Syllabus

English 304 Children’s Literature
Fall semester, 2008
Instructor: Michael Sexson Office: 2-183 Willson Hours: MWF 3-5

Texts: From the Bookstore: The Annotated Classic Fairy Tales – Maria Tatar (Norton) (Norton); Alice in Sunderland- Bryan Talbot (Dark Horse); His Dark Materials-Philip Pullman (Knopf). Other texts: Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass-Lewis Carroll; The Wizard of Oz-L. Frank Baum and MGM film.


MYTH AND DISPLACEMENT

This course will be devoted to an engagement with what is typically termed “children’s and young adult’s literature.” While the course intends to look at the broad area of concern implied by these terms, it will be necessary to develop a specific focus, in this instance, the ways in which texts typically associated with the term “children’s literature” open backwards into myth and are displaced forward into realism. Such a focus helps us understand that children’s literature, in its literary incarnations, from crude alphabet books and didactic pamphlets to highbrow classics, and through its oral and ritual elements (such as nursery rhymes and schoolyard chants) amounts to a crucial and not incidental dimension of literary study.

Only three of the course’s texts will be available from the university bookstore. The other central texts must be purchased independently or located and downloaded electronically. While much of what is considered canonical children’s literature is available in comprehensive (and massive) anthologies, the instructor would like to point students in the direction of the internet for a great many primary texts and ancillary commentary. This way, the burden of research is placed directly on the student, making discoveries more relevant and valuable.

In order to ensure a rich engagement with the topics and issues of the class, we will create a system of exams, group and individual projects, papers, blogs, and other activities which will arise from the peculiar collective identity of the class. Quizzes are worth 100 points apiece, the final 50. Term paper: 100; Blog: 150. Presentations, Attendance, Participation: 100. Total: 600 points.

This initial handout is intended simply to cover what is necessary for the first few days of class. Subsequent material will come principally through emails messages and attachments. The list serve for this class is ENGL30401 and subscriptions/list reviews may be seen by emailing the list serve address followed by listserv&listserv.montana.edu. Since crucial information will be coming your way electronically, it is important that you update your “MYINFO” or “MYPORTAL” site at the MSU website and maintain an active and working email address.

Here are the items it important to know for the first few days of class:

1) Purchase texts at the MSU Bookstore. If you use other texts, please make sure the editions are the same as those required. Begin reading the Tatar book as well as the Alice books.

2) Begin an online blog for this class. The blog, which shall consist of evidence of a deep and thorough engagement with the texts and issues of the class, can be constructed with the assistance of those in our class who have done this before, or those who are especially skilled in such matters. There should be as many entries as there are classes. You should make every effort to capitalize upon the visual components of the internet as well as its informational content. Make sure your blog is easy to navigate. You should bookmark the site of each of your peers. Once your blog is up and running, email the address to sexson@english.montana.edu and your site will be send to the general listserve for this class. Additional assignments concerning the blog will be made as the class progresses. Do not wait to be told what to research electronically. If there are terms or themes or issues you find provocative, get busy with your online research. Your completed blog should be a rich and compelling set of observations, insights, information, helpful links, and images.

3) Some samples of previous blogs:English 304: http://firebird2004.blogspot.com/; English 300: http://www.geocities.com/nikoledidier/.

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