THE SUMMONS TO ADVENTURE
	John Pagano

Encounter with the marvelous and the otherworldly as a call to adventure. The individual’s quest for spiritual fulfillment, for recognition of and relationship to the agencies that shape human destiny. Transformations of romance and its re-emergence in modern fantasy. Works to be selected from the following:

The Odyssey, The Bacchae, Sir Gawain & the Green Knight, Hamlet, Romantic poetry and painting, Frankenstein, Alice in Wonderland, Idylls of the King, Heart of Darkness, Nietzsche, Kafka, Jungian psychology, Their Eyes Were Watching God, The Woman Warrior, Tolkien, Ursula Le Guin, Isabel Allende, Garcia Marquez, Edwidge Danticat, Salman Rushdie.

First Year Seminar		411B  BH
John Pagano		x49012
		Office Hrs: TBA
	THE  SUMMONS  TO  ADVENTURE

TOPICS OF INTEREST

Encounter with the marvelous and otherworldly as a call to adventure. The individual's quest for spiritual fulfillment, for recognition of and relationship to the agencies that shape human destiny. Transformations of romance and its reemergence in modern fantasy.

Focusing paradigm: The transformative adventure of the individual in pursuit of self-realization.

COURSE BOOKS

                          Hacker, Rules for Writers (Bedford)

                           Euripides, The Bacchae in Euripides V (U of Chicago)

                    Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Norton)

                    Shakespeare, Hamlet (Signet)                 

                    Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (Dover)

                    Blake, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell (Dover)        

                    Mary Shelley, Frankenstein (Signet)

                    Reynolds, Turner (Norton)

                    Carroll, Alice in Wonderland/Looking Glass  (Bantam)         

                    Danticat, Krik? Krak!

                    Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God (Harper)

                    Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring (Random House)

**These editions are available at Labyrinth Books (112^th between B’way & Amsterdam) or Columbia University Bookstore. Request them by course/instructor and please pick them all up before midterm.

ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION

Attendance will be taken each class. If you must miss class, try to let me know in advance (x49012) and keep up with the material. My box in either the English Office (417 BH) or on my door (411B BH) is a convenient place of exchange if necessary.

You are allowed 3 absences: more than 3 will adversely affect your grade. 

CLASS PARTICIPATION:

Class is conducted as a seminar, with time spent discussing literary works and writing strategies. Your ideas constitute the basis of our engagement, so I encourage you to share them. To help us approximate ideal participation, I will alert you in advance to important issues in a work. Your engagement with the material will determine the level of success & enjoyment we achieve as a community.

Active participation will positively affect your grade

PRESENTATIONS:

Occasionally I will ask you, singly or in groups, to lead discussion by focusing on a central element of the work under consideration that you found to be engaging and that you believe we might profitably discuss--a  central character or relationship, an important symbol, an emblematic moment, a major theme, a challenge to or confirmation of your own view of the individual’s quest for meaning and fulfillment. Please realize that when asked to deliver such a presentation, you will be responsible for directing the class (at least initially)--thus we are depending on you to be present, punctual, prepared, and provocative!

WRITTEN RESPONSES TO LITERATURE

The following exercises are designed to heighten your understanding and appreciation of the works we will be reading together, keep you in the rhythm of writing in response to what you read, and enable you consistently to offer a significant contribution to class discussion .

          * GENERATIVE QUESTIONS (GQ’S)

 After reading the work carefully, write 2 questions/observations that direct attention to issues we might profitably discuss as a class.

           ** BRAINSTORMING--KEY PASSAGES  (KP’S):

 Locate an especially representative passage, one that depicts a work's thematic emphasis, a crucial moment in the plot, a revelation of character, an organizing symbol, a persuasive argument, a compelling observation about the nature of the individual. Jot down insights that this passage helps you formulate about the assigned work. Be ready to direct us to and explore its richness as a representative element in the work.

          *** FOCUSED FREEWRITING (FF’s):

 For each work you read, mark the text and note your responses to its various elements--what interests, bewilders, provokes, enlightens, fascinates, or inspires you in this particular work? What insights have you gained from your reading? How does this particular work relate to your own quest for direction, meaning, personal identity, and fulfillment?

After you've thought about these matters, choose the 1 element you find most engaging and briefly (1 side of a page, handwritten) explain its significance: Why did you find this element engaging? Why does it seem important? How does it relate to the overarching themes of the course and, more importantly, to you as an individual in pursuit of self-realization?  Jot down your ideas freely, without worrying much about correctness--your primary objective is to monitor the workings of your imagination as you read. You may explain the importance of a particular character, event, symbol, or argument you encounter. Write freely, but keep focused on the element under consideration. Occasionally, I’ll direct you to specific items.

**NB! These responses are a valuable resource for generating discussion and directing your writing. They are an integral component of your performance in the course & will be collected when assigned.

****FORMAL ESSAYS ****

3 Short Essays (3-5 pages)  
1 Long Essay (7-10 pages--may involve research)

All papers must be typed (2-spaced). Assignments will be explained in class; deadlines are listed in the schedule. Please submit papers on time, so that peer editing runs smoothly.  No assignments will be accepted more than a week after due date.

Never miss class because you have not completed a paper.  

You will rewrite each of your first three essays for the course. First attempts will be returned with only evaluative comments to guide you towards improvement; revisions will be given a grade. This takes some pressure off so that you can focus on enhancing your writing abilities without worrying too much about grades. First drafts should be seen as the best writing you can possibly produce before showing your work to a reader.

CONFERENCES

At least two during the semester, one of which should be used to discuss the long paper. Feel free to come by and speak with me whenever you wish--informal conversations can often spark insight. Brief chats about impending presentations or ideas for papers are welcomed. If you're unable to see me during my office hours, we can arrange another time.

WRITING FELLOWS

Writing Fellows are available for consultation at any stage of the writing process, from formulating preliminary ideas to implementing suggestions for revision. They are an especially valuable source of insight and direction—please feel free to engage them in dialogue about your work whenever the opportunity arises.

  SCHEDULE OF ASSIGNMENTS

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