week one

Tuesday 9.5 in class: • get to know classmates • discuss course goals and approaches • hand out self-assessment form • talk about close reading and journal entries • introduce André Gide •introduction to Internet and word-processing • establish email account writing: • write short autobiographical sketch (in-class)

Thursday 9.7 preparation: • buy The Immoralist • read through p. 20 • fill out self-assessment form • begin journal entries in class: turn in self-assessment form • one-on-one interviews • oral presentation of interviewee • discussion of The Immoralist writing: •self-assessment due

week two

Tuesday 9.12 preparation: • read The Immoralist to p. 48 • order other textbooks on-line • continue journal • prepare 3 written questions on text in class: • discussion of The Immoralist • group work on questions •academic advising session with Bryan Williams writing assignment: write brief answers to prepared questions reflecting in-class interaction with classmates

Thursday 9.14 preparation: • read The Immoralist to p. 87 • continue journal • email a brief personal observation on the reading to a classmate • print it out with his/her response (bring to class) in class: • share email exchanges orally • discussion of The Immoralist writing assignment: write a brief response to ONE aspect of the novel: a character, a problem, a scene, an image

week three

Tuesday 9.19 preparation: • read The Immoralist to p. 140 • continue journal • prepare 3 questions on the reading in class: • share questions orally • discussion of The Immoralist • visit library for introduction to research methods writing assignment: write brief answers to prepared questions reflecting interaction with classmates

Thursday 9.21 preparation: • finish The Immoralist • continue journal • prepare an oral response to Michel's story, as if you were one of his three friends in class: • discussion of The Immoralist • share responses orally writing assignment: write a letter to your brother in Paris (Boston? NY?) with your analysis of Michel's situation (due 9.26)

Gabriel MARCEL

week four

Tuesday 9.26 preparation: • read Acts 1-2 of A Man of God • continue journal • prepare 3 questions on the reading in class: • submit your "letter" • share letters orally • introduction to Marcel • discussion of A Man of God • visit lab, work on Internet search on Gide, Marcel  writing assignment: compile list of sites with URLs, titles, contents, brief analysis (handouts)

Thursday 9.28 preparation: • read Acts 3-4 A Man of God • continue journal • prepare 3 questions on the play in writing in class: • share questions in groups • discussion of A Man of God  • fill in answers to your written questions to hand in

week five

Tuesday 10.3 preparation: • finish A Man of God • continue journal • prepare 3 written questions on A Man of God in class: • share questions in small groups • discussion of A Man of God • library/Internet treasure hunt writing assignment: written account of library search and its results

Thursday 10.5 preparation: • prepare for a 2-minute oral presentation, a comparison of Michel and the pastor at the end of each work in class: • oral presentations on the quest for the authentic self in The Immoralist and A Man of God • instruction on writing papers writing • take notes on each speaker • hand in journal for initial evaluation

François MAURIAC

week six

Tuesday 10.10 preparation: • read The Vipers' Tangle to p. 38 • continue journal • write first draft of paper #1 in class: • return journals • presentation of François Mauriac • discussion of The Vipers' Tangle writing • peer review of first draft (submit with draft) • write a brief reaction to peer review indicating intended changes (submit with first draft)

Thursday 10.12 preparation: • read The Vipers' Tangle to p. 77 • continue journal • write 3 questions on The Vipers' Tangle in class: • return first draft • discuss final revisions • discussion of The Vipers' Tangle

week seven

Tuesday 10.17 preparation: • read The Vipers' Tangle to p. 121 • continue journal in class: • discuss questions in groups • discussion of The Vipers' Tangle • 2nd academic self-assessment (in-class) writing • submit final paper #1

Thursday 10.19 preparation: • read The Vipers' Tangle to p. 149 • continue journal in class: discussion of The Vipers' Tangle writing assignment: write short answers to questions to hand in

week eight

Tuesday 10.24 preparation: • read The Vipers' Tangle to p. 178 • continue journal • write 3 questions on The Vipers' Tangle in class: • return paper #1 • discussion of The Vipers' Tangle 

Thursday 10.26 • finish The Vipers' Tangle • continue journal in class: • discussion of The Vipers' Tangle  writing assignment: write a letter to Hubert 

week nine

Tuesday 10.31 preparation: • read No Exit to p. 30 • continue journal in class: • presentation of Jean-Paul Sartre • discussion of No Exit • Internet/library search competition writing assignment: • compile a bibliography on Sartre and/or existentialism

Thursday 11.2 preparation: • finish No Exit • continue journal • write 3 questions on No Exit in class: • discuss questions in groups • discussion of No Exit and existentialism writing assignment: write short answers to your questions

week ten

Tuesday 11.7 preparation: • re-read No Exit • continue journal in class: • discussion: why is each character in Sartre's hell? • discussion: final paper writing assignment: • write your notion of hell, with reference to Sartre (in-class), exchange papers

Thursday 11.9 preparation: • oral presentation on hell (2 minutes) • continue journal in class: • oral presentations on hell • discussion writing assignment: critique of partner's oral presentation

Albert CAMUS

week eleven

Tuesday 11.14 preparation: • read The Fall to p. XX • continue journal • presentation of Albert Camus in class: • discussion of The Fall • Internet/library search competietion writing assignment: • write up results of Internet/library search

Thursday 11.16 preparation: • read The Fall to p. XX • continue journal in class: • discussion of The Fall

week twelve

Tuesday 11.21 preparation: • read The Fall to p. XX • continue journal • write 3 questions on The Fall • written proposal for final paper topic in class: • discussion of The Fall • peer evaluation of first draft • discussion of final paper writing assignment: write short answers to your questions reflecting class discussion of The Fall

Thursday 11.23 Happy Thanksgiving

week thirteen

Tuesday 11.28 preparation: • read The Fall to p. XX • continue journal • write first draft of final paper in class: • discussion of The Fall • oral presentation of paper topic writing assignment: in-class notes and critique of papers

Thursday 11.30 preparation: • second draft of paper due • continue journal in class: • discussion of The Fall • discussion of remaining problems

week fourteen

Tuesday 12.5 preparation: • 2-minute oral presentation of your paper topic • continue journal in class:• discussion of The Fall oral presentation of paper topic writing: in-class notes on oral presentations and critique of papers

Thursday 12.7 preparation: 2nd draft of final paper due • continue journal in class:• discussion of The Fall •discussion of outstanding problems

week fifteen

Tuesday 12.12 preparation: turn in portfolio in class: second drafts returned • discussion of outstanding problems • recap of issues raised in the course writing: course evaluation form (in class) • 3rd academic self-evaluation (in class)

Final papers are due in M-4-220 by 5pm on Tuesday December 19

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