University of
Great Falls Fall 2006
ILC 145 Texts and
Sacred Texts
(For English 200
(Section B): Literary Appreciation (3 Credit Hours) and
TRL-240/250 Old (viz. New) Testament (3 Credit Hours)
9:00-10:45 AM (Tues./ Thurs.)
108 Providence
Hall
Instructors: Dr. Aaron Parrett;
Fr. Jon Taylor
Office: Dr. Parrett: 101 Providence;
Fr. Taylor: Argo CafŽ
Office Phone: Dr. Parrett: 791-5374;
Fr. Taylor: ask at jtaylor01@ugf.edu or 791-5357
Office Hours: Dr. Parrett: 11:00 AM—12:00 NOON (MWF); 2:00 PM—4:00 PM (MWF) & By Appointment;
Fr. Taylor: M-W-F 11:00 – noon, by appointment, and by accidental encounter
Email: aparrett@ugf.edu or aparret@yahoo.com
Jtaylor01@ugf.edu (also MSN Messenger)
Jtaylor01@mac.com (also AIM)
ILC stands for Integrative Learning Community. The most
important term in that phrase for me is Òintegrative.Ó At the very least it
means that you will be reading the same texts in this class for both literary
appreciation and religious perspective—in a way, youÕre getting two
different (but presumably integrative) perspectives on the same set of texts.
(And you only have to buy one set of books for two courses!)
This class is usually called Òliterary appreciation.Ó Our focus this term refers to ÒTexts and Scared Texts.Ó Most of the things we read in this class are works that have been or are considered ÒsacredÓ texts. Part of our task in this half of the course will be to challenge that designation: what makes a text ÒsacredÓ? We will approach these texts primarily as literary texts—including the Bible, which is recognized all over the world (even by Muslim and Buddhist scholars) as a literary text. Conversely, you may not recognize the Koran as the expressed Word of God (Sacred Text), but you cannot deny that it is a masterpiece of world literature (Text). One of the challenges facing us will be to maintain objectivity: what is ÒscaredÓ to one person may only be a literary artifact to another.
In this class we will learn to identify different works according to genre, literary period, and style. We will learn to pay particular attention to things like authorial intent, narrative voice, point of view, and literary technique. We will also familiarize ourselves with the various generic literary forms: novel, short story, drama, and poetry. A few of the many questions we will attempt to answer include the following:
1)
What is literature? What is sacred literature?
2)
What makes certain styles ÒliteraryÓ? What makes a text sacred?
3)
What relationship exists between an author and his/ her text?
4)
What relationship exists between the reader and the text?
5)
What is the intertext and how does it work – from reference to allusion
to thematic commonalities?
6)
What is a religious perspective?
7)
What, if any, is the difference
between a literary and a religious perspective?
Learning how to read critically and closely will enable us to better formulate and evaluate answers to fundamental questions that comprise the overriding goals of all undergraduate degrees here at UGF. This is the point where literature and theology converge – where, in theory, all disciplines at UGF converge. Those questions include the following:
1)
What does it mean to be human?
2)
What does it mean to Òmake a livingÓ and to live as a productive human being?
3)
What does it mean to participate in the spiritual and religious dimensions of
life?
4)
What does it mean to participate in Ôintellectual inquiryÕ?
Required
Texts
The Epic of Gilgamesh
Selections from Old Testament
Selections from New Testament
Bhagavadgita
Candide--Voltaire
Confessions of St. Augustine.
Zen Mystics and Masters—Thomas Merton
The Poetry of Rainier Maria
Rilke
Required folder
Holy Qur'an - selections
Teresa of Avila. The Interior
Castle (selections);
____________. Autobiography (selections)
Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz.
Poems, Protests and a Dream: Selected Writings. (selections)
Bhagavad Gita. (selections)
Edwards, Jonathan. Sinners in
the Hands of an Angry God. (selections)
Alternative Gospels.
Suggested
McConnell, Frank, ed. The Bible
and the Narrative Tradition. New York: Oxford U. P., 1986. ISBN 0-19-503698-0
Esp. the introductory essay by
McConnell himself.
Dunne, John S. Tme and Myth: a
Meditation on Storytelling as an Exploration of Life and Death. Notre Dame IN:
UND Press, 1973. ISBN 0-268-01828-0
Considers Life and Death in relation
to "What does it mean to be human?"
Additional materials will be
made available on reserve or handed out in class.
(Some performance criteria and grading standards – Dr.
Parrett provides us with a check off sheet specifying the criteria for written
assignments):
93-100 (A) 84-92 (B) 72-83 (C) 71-65 (D) below 64 (F)
Classroom sessions will be evenly divided between lecture and discussion. Generally speaking, we will spend the first day of each week providing background material for each text, and the rest of the time will be spent in discussion. When difficult themes arise, special lectures may be appropriate. Our main goal in this class, however, is to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to participate in an intellectual discussion of literature. Literature only comes alive when you actively engage yourself with the text. This is what is meant by intellectual inquiry. Hence, our focus in this class will be to learn how to actively engage.
PARTICIPATION/ DISCUSSION/ QUIZZES 200 pts (Book talk= 50 pts)
ORAL PRESENTATION 200 pts.
PAPER #1 200 pts.
PAPER #2 200 pts.
FINAL EXAM 200 pts.
TOTAL 1000 pts. (Divide by 10 to determine Grade).
Attendance in this class is required. Participation is impossible if you do not attend. Therefore, missing class more than three times in the semester will affect your final grade. Missing class more than five times may result in a failing grade. If you know you must be absent on a particular day, it is your responsibility to contact your instructors for any assignments BEFOREHAND.
DO
NOT BRING A CELL PHONE INTO THIS CLASS FOR ANY REASON. If you somehow forget
this injunction, MAKE SURE IT IS OFF.
When
someone is speaking (your instructor or one of your fellow students) DO NOT
TALK TO YOUR NEIGHBOR.
Week 1 What
is Literature?
Week 2 Gilgamesh
Week 3 Old
Testament
Week 4 New
Testament
Week 5 Bhagavad
Gita MIDTERM ASSIGNED
Week 6 Confessions
Week 7 Confessions MID TERM DUE
Week 8 Candide
Week 9 Candide
Week 10 Rilke
Week 11 Rilke
Week 12 MertonTERM PAPER TOPICS ASSIGNED
Week 13 Merton
Week 14 Review
Week 15 REVIEW & SUMMARY TERM PAPERS DUE
FINAL EXAM: 10:15-NOON ON
Tuesday 12 DECEMBER 2006
Academic Honesty
Whenever you use the words or ideas of another person in something you are writing you must acknowledge your source. Failure to do so is called plagiarism and may result in severe penalties. Any paper containing plagiarized material or containing work you did not do yourself will receive a grade of ZERO. The instructor will keep the original paper and a copy will be sent to the Vice President for Academic Affairs with a letter explaining the nature of the offense. Consult your UGF Catalog for the UniversityÕs definition of ethical academic conduct.
Appendix A—Oral Presentation Guide
Your oral presentation must be 20 minutes long, minimum—1 hr at maximum. Your presentation should be collaborative. You will be furnishing part of the grade for your colleagues, and vice versa, so your effort and contribution are important. Your presentation will also be graded in part by assessors from outside the class. These assessors may be other professors, administrators, or folks from the local community. The presentation should discuss some aspect or theme of one or more of the texts we have read, and it should offer a conclusion about the importance of the textÕs message and relevance to modern life.
Make sure you refer to the text itself—have page numbers for the class to refer to for passages in the text that back up what you are saying. Your instructors for this course will help guide you through the process as the class progresses. Be sure to ask questions along the way!
Appendix B—Schedule of Book Talks
Book Talks are held in Absolon Lounge at noon. Usually a snack is served and coffee is available. I will attend nearly every book talk, so be sure to make your presence known to me so that I can give you credit for attending.
The schedule of the book talks for the semester is in the student calendar, we will hand it out as well as make mention of particularly relevant talks.