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Course Syllabus and Policies

Fantasy Literature

Section 0101, Fall 2016

Instructor Information:

Instructor: Daniel Kason

Email: [email protected]

Office Hours: MW 11:00am – 11:50am (and by appointment)

Office: 2228 Tawes Hall

Class: MW 12:00pm – 12:50pm

Class Location: JMZ 0103

Course Description:

Despite their wild popularity, fantasy series such as Harry Potter and Game of Thrones are often

dismissed as pure entertainment and escapism, rather than as texts worthy of critical discussion.

In this course, we will discuss how fantasy, as a genre of the imagination, employs alternate

forms of representation, such as the fantastical, estranging, or even impossible, which other

genres would not allow. Through novels, short stories, graphic novels, and academic articles, we

will examine the literary strategies texts use to represent the world through speculative modes, as

well as discuss how we can distinguish fantasy from, or relate it to, other genres such as science

fiction, horror, fairy tales, and magical realism. Finally, we will explore fantasy’s investment in

world-building, history, tradition, and categories of identity such as race, class, and gender.

Throughout the course, we will consider how fantasy, as a genre, form, and world-view, is well-

suited to represent our contemporary reality.

Major assignments in this class include participation, four paper assignments, quizzes, and the

final exam.

Learning Outcomes 1. demonstrate familiarity and facility with fundamental terminology and concepts

associated with the analysis of texts written in (or translated to) English concerned with

fantasy literature;

2. demonstrate understanding of the methods of textual analysis and close reading used by

literary scholars;

3. demonstrate critical thinking in the evaluation of approaches and techniques in the

literary arts;

4. describe how writers’ use of language is related to contemporary ways of thinking,

cultural heritage, and cultural values.

5. demonstrate the ability to formulate a thesis related to fantasy literature and to support the

thesis with evidence and argumentation.

Sample

mailto:[email protected]

Required Texts:

J.R.R. Tolkien: The Hobbit: or, There and Back Again (1937); HMH Books for Young Readers;

Young Adult edition; ISBN: 9780618150823

C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (1950); HarperCollins; ISBN:

9780064404990

Ursula Le Guin, A Wizard of Earthsea (1968); HMH Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition;

ISBN: 9780547773742

Philip Pullman, The Golden Compass (1995); Yearling; ISBN: 9780440418320

Nalo Hopkinson, Brown Girl in the Ring (1998); Warner Books; ISBN: 9780446674331

China Miévelle, Perdido Street Station (2000); Del Rey; ISBN: 9780345443021

Neil Gaiman, The Sandman: The Doll’s House (graphic novel) (1990); Vertigo; ISBN:

9781401227999

Additional readings will be distributed on Canvas or in class.

Note: You must purchase hard copies of these texts with the correct edition.

Grading:

Participation: 15%

Paper 1 (1 page): 5%

Paper 2 (2-3 pages): 10%



Quizzes: 15%

Final Exam (Major Grading Event: December 19th – 8:00am – 10:00am): 20%

Grade Distribution:

-- -- B+ 87-89% C+ 77-79% D+ 67-69%

A 94-100% B 84-86% C 74-76% D 64-66%

A- 90-93% B- 80-83% C- 70-73% D- 60-63%

See undergraduate catalogue for description of grades, e.g., A+, A, A-, etc.:

http://www.umd.edu/catalog/index.cfm/show/content.section/c/27/ss/1584/s/1534

Papers: Throughout the semester, you must submit four papers; you will receive the instructions

and the assignment in advance. Submit all papers electronically to Canvas. Late papers will be

penalized a third of a letter grade per day late (i.e., a B becomes a B-), including weekends,

unless you have an excused absence such as a genuine medical emergency verified by a note

from a doctor. After one week, I will no longer accept your paper and it will receive a 0.

Grace Day: Each student is given one grace day. If used, a grace day allows the student one

extra day (24 hours) after the due date to submit the assignment without penalty. Grace days can

only be applied to papers, NOT Quizzes or the Final Exam. If you choose to use a grace day,

please indicate so as a comment in the assignment’s submission page on Canvas when you

submit your paper.

Sample

http://www.umd.edu/catalog/index.cfm/show/content.section/c/27/ss/1584/s/1534

Quizzes: At least 15 unannounced quizzes will be administered throughout the semester, most

commonly on Fridays and days when we complete a text. The quizzes will be administered at the

beginning of class, either orally or written, and will cover any of the material from the week’s

readings or class discussion. The format may include short answers, multiple choice, and/or true

or false questions. If you miss a quiz (either due to an absence or tardiness), you will receive a 0.

There will be no make-up quizzes except in the case of excused absences. I will drop your lowest

quiz grade at the end of the semester.

Final Exam: The Final Exam will cover material from both our course readings and class

discussions. More details on the exam will be distributed in the second half of the semester.

The exam will take place on Monday, December 19th from 8:00am – 10:00am. A student may

seek to reschedule final examinations so that he or she has no more than three (3) examinations

on any given day. It is the responsibility of the student to initiate the rescheduling or be

responsible for taking the examination as originally scheduled. No other accommodations will be

given. Make sure at the beginning of the semester that you will be available for the exam date.

Class Participation/Preparation. In order to receive full credit for participation, you must not

only attend class regularly, but contribute to the discussion. This means carefully reading the

assigned text, marking significant pages/passages so you can contribute to the discussion using

specific textual evidence, and preparing responses to any pre-assigned discussion questions or

assignments. Please be respectful of everyone’s opinions, presence, and person in this course. A

primary purpose of discussion is to give you the opportunity to practice developing

interpretations of these texts, and while you are encouraged to offer differing ideas and

interpretations, you should do so in an intelligent and respectful manner. Your final participation

grade will reflect your engagement and participation in the course, both inside and outside of

class.

Canvas: I will make announcements, send messages, post all materials, and submit your grades

to the class Canvas (Elms) page, which you can find at www.myelms.umd.edu. If you are not

familiar with Canvas, you should do so immediately. You are responsible for all material and

information posted to the Canvas page.

Electronics: You may not use computers in the classroom without approval. On certain class

days I may request that you bring in your computers, but for regular class days, the use of

computers, your cell phones, or similar devices during class will negatively impact your

participation grade.

Outside Discussion. I strongly encourage you to make use of my office hours to discuss the

reading and assignments and any questions or concerns you may have. I am also available

through email at [email protected] if you have any questions. Please allow up to 24 hours for a

response. I recommend that you visit the Writing Center on the first floor of Tawes Hall; you can

make an appointment with them online at www.english.umd.edu/writingcenter and receive help

with everything from brainstorming and organization to grammar and final polishing.

Sample

http://www.myelms.umd.edu/


http://www.english.umd.edu/writingcenter

Attendance: Your participation grade and the quality of your work will suffer if you miss class.

You are also expected to arrive on time. If you are late, you will disrupt class, and your

participation grade will again suffer the consequences. If you miss class you should first contact

a classmate to get copies of the notes you missed and then meet with me as needed to clarify the

material.

Excused Absences: Students are expected to inform the instructor in advance of medically

necessary absences, and present a self-signed note documenting the date of the missed class(es)

and testifying to the need for the absence. This note must include an acknowledgement that (a)

the information provided is true and correct, and (b) that the student understands that providing

false information to University officials is a violation of Part 9(h) of the Code of Student

Conduct.

Prolonged absence or illness preventing attendance from class requires written documentation

from the Health Center and/or health care provider verifying dates of treatment when student was

unable to meet academic responsibilities.

The University excuses absences for certain reasons (illness, representing the UMD at certain

events, religious observance, and the death of an immediate family member), provided the cause

of absence is appropriately documented (see below).

Religious observances: Students have the responsibility to inform the instructor of any intended

absences for religious observances. The student should provide written notification to the

professor within the first three weeks of the semester. The notification must identify the religious

holiday(s) and the date(s). Students are responsible for obtaining material missed during their

absences.

Illness: If you miss a class due to an illness you must provide a note from a health care provider

documenting the date(s) missed in order to receive an excused absence.

University Event: You must provide documentation for this absence prior to the absence; the

documentation should be an official form from the University.

Special Needs. The University of Maryland is committed to providing appropriate

accommodations for students with disabilities. Students with a documented disability should

inform the instructors within the add-drop period if academic accommodations are needed. To

obtain an Accommodation Letter prepared by Disability Support Service (DSS), a division of the

University Counseling Center, please call 301-314-7682, e-mail [email protected], or visit the

Shoemaker Building for more information.

Course Evaluations. Course evaluations are a part of the process by which the University of

Maryland seeks to improve teaching and learning. Your participation in this official system is

critical to the success of the process, and all information submitted to CourseEvalUM is

confidential. (Instructors can only view group summaries of evaluations and cannot identify

which submissions belong to which students.)

Academic Accommodations for Students Who May Experience Sexual Misconduct. The

University of Maryland is committed to providing support and resources, including academic

accommodations, for students who experience sexual or relationship violence (as defined by the Sample


University’s Sexual Misconduct Policy). To report an incident and/or obtain an academic

accommodation, contact the Office of Civil Rights and Sexual Misconduct at 301-405-1142. If

you wish to speak confidentially, contact Campus Advocates Respond and Educate (CARE) to

Stop Violence at 301-741-3555. Disclosures made to faculty are not confidential and must be

reported to the Office of Civil Rights and Sexual Misconduct. For more information visit

www.umd.edu/Sexual_Misconduct/.

Diversity. The University of Maryland values the diversity of its student body. Along with the

University, I am committed to providing a classroom atmosphere that encourages the equitable

participation of all students regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, national origin, race,

religion, or sexual orientation. Potential devaluation of students in the classroom that can occur

by reference to demeaning stereotypes of any group and/or overlooking the contributions of a

particular group to the topic under discussion is inappropriate.

Academic Integrity. The student-administered Honor Code and Honor Pledge prohibit students

from cheating on exams, plagiarizing papers, submitting the same paper for credit in two courses

without authorization, buying papers, submitting fraudulent documents and forging signatures.

On every examination, paper or other academic exercise not specifically exempted by the

instructor, students must write by hand and sign the following pledge:

I pledge on my honor that I have not given or received any unauthorized assistance on

this examination (or assignment).

Allegations of academic dishonesty will be reported directly to the Student Honor Council:

http://www.shc.umd.edu

Copyright Notice: Class lectures and other materials are copyrighted and they may not be

reproduced for anything other than personal use without written permission from the instructor.

Sample

http://www.umd.edu/Sexual_Misconduct/

http://www.shc.umd.edu/

Reading Schedule

Note: Syllabus and Reading Schedule are subject to change. Changes will be announced in

class, on Canvas, or over email.

Date Week Reading Assignment Due Date

Day 1 M 8-29

Week 1 Syllabus and Introductions

Day 2 W 8-31

Edgar Allan Poe, “The Black Cat” (Elms) Neil Gaiman, “The Price” (Elms)

Day 3 F 9-2

Unit 1: Birth of a Genre

Edgar Allan Poe, “The Black Cat” (Elms) Neil Gaiman, “The Price” (Elms)

M 9-5 Labor Day—NO CLASS

Day 4 W 9-7

Week 2

J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit: Chapters 1-4

Day 5 F 9-9


Paper 1 Due: Edgar Allan Poe and/or Neil Gaiman

Day 6 M 9-12

Week 3


Day 7 W 9-14


Day 8 F 9-16

C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe: Chapters 1-9

Day 9 M 9-19

Week 4

C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe: 10-17

Day 10 W 9-21

C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Day 11 F 9-23

Secondary Readings TBD

Day 12 M 9-26

Week 5 Unit 2: The Next Wave

Ursula Le Guin, A Wizard of Earthsea: 1-3

Day 13 W 9-28


Paper 2 Due: J.R.R. Tolkien or C.S. Lewis Sa

mple

Day 14 F 9-30


Day 15 M 10-3

Week 6

No Class

Day 16 W 10-5

Ursula Le Guin, A Wizard of Earthsea Secondary Readings TBD

Day 17 F 10-7

Philip Pullman, The Golden Compass: 1-4

Day 18 M 10-10

Week 7


Day 19 W 10-12


Day 20 F 10-14


Day 21 M 10-17

Week 8


Day 22 W 10-19


Day 23 F 10-21

Philip Pullman, The Golden Compass Secondary Readings TBD

Day 24 M 10-24

Week 9 Unit 3: Contemporary Fantasy

Nalo Hopkinson, Brown Girl in the Ring: 1-3

Paper 3 Due: Ursula Le Guin or Philip Pullman

Day 25 W 10-26


Day 26 F 10-28


Day 27 M 10-31

Week 10


Day 28 W 11-2


Sample

Day 29 F 11-4

China Miévelle, Perdido Street Station: 1-5

Day 30 M 11-7

Week 11


Day 31 W 11-9


Day 32 F 11-11


Day 33 M 11-14

Week 12


Day 34 W 11-16


Day 35 F 11-18


Day 36 M 11-21

Week 13


W 11-23 Through S 11-27

Thanksgiving Day Break Observed NO CLASS

Day 37 M 11-28


Day 38 W 11-30

Week 14

Neil Gaiman, The Sandman: Season of Mists: First Half

Day 39 F 12-2

No Class

Day 40 M 12-5

Neil Gaiman, The Sandman: Season of Mists: Second Half

Day 41 W 12-7

Week 15

Neil Gaiman, The Sandman: Season of Mists Secondary Readings TBD

Day 42 F 12-9

Secondary Reading TBD

Day 43 M 12-12

Last Day of Class

Short Stories TBD

Paper 4 Due: Nalo Hopkinson, China Miévelle, or Neil Gaiman Sa

mple

T 12-13 READING DAY (No assignments may be required to be handed in)

M 12-19 8:00am-10:00am

Final Exam

Sample

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