Department(s) where the course unit (module) is delivered Department of English Philology Faculty of Philology. Type of the course unit (module)

Transcription

1 Novel of Ideas: Utopia and Dystopia Lecturer(s) Coordinator: Assist. Eimantė Liubertaitė Course unit (module) title Code Department(s) where the course unit (module) is delivered Department of English Philology Faculty of Philology BA Study cycle Elective Type of the course unit (module) Mode of delivery Period when the course unit Language(s) of instruction (module) is delivered Seminars Spring English Requirements for students Prerequisites: Advanced English language proficiency. Course (module) Total student s Contact hours Self-study hours volume in credits workload Purpose of the course unit (module): programme competences to be developed The purpose of this course is to approach literary utopias and dystopias in an analytical and intellectually stimulating way, while contextualizing the said genres within the framework of the novel of ideas and conceptualizing the ideas evident in the novels discussed during the seminars. The students will be introduced to the development of the utopian and dystopian genres with a particular focus on the history of ideas that certain utopian and dystopian novels seem to represent. Throughout the course, the students will be asked to contemplate the significance of utopia and dystopia as literary genres, especially with regard to the narrative structures that evidently aid the authors of utopias and dystopias in developing their ideas. Learning outcomes of the course unit (module) The course aims at providing the students with: - a comprehensive knowledge of the history and development of utopia and dystopia as literary genres - ability to conceptualize the ideas developed in utopian and dystopian novels, as well as communicating them by crafting informed personal responses Students will be able to practise their research skills with regard to secondary sources, i.e. texts of academic literary criticism. Teaching and learning methods Discussion during the seminars, feedback on the students performance during the seminars. Academic research. Assessment methods One summary of an article, one presentation on a chosen utopian/dystopian novel, one examination essay. One summary of an article, one presentation on a chosen dystopian novel, one examination essay.

2 Students will be able to apply their critical thinking abilities and communicate their subjective opinions in relation to a variety of literary texts. Reading, analysis and discussion of the texts. Examination essay. Content: breakdown of the topics 1. Introduction to the course: what is the novel of ideas? Lectures Tutorials Contact hours Seminars Exercises Laboratory work Internship/work placement 2 2 Contact hours Self-study work: time and assignments Self-study hours Assignments 2. Utopia: a history of solutions to reality - the philosophical exercises of Plato s The Republic - the historical significance of Thomas Moore s Utopia 3. Utopia continued: modern utopian novels - feminism in Charlotte Perkins Gilman s Herland - mysticism in Aldous Huxley s Island - ecocriticism in Ernest Callenbach s Ecotopia 4. Dystopia: visions of a nightmarish future - H. G. Wells Time Machine - E. M. Forster s The Machine Stops - Yevgenyj Zamyatin s We 5. Dystopia continued: Aldous Huxley s Brave New World - ethical relevance (philosophical insights of Martha C. Nussbaum) 6. Dystopia continued: Aldous Huxley s Brave New World - commentary on the culture industry (Theodor Adorno) 7. Dystopia continued: George Orwell s Nineteen Eighty-Four - political background and social critique provide a summary of a literary criticism article on a chosen utopia. of articles of literary criticism on chosen utopias Three students have to provide summaries of articles on chosen dystopias. 8. Dystopia continued: George Orwell s

3 Nineteen Eighty-Four - linguistic implications of Newspeak 9. Dystopia after the 1950s: different approaches - social critique in Ray Bradbury s Fahrenheit the will to power in William Golding s Lord of the Flies 10. Dystopia in the 1960s - cultural commentary in Anthony Burgess A Clockwork Orange - humanism in Philip K. Dick s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? 11. Dystopia continued: Kurt Vonnegut s Cat s Cradle - simulacra and simulation (Jean Baudrillard) in the novel articles on chosen dystopias. articles on chosen dystopias Analysis and 12. Students presentations Students presentations Students presentations Preparation for the examination essay: consultation. Total Assessment strategy Weight,% Deadline Assessment criteria Article summary 10 At each seminar Students will be required to provide brief (approx.10 minutes), yet coherent written summaries (1-2 pages) of literary criticism articles on chosen texts from the secondary reading list. The students are not required to use PowerPoint for the presentation of the said summaries. Presentation 30 At the end of the course Take home essay 60 At the end of the course Students will be required to make a PowerPoint presentation on chosen texts from the secondary reading list. In their presentations, the students should introduce the primary text, contextualize it within the framework of the novel of ideas and provide a reading of one or two problems the text seems to be dealing with. Essay requirements: clear, well-structured essay that addresses a chosen question related to one of the three novels from the compulsory reading list; the essay should show the student s awareness of the literary tradition of utopian/dystopian literature, in addition to providing the reader with the student s personal wellargued insights. Additionally, the student has to include

4 at least one or two references to secondary sources. Word amount: 1,000 1,500 The essay is graded on a 10 point scale. Assessment criteria: Structure and Organization: 20% The essay provides an introduction with the main argument or question clearly stated, which is then followed by a body that contains well-sourced evidence to support the main argument. The essay provides a relevant conclusion that simultaneously recognizes the illustrated argument and offers direction for further discussion. All paragraphs and sentences are organized according to a consistent flow of thought (transitions frequently used). Content: 50% The essay provides ample and relevant information that supports the main argument of the essay. The student supports his or her argument with significant examples and explains any concepts he or she uses to advance the argument. The essay conveys the student s competence of the chosen topic and displays an in-depth research. Language Proficiency: 25% Simple and complex language structures used correctly, appropriate (academic) register is used, no more than 5 grammatical mistakes are made. Academic conventions: 5% Appropriate layout, margins and fonts are used, total number of words meets the requirements, consistent documentation and referencing is displayed, appropriate bibliography is provided. For instructions on how to follow the written academic standard of the English department of Vilnius University please consult the manual Research Matters (2006 Laima Erika Katkuvienė and Inesa Šeškauskienė. Research Matters. Vilnius: Vilnius University Publishing House. Second edition. 137 p.) Attendance requirements The attendance of seminars is compulsory; absence will be allowed only in case of an emergency or with a sufficient reason provided beforehand. Students are allowed no more than 30% of excused absences. Students with more than 30% of excused absences are not eligible to pass the course. Students with more than 30% excused absences must get the Department of English Philology (or the Dean s office) permission to take the assessment. NB The students are expected to have and maintain

5 academic integrity, therefore any type of plagiarism or academic dishonesty is strictly forbidden. Any plagiarised material found in a student s work will be recorded and reported to the Committee of the Study Programme of the Department of English Philology, resulting in the student failing the course. If during the re-taking of the exam the student once again resorts to academic dishonesty, he or she will be reported to the Dean s office, where the issue of the student s expulsion will be raised. For more information on types of plagiarism, please consult the manual Research Matters. Author Year of publi catio n Title Issue of a periodical or volume of a publication Publishing place and house or web link Compulsory reading Aldous Huxley 1931 Brave New World Available at the university George Orwell 1949 Nineteen Eighty-Four Available at the university Kurt Vonnegut 1963 Cat's Cradle Available at the university Secondary reading (optional) Plato The Republic Available online. Thomas Moore 1516 Utopia Available online. Charlotte Perkins Gilman 1915 Herland Available at the university Aldous Huxley 1962 Island Available at the university Ernest Callenbach 1975 Ecotopia Available online. H. G. Wells 1895 The Time Machine Available at the university E. M. Forster 1909 The Machine Stops Available online. Yevgenyj Zamyatin 1924 We Available at the university Ray Bradbury 1953 Fahrenheit 451 Available at the university William Golding 1954 Lord of the Flies Available at the university Anthony Burgess 1962 A Clockwork Orange Available at the university Philip K. Dick 1968 Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Available at the university