Effective Date of this Description/Syllabus:
Spring 2008
Prepared by:
Dr. Rhonda Wilcox
Office: Fine
Arts 202
Phone: (770)358-5296
email:
rhonda_w@gordonstate.edu
Spring Office
hours:__________________
COURSE DESCRIPTION/SYLLABUS
Course
Designation: English 2991
Humanities Colloquium: A colloquium on selected topics
in the humanities emphasizing the development of critical thinking skills.
Course
Title: Harry Potter and Folk Tale Patterns
Class
hours per week: 2
Credit
hours: 2
Division
offering course: Humanities
Prerequisite
for the course: A C or better in English 1101.
Course
description for college bulletin:Students
will discuss J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter
novels in light of standard folktale patterns, using Propp’s Morphology of the Folktale. The course
will also explore social and psychological implications of the text..
Teacher’s
Course objectives:
To help students
See the underlying
structures within narrative;
Recognize the
variations of such structures in various stories;
Understand that these
choices help explain the psychological and social significance of the stories;
And enjoy the
aesthetic variations provided by a master of narrative.
The overall purpose is to learn from each other
(teacher and students alike) by reading and discussing Rowling’s work.
Course
Content:
Students
will focus on one of the seminal works of narratological theory, Vladimir
Propp’s Morphology of the Folktale,
and learn to apply it to the highly popular series of Harry Potter books by J. K. Rowling. Students will thus learn to
see underlying structures within narrative and comprehend that such structures
can be found in other narratives as well as the Potter books. Furthermore, the class will discuss the social and
psychological implications of the particular variations of the folktale pattern
presented by Rowling. The class will also consider the expansion and maturation
of the pattern as Rowling developed the series. With this in mind, the entire
class will be required to read the first through the fourth book in the series
because of the increasing level of seriousness. For the end of the series, the
class will be divided up into thirds (approximately), with each third reading
and reporting on one of the last three books in the seven-book series for the
benefit of the rest of the class. This plan should make the heavy reading load
manageable during the course of the semester.
Required
Texts:
Propp, V[ladimir]. Morphology of the Folktale.
Trans. Laurence Scott.
Rowling,
J. K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s
Stone.
---. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
---. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
---. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
And
at least one of the following (as specified by the instructor):
Rowling,
J. K. Harry Potter and the Order of the
---. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
---.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Grading: Quizzes: 20%
Participation
(including a report on one of the last three books) 20%
Midterm
Exam: 20%
Term
Paper (planning
conference required) 20%
Final
Exam: 20%
Standards: A=90-100, B=80-89, C=70-79, D=60-69
Attendance
policy: The word colloquium
refers to the idea of conversation. Class participation is essential to a
colloquium, as the percentage of the grade accorded it above would suggest. You
will find that experiencing a group’s reaction to a piece of writing is
something that cannot be recreated through merely reading class notes.
Furthermore, specific in-class activities will be used to help establish your
participation grade, and in most cases these activities must be carried out
during a particular class period. I do understand that some absences are
unavoidable; if you must miss a class, let me know beforehand if you can (or
leave a phone or email message even during class if need be); ask me or a
classmate about assignments so you can prepare in case there is a pop quiz when
you return to class. If you miss more than four classes you should not expect
to pass the class. My home phone number is (404)373-5328. If you cannot contact
me or a classmate, then read the next assignment listed on the syllabus. If you
are in class, you will be expected to take the quiz. And in any case, I doubt
you will want to miss this class!
TENTATIVE
SCHEDULE
Week 1 (1/7-11) Introductory
material; Propp Ch. 3: “The Functions of Dramatis Personae”
Week
2 (1/14-18) Harry Potter and the
Sorcerer’s Stone: application of Propp’s functions
Week
3 (1/21-25) Martin Luther King, Jr.,
Week
4 (1/28-2/1) Propp’s
Week 5 (2/4-8)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban;
Propp’s Ch. 8: “On the Attributes of Dramatis Personae and Their Significance”
Week 6 (2/11-15) Prisoner of Azkaban cont’d: The seeker;
the search for the father
Week 7 (2/18-22) Propp’s
Week 8 (2/25-29) Midterm; Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
[Feb. 28: last day to drop classes without WF]
Spring Break (3/3-7)
Week
9 (3/10-14) Goblet of Fire continued;
Propp’s
Week 10 (3/17-21) Goblet of Fire continued: elements of
maturation: Propp’s
Week 11 (3/24-28) Term paper
conferences; Harry Potter and the Order
of the Phoenix: reports, responses
Week 12 (3/31-4/4) Order of the
Week 13 (4/7-11) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince:
reports, responses
Week 14 (4/14-18) Half-Blood Prince cont’d: flawed heroes,
changing perspectives
Week 15 (4/21-25) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: reports,
responses; introspection and adulthood
Week
16 (4/28) Last day of regular class for M, MW, and MWF classes: Term Paper due
(Monday)