3/29: Introductory remarks. Reading: Dorothy Allison, "Deciding to Live" (Cahill 407)
Write: "Talking With Writing." You are stuck on an elevator. There is one other "passenger" (define however you want) in the elevator with you. You realize that this passenger is "Writing." Describe "Writing." What does it say to you, and you to it? (500 words approx).4/5 Read: Allison (Cahill 407); bell hooks (451); Nancy Mairs (375).
Write: (1) Your "quick'n'dirty" autobiography -- limit 1500 words (approx 5 double-spaced typed pages). Mark two or three areas that you think you might explore in more depth in a narrative. (2) "A Piece of Clothing" -- something you loved, or hated, or love or hate now. Anything from a pair of socks to a Castro halloween costume. Yours, or somebody else's. 750 words max. Make 2 extra copies.
4/12 Read: Charlotte Perkins Gilman (19); Zora Neale Hurston (51); Eudora Welty (95).
Write: "Family Gathering" -- Define "family" however you wish. Write about a Thanksgiving, birthday, Juneteenth picnic, etc. Who was there? what traditions were observed? were there tensions? was anything different this time? 1000 words max. Three volunteers to distribute.
Reading journals due, group 1 (last names A - H)
4/19: Read: Mary Crow Dog (469); Diane Glancy (359).
Write: First narrative due. 4 volunteers to distribute. See "Narrative Structure" and "Examples" for ideas.
Reading journals due, group 2 (last names I - Z).
4/26: Read: Student mss.
Write: "Eleanor Rigby" -- Premise: You wake up early. It's still dark; your house/apartment is quiet, your neighborhood is still. You feel rested and know you won't be going back to sleep, so you decide to get up. You go to the kitchen, looking forward to a cup of coffee and the newspaper (or whatever--feel free to improvise if you don't a) have a kitchen, b) drink coffee, or c) read the paper). To your suprise, three people are already drinking your coffee and reading your newspaper (or whatever). To your even greater surprise, you realize that these people are all aspects of your own personality. Name and describe these people. Are you glad to see them? (Do you speak to them, or not?) Make 2 extra copies.
5/3: Read: Maxine Hong Kingston (347); Audre Lorde(283); Beverly Donofrio (439).
Write: "Breaking the Frame" -- Find a picture (snapshot, ad, photo from magazine, etc) of a woman or girl. This may be someone you know, or a complete stranger, anyone but you yourself. Pretend you are that woman/girl. Writing in her voice, tell what is going on in that picture? What are you/is she thinking about? 750 words max. Bring the picture to class.
Narrative #2 will come due, 3 or 4 at a time, between now and the end of the quarter. There will be a sign-up sheet.
5/10: Read: Barbara Grizzuti Harrison (255).
5/17: Discuss student mss.
5/24: Discuss student mss. All journals due.
5:31: Memorial Day - University closed. We will meet during exam week.
6/7: Last class. Discuss mss. Eat pizza. :-)
There is no final exam. Your portfolio of work (exercises and essays, with original graded drafts attached to revisions) is due 6/7.