WAYS TO RAINY MOUNTAIN
Inventive Modeling:
Autobiography / Literary Writing (Spring 2005)
IF YOU MISS THE 1ST CLASS, SEE ME IMMEDIATELY AFTER
THIS CLASS.
English 4330-001 Office Hrs.: T/TH 2-3:30, and by appointment; 405 OR 203
Instructor: Dr. Roemer Please schedule all
appointments in advance.
T/TH 12:30-1;50 Phone:
272-2729; please leave name and phone number.
302
Preston Hall Mailbox: 203
GOALS / OBJECTIVES:
1. to
improve students' writing ability: focus
on non-fiction prose, especially narrative,
descriptive, and autobiographical writing
(though some students have used poetry, photography, illustrations, and music),
as well as skills related to gathering and integrating oral narratives and
written historical sources;
2. to
help students to see relationships between reading, writing, and self-discovery, especially the discovery of a written persona or voice: focus on the connections between a ("factual" and storytelling)
knowledge of place, family, and community and the development of a written voice.
* Means
and assessment: an intensive study of
Momaday's THE WAY TO RAINY MOUNTAIN, including examination of the composing
processes. After this study, students
will take an exam and then write
their own versions of Momaday's book.
ASSUMPTIONS:
1. one
of the best ways to help students to improve their writing is to encourage them
to see the relevance of reading and writing to identity creation;
2.
modeling the processes and form used by Momaday is one way to encourage
such an awareness;
3. the
students enrolled in the class have already "mastered"
"basic" writing skills (if
students need a refresher, there are copies of the Simon & Schuster
handbook in the English 1301 section of the UTA Bookstore; the Writing Center,
Library, 4th floor can also help--bring this syllabus to show the instructors
and tutors if you seek help in the Center);
4. the
amount of learning and enjoyment gained in this course depends to a large
degree upon how disciplined students are, since much of the work during the
semester will be conducted independently;
5. key
elements in the course are group and class discussions. This is a highly individualistic course, but
it is also a communal experience.
Students can benefit greatly from the experiences of their colleagues at
all stages of composition.
6. although I have helped more than 20 graduates
of 4330 to publish parts of their collections, this course is not geared toward
publication. The creation of a written identity, voice, or angle of vision is
the primary goal. This identity should, nevertheless, help students in writing
that is geared for publication.
REQUIRED
-- N.
Scott Momaday. THE WAY TO RAINY MOUNTAIN [WTRM]. U of
--
Kenneth Roemer, ed. APPROACHES TO
TEACHING MOMADAY'S WTRM
--
Packet [P]: Momaday's "The Man Made of Words"
and "Kiowa Legends from JOURNEY OF
THE TAI-ME"; excerpts from writings
about the Kiowa , e.g., James Mooney, Alice
Marriott, Wilbur S. Nye, Mildred Mayhall, and Maurice Boyd;
several maps and illustrations, and two
articles about this course that appeared in COLLEGE
ENGLISH and PAINTBRUSH; Kenneth Lincoln's "Tai-Me
to Rainy Mountain"; Tim Morris,
"Getting the Mail."
-- Published and unpublished writing and oral
sources for each students collection
TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE, READING ASSIGNMENTS,
AND REQUIREMENTS
Even though the first part of the course will
be devoted to an intensive study of RAINY MOUNTAIN, students should be thinking about the "landscape" or other
focus they will use for their version of Momaday's book from the first day of
the course. After consulting with me
about this landscape or focus, students should begin to jot down personal
memories about that place and to gather oral and written sources. Since the latter may involve writing away for
information or interlibrary loan requests, it's best to begin collecting information as early as possible.
The deadlines and stages of composition
outlined below represent "minimum" guidelines. Some students may want to show me drafts of
particular sections before the first three section drafts are due. Some students may also want to set up
individual appointments before or in between the required meetings. Also minor
and/or major revision may occur at any stage of the composition. Pay close
attention to announcements and this schedule; sometimes we meet as a class;
sometimes for required individual conferences; sometimes there are no classes
or required conferences and students
work "on there own."
(S/U) indicates that the assignment will be
graded satisfactory or unsatisfactory.
Unsatisfactory written work will have to be rewritten. (G) indicates the usual A, B, C, D, F grading system. (P) indicates the
course packet.
INTRODUCTIONS
1/18
Introduction to the course
& an in-class writing sample (S/U)
Assign
group discussion topics.
THE RAINY MOUNTAIN MODEL
1/20, 25 The Text: Initial Acquaintances with RAINY MOUNTAIN
Open questions; group discussions about the
form; begin study of sections IV,
VII, XVI, XVII, and XXIV)
1/27 The Text: Form
Continue discussion of
sections; discussions of the poems, prologue, introduction, epilogue,
illustrations, book design, and typography
Reading: RAINY MOUNTAIN; at least two essays from " Critical Contexts: Form"
in APPROACHES
2/1 The Contexts: Biography, Sense of Place, Culture (slides),
Literature
Discussions
of Momaday,
2/3, 8 The Contexts: Composition
Discussions of Momaday's composition processes; discussions about why certain sections from
JOURNEY were omitted in WTRM and about similarities and differences between
sections of RAINY MOUNTAIN and Momaday's
written, visual, and oral "sources."
Reading: RAINY MOUNTAIN; "The Man Made of Words," "Kiowa Legends from
JOURNEY," excerpts from Mooney,
Marriott, Nye, Mayhall,
Sullivan, Boyd, Momaday (AC and NAMES); maps; "Inventive Modeling"; "Returning the Gift"; "Pedagogical
Contexts: Composition" in APPROACHES; Lincoln,
"Tai-me to Rainy Mt." (all in
the course packet)
2/10 Examination (G) Distribute
guidelines for landscape/focus selection
INVENTIVE MODELING
2/15 Exams returned and discussed
2/15, 17 Individual meetings
to discuss landscape/focus justification
Requirement: justification of landscape/focus, 4/15
(S/U)
2/22 Class discussion of
landscape/focus selections
2/24 Continue gathering information
(jotting notes about personal experiences,
finding materials about family, community and landscape)
Individual meetings are
not required at this stage, but students needing help should set up
appointments to see me.
3/1 Individual meetings to discuss
information gathered
Requirement: typed list of written and oral sources (S/U)
3/3 Class discussion of sources
selected and possible relationships among
voices (you should be writing the three "sample" sections)
Requirements: students must be prepared
to offer a brief description of their
sources and the relations between specific voices (S/U)
3/3 or 4 Turn
in draft of three, three-voice sections by 5 p.m, 3/4. (G).
3/8, 10 Individual
meetings to discuss the drafts and
organization
3/15, 17 Spring
Break: During this time
students should be writing sections and considering
further options for
organization.
3/22 Class discussions of overall
organization
Requirements:
students must be prepared to discuss tentative organization; 3/22 ; tentative outlines turned by
5 p.m. (S/U)
3/24, 29 Individual meetings to discuss organization; continue writing and
revising
3/31; 4/5, Write draft of fifteen to thirty, three-voice
sections, including
7, 12
the three sections already turned in
Requirements:
individual meetings are not required during
this period; however, students should
feel free to set up
appointments to discuss their work at
any point during this draft writing. A
draft of the 15 to 30 sections will be due by 5 p.m. on 4/12 (G).
4/14, 19 Individual meetings to discuss the 15-30 sections;
continue revising and write drafts of the introd. and closing sections, which
can be prose and/or poetry
4/21, 26 Discussions
of introductions, epilogues, illustrations, formatting
and of any other
questions about the sections or relating the sections to the introductions,
epilogues, illustrations, formatting.
Requirements: students must be prepared to discuss their introds.
& epilogues [illustrations and formatting];
drafts of introds. and epilogue;
due by 5 p.m. 4/26 (G).
4/28; 5/3 Introds. & epilogues
returned (4/28);
questions about final revisions, formatting.
illustrations, sources and acknowledgments
5/5 Turn in
entire "final" draft.
5/12 Final
drafts returned and class discussion of this type of
reading and
11 a.m. writing experience
GRADING:
The approximate "weights" of the
assignments are listed below. Although
the S/U grades will not be averaged in numerically, they will weigh heavily
when a student's semester grade is between two grades (e.g., C+ / B-).
-- examination (G) 20%
-- justification of selection (S/U)
-- list of sources, notes, etc. (S/U)
-- draft of three, three voice sections
(G) 20%
-- outline of organization (S/U)
-- oral presentations (S/U)
-- draft of 15 to 30 sections (G) 25%
-- draft of introd. & epilogue
(G) 10%
-- "final" draft (G) 25%
100%
I
expect improvement "between" drafts,
i.e., if one draft received a B and the next draft of that material is not
improved, then the grade on that draft will be lower than B.
Under normal circumstances, no late
assignments will be accepted. Attendance: Five unexcused absences
will result in a half-grade drop in the semester grade; ten = whole grade,
etc. Students wishing to drop the
course must follow University procedures.
Plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty will be handled
according to University policies. If you have questions about these matters,
please contact me.
To end on positive notes: Consistent
class participation will
(positively) affect the semester grade. Also, I am very willing to
work with students who have disabilities. At the beginning of the semester these
students should provide me with documentation authorized by the appropriate
University office. Note: UTA's Office of
Student Success Programs (817-272-6107) offers academic, personal, and social
advising.