Study Center in Prague, Czech Republic

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1 Course Title: Course Code: Programs offering course: Study Center in Prague, Czech Republic Language of instruction: U.S. Semester Credits: 3 Contact Hours: 45 Term: Fall 2017 Franz Kafka: A Prague Writer LITT 3004 PRAG Central European Studies; Communications, New Media and Journalism English Course Description Franz Kafka ( ) has become recognized as one of the leading figures in world literature. Perhaps more than any other major author, Kafka is associated with one geographical location: the city of Prague. Kafka s works themselves are not explicitly about Prague, nor are they set in Prague. But we cannot say that Prague is irrelevant to Kafka s works, for Kafka spent almost all of his life in this city. Therefore, we cannot read Prague through or into Kafka s works, but comparing the two is surely fruitful. The most obvious connection between Kafka s works and the city of Prague is Franz Kafka the historical person. While one always wants to be cautious about biographizing creative work, this course will take into consideration Kafka s life and times in reading and analyzing his fiction. Such an adventure is best undertaken in the city of Prague itself. Kafka s fiction, which will be read in the course, are organized in a chronological manner, along with relevant critical material for each work. However, less time-bound thematic issues will also be addressed in a less linear fashion, such as the cultural and historical interaction with the fiction, Kafka s development as a writer, the impact of Kafka s biographical story on his stories, Kafka s use of animal characters, and the narrative innovations that Kafka implemented. The course will focus on a selection from Kafka s many well-known short stories and one of his three novels. Kafka s works will be studied in English translation; they were originally written in German. Learning Objectives By the end of the course, the student will: understand the story line and the main issues of each story/novel on the syllabus. understand the main idea of at least one critical article on each story or novel on the syllabus. understand the intersection of German, Jewish, and Czech identities in Prague in the early 20th century. understand Franz Kafka s biography and how his lived life impacts his fiction. understand how Franz Kafka developed as a writer of fiction over the course of his short life. understand the types of narrative innovation that Franz Kafka implemented, and the effect these innovations have on his stories. be able to write an effective literary analysis essay. be able to prepare and deliver an effective in-class presentation. be able to effectively participate in class discussions on literature and literary criticism. will know different ways of thinking about literature, culture, and literary analysis. will be able to articulate how Kafka's writing is connected to his historical and cultural context. 1

2 Course Prerequisites There are no formal prerequisites for this course. However, the course will mainly appeal to students who have an interest in literature, and in reading and discussing stories. It is more important to have an interest in this type of learning than it is to have experience studying literature. Methods of Instruction In-class reading quizzes Short lectures Open class discussion to interpret literary works Small-group activities and discussions Student presentations Course Requirements Essays: two argumentative literary-analysis essays of words each, one due during the semester and the other at the end. Reading quizzes: these will be frequent, each counting for a small part of the semester grade, but all together counting for a relatively large percentage. Presentation: one minute presentation on a topic determined through negotiation with the teacher. Class participation: willingness and ability to engage in both whole-class and small-group activities and discussions. This is evaluated holistically at the end of the semester. Assessment and Final Grade Essay 1 20% Essay 2 20% Reading quizzes 25% Presentation 10% Class participation 25% 2

3 CIEE Prague Attendance Policy Regular class attendance is required throughout the program, and all absences are treated equally regardless of reason. Students may miss a maximum of 10% of the total course hours without penalization: This assumes a course schedule of two 90-minute meetings per week thus, if the course meets in one longer three-hour block, missing the class constitutes two absences. Missing more than 10% of the total class hours will result in a reduction of the final grade. When missing 4 classes, the final grade will be reduced by 5%; when missing 5 classes, the final grade will be reduced by 10%. Excessive absenteeism (students with more than 10% of the total course hours missed, or violations of the attendance policy in more than one class) may lead to a written warning and notification to the student s home institution. Missing more than 20% of the total class hours (6 and more absences) will lead to a course failure, and potential program dismissal. This is a CIEE rule that applies to all CIEE courses and is in line with the Participant Contract that each CIEE student signs before arriving on-site. Late arrival to class will be considered a partial (up to 15 minutes late) or full (15 or more minutes late) absence. Three partial absences due to late arrivals will be regarded as one full class absence. Students must notify their professor and the Student Services Coordinator (SSC) beforehand if they are going to miss class for any reason and are responsible for any material covered in class in their absence. If missing a class during which a test, exam, the student s presentation or other graded class assignments are administered, make-up assignment will only be allowed in approved circumstances, such as serious medical issues. In this case, the student must submit a local doctor s note within one week of his/her absence to the SSC, who will decide whether the student qualifies for a make-up assignment. Notes issued after the student s recovery from the illness will not be considered. Should a truly extraordinary situation arise, the student must contact the SSC immediately concerning permission for a make-up assignment. Make-up assignments are not granted automatically! The SSC decides the course of action for all absence cases that are not straightforward. Always contact the SSC with any inquiry about potential absence(s) and the nature thereof. Personal travel, flight delays, interviews, volunteering and other similar situations are not considered justifiable reasons for missing class or getting permission for make-up assignments. CIEE Prague staff keeps track of absences on a weekly basis and regularly updates attendance for each course in Moodle. Each of your CIEE courses has a Moodle site to record attendance; students need to check all of them separately. Students are responsible for checking their attendance on the Moodle course sites on a weekly basis to make sure it is correct. If there is an attendance discrepancy in Moodle, the student should contact the SSC within one week of the discrepancy date to have it corrected. Later claims will not be considered. CIEE staff does not directly manage absences at FAMU and ECES, but they have similar attendance policies and attendance is monitored there. Grade penalties can result from excessive absences. CIEE Academic Honesty Statement Presenting work of another person as one s own, failure to acknowledge all sources used, using unauthorized assistance on exams, submitting the same paper in two classes, or submitting work one has already received credit for at another institution in order to fulfill CIEE course requirements is not tolerated. The penalty ranges from failure on the assignment to dismissal from the program. The Academic Director should be consulted and involved in decision making in every case of a possible violation of academic honesty. 3

4 Weekly Schedule Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Midterm Exam Week Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Introduction, shorter stories Before the Law (1914), A Common Confusion (1916), Jackals and Arabs (1917), Poseidon (1920), The Knock at the Manor Gate (1917), The Cares of a Family Man (1917) Elizabeth Trahan, A Common Confusion: A Basic Approach to Franz Kafka s World Kafka s breakthrough The Judgment (written and published 1912) Walter Sokel, Language and Truth David Foster Wallace, Laughing with Kafka Martin Swales, Why Read Kafka Kafka s breakthrough The Metamorphosis (written 1912, published 1915) Heather Merle Benow, Food, Gender, and Power Letter to the Father (written 1919) Kafka s breakthrough In the Penal Colony (written 1914, published 1919) Band, "The Margins of Assimilation" Koelb, "Kafka and the Scene of Reading" Norris, Sadism and Masochism in Two Kafka Stories Week 5: Museum The Trial (written , published posthumously) Feuerlicht, Omissions and Contradictions in Kafka s Trial Koelb, Kafka s Rhetorical Moment Smith, The Limited Circle Is Pure The Trial (written , published posthumously) Feuerlicht, Omissions and Contradictions in Kafka s Trial Koelb, Kafka s Rhetorical Moment Smith, The Limited Circle Is Pure The Trial (1962), directed by Orson Welles BBC Interview with Orson Welles (1962) Huw Weldon, Orson Welles on The Trial Essay 2 due Mid-life stories A Report to an Academy (written and published 1917) David Foster Wallace, This is Water A Country Doctor (written 1917, published 1919) Dorrit Cohn, Kafka s Eternal Present Hans P. Guth, Symbol and Contextual Restraint Walking tour Last stories A Hunger Artist (written?, published 1922) Wallace, Laughing with Kafka Norris, Sadism and Masochism in Two Kafka Stories The Burrow (written 1923, published posthumously) Stine, Kafka and Animals Coatzee, Time, Tense, and Aspect in Kafka s The Burrow 4

5 Week 12 Final Exam Week Last stories The Burrow (written 1923, published posthumously) Stine, Kafka and Animals Coatzee, Time, Tense, and Aspect in Kafka s The Burrow No meeting. Essay 2 due. 5

6 Bibliography Coots, Steve. Kafka: A Beginner s Guide Gray, Ronald, ed. Kafka: A Collection of Critical Essays Bloom, Harold, ed. Modern Critical Views: Franz Kafka Rolleston, James, ed. A Companion to the Works of Franz Kafka Sokel, Walter H. The Myth of Power and the Self: Essays on Franz Kafka Thiher, Allen. Franz Kafka: A Study of the Short Fiction Bloom, Harold, ed. Modern Critical Interpretations: The Trial Bloom, Harold, ed. Modern Critical Interpretations: The Metamorphosis Nabokov, Vladimir. The Metamorphosis. In Lectures on Literature Rolleston, James, ed. Twentieth Century Interpretations of The Trial Sussman, Henry. The Trial: Kafka s Unholy Trinity Salfellner, Harald. Franz Kafka and Prague Brod, Max, ed. Franz Kafka Diaries Murray, Nicholas. Kafka. 6