor: Kristen L. Snoddy, Senior Lecturer in English
Office: Main Building (TBA)
Office Phone: 765-455-9263
Hours: M&W 10-11;T&H 1-2; and by appointment
Classroom Etiquette
Silence cell phones for the courtesy of everyone. When anyone—instructor, student, or
guest speaker—is addressing the class, give him or her your full attention.
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE.
Textbooks
Selections from A People's History of World War II: The World's Most Destructive
Conflict, As Told By the People Who Lived Through It (Marc Favreau) and How We
Lived Then: A History of Everyday Life During the Second World War (Norman
Longmate); Night (Elie Wiesel); The Diary of a Young Girl (Anne Frank); Is Paris
Burning? (Dominique Lapierre, Larry Collins); The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel
Pie Society (Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows); The Monuments Men (Robert M.
Edsel); Seed of Sarah: Memoirs of a Survivor (Judith Magyar Issacson); excerpts from
Alan Turing: The Enigma (Andrew Hodges)
Films
Night and Fog (Alain Resnais); Schindler’s List (Steven Spielberg); A Bridge Too Far
(Richard Attenborough); Carve Her Name with Pride (Lewis Gilbert); Into the Arms of
Strangers (Mark Jonathan Harris); The Book Thief (Brian Percival)
Course Goals
1. To help students understand the complexities that led to this conflict by sharing the
stories of those who experienced the war and its aftermath;
2. To help students establish connections between those complexities and similar
issues we face today, highlighting sometimes-underemphasized circumstances fueled
by this war, including scapegoating, religious persecution, rationing,
malnutrition/starvation, refugee relocation, economic ruin, family ruin, sacrifice,
resilience, and innovation;
3. To help students examine the “stories behind the stories” so that they can see the
significant effects the actions of individuals can have, encouraging appreciation for the
efforts of those involved and an understanding that their own society’s stories will
become the history and literature for the next generation.
Assignments, Grading Scale, and Deductions for Late Assignments
4 Film Analyses @ 20 points each = 80 points
4 Double-entries @ 10 points each = 40 points
1 Cross-theme analysis paper = 150 points
1 Service Project = 75 points
Additional assignments = approximately 30 points
Total = approximately 300 points
DETAILS FOR ALL ASSIGNMENTS CAN BE FOUND IN CANVAS>FILES.
Grading scale: 100&99 = A+; 98-93 A; 92-90 A-; 89-87 B+; 86-83 B; and so on.
Late Assignments will receive one letter grade deduction and be received up to one
week after the due date.
This semester we will view 6 films. You will be required to write four film analysis
papers although you will be expected to view all the films and attend accompanying
lectures. Similarly, although there are 6 double-entry assignments listed in the
syllabus, you will be required to do 4 yet complete all of the assigned reading and
participate in class discussions.
The cross-theme analysis paper is intended for you either to focus on a particular
aspect of the relationship between film and literature that ties a number of the works
together or to research in depth one work and view other works through the lens of that
selected work. Draft proposals for both of these papers are due WEEK 10, DAY 1.
Revised version proposals will be due on WEEK 12, DAY 1. A draft of the research
paper will be required on WEEK 13, DAY 2, so you can receive comments back on
WEEK 14, DAY 2 and revise it for a grade by WEEK 15, DAY 1.
Definitions of “Draft” and “Revised” Versions
The “draft” of a paper is defined as the first version handed in. The “revised” version of a
paper is defined as the next version handed in that addresses the instructor’s comments
made on the “draft”. Only the “revised” version will receive a grade. Returned drafts
need to be handed in along with revised versions.
Note on Use and Citation of Sources
The responsibility for learning the rules governing the proper use of sources lies with the
individual student. In registering for a course, students agree to abide by the Student
Code of Ethics printed on the university website, which contains brief descriptions of
plagiarism. Ignoring these policies may have unpleasant consequences. You will find an
excellent list of resources on the IU Kokomo Writing Center website. You are also
strongly encouraged to utilize the free tutoring available through the Writing Center,
which is located in the library. Drop in or call 765-455-9425.
Service Learning
The service project will require you to record stories of local WWII veterans who were
stationed in Europe and to submit these to Library of Congress Veterans’ History
Project (LCVHP) (http://www.loc.gov/vets/). More details are provided in the Service
Learning folder in Canvas>Files.
Daily Happenings and Assignments
World War II in the Making
Week One
Day 1
Topic: Purpose, Organization, and Goals of the Course
Assignment: Create Canvas Profile
Day 2
Topic” Guest Lecturer—“The Events Leading up to WWII” Dr. Sarah Heath, IU Kokomo
History Professor
Assignments: Favreau’s A People’s History Part I; double-entry over Favreau
Week Two
Day 1
Topic: Library of Congress Veteran’s History Project; “Interviewing 101-- Considerations
and Techniques”
Assignments: scavenger hunt of LCVHP website; double-entry over Dr. Heath’s lecture
Day 2
Topic: The Characteristics of Film Analysis; the War in Europe
Assignments: Favreau’s, The War in Europe Part II; double-entry over Favreau
Week Three
Day 1
Topic: View Into the Arms of Strangers (part 1)
Assignments: Muller and Williams as assigned
Day2
Topics: View Into the Arms of Strangers (part 2)
Assignments: Muller and Williams as assigned
Life During the War
Week Four
Day 1
Topic: English civilian life during the war
Assignments: Selections from Longmate’s How We Lived Then; Film Analysis #1 DUE
Day 2
Topic: The English Experience, cont.
Assignments: Selections from Longmate, cont.; double-entry over Longmate
Week Five
Day 1
Topic: The Epistolary Novel; Life for the Channel Islanders during WWII
Assignment: Shaffer and Borrows’The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society pp.
1-125
Day 2
Topic: Channel Islanders’ cont.
Assignment: Complete The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society; double-entry
over Shaffer and Borrows’
Week Six
Day 1
Topic: Special Guest
Assignments: Read Tower’s memoir “What did you do in the war, Grandpa?” (Available
in Canvas>Files>Additional Reading folder)
German Concentration Camps: Horror and Humanity
Day 2
Topic: View and Discuss Night and Fog (32 mins.) and Discuss Wiesel’s Night
Assignments: Wiesel’s Night; double-entry over Wiesel
Week Seven
Day 1
Topic: Discussion of Isaacson’s work and The United States Holocaust Memorial
Museum
Assignments: Isaacson’s Seed of Sarah: Memoirs of a Survivor, through Chapter 9;
Film Analysis #2 DUE
Day 2
Topic: Common Threads and Distinctions in Wiesel’s and Isaacson’s Experiences
Assignments: Complete Isaacson’s work; double-entry over Isaacson
Week Eight
Day 1
The Oskar Schindler Story
Topics: View Schindler’s List, Part 1
Assignments: Visit http://www.oskarschindler.com/ as discussed; Group A reads Lang
(2010) “Six Questions on (or About) Holocaust Denial”; Group B reads Long (2002)
“Forgetting the Fuhrer: the Recent History of the Holocaust Denial Movement in
Germany”; complete double-entry over your assigned article
Day 2
Topic: View Schindler’s List, Part 2
Women and the War
Week Nine:
Day 1
Topics: Follow up to Schindler’s List; Anne Frank
Assignments: The Diary of a Young Girl; Film Analysis #3 DUE
Day 2
Topic: Anne Frank, cont.
Assignment: Complete The Diary. . .; double-entry over Frank
SPRING BREAK
Week Ten
Day 1
Topics: View Carve Her Name With Pride, Part 1
Day 2
Topic: View Carve Her Name With Pride, Part 2
Week Eleven
Day 1
Topic: Violette Szabo and Contributions by Other Women During WWll
Assignment: Film Analysis #4 due
World War II Comes to an End
Day 2
Topics: Allied forces’ efforts to end the war
Assignments: Read excerpts from Hodges’ Alan Turing: The Enigma
Week Twelve
Day 1
Topics: View A Bridge Too Far, Part I
Day 2
Topic: View A Bridge Too Far, Part II
Week Thirteen
Day 1
Topic: Moral deliberations and attempts to save Paris
Assignment: Read Collins’ and Lapierre’s Is Paris Burning?; Film Analysis #5 due
Day 2
Topic: Continued discussion of Collins’ and Lapierre’s work.
Assignment: Complete Is Paris Burning?; double-entry over Collins and Lapierre
Week Fourteen
Day 1
Topics: View The Book Thief, Part I
Day 2
Topic: View The Book Thief, Part II
Week Fifteen
Day 1
Topic: Follow up discussion of The Book Thief; efforts to preserve the culture
Assignment: Read The Monuments Men, Part I; Film Analysis #6 DUE
Day 2
Topic: Unlikely heroes
Assignment: The Monuments Men, Part II
Finals Week
Presentations: Veterans’ History Project