ENGLISH 110 TOPICS

SPRING 2010

Section 01 (MWF 8-8:50): Staff

Section 02 (MWF 9-9:50): Staff

Section 08 (TR 8-9:15): Staff

Writing as an intellectual act and a recursive process; ways of reading complex texts. Taken in the spring semester of the first year or the fall of the second year, the course complements and extends the writing experience of the First-Year Seminar. Required of all students except those exempted by the English Department for reasons such as success in an advanced placement program. Specific topics for each section are available in the 110 brochure. Prerequisite: First-Year Seminar.

Section 03 (MWF 10-10:50): J. Woolley

Originality and Convention
In this section, we will focus on the two somewhat contradictory abilities that make reading and writing worthwhile: knowing the rules and knowing how to bend them. Thus we will try to give equal attention to conventions (which differ according to “discourse community”) and originality (which has its own rules). Students’ drafts will be among our most important texts. Other readings will include some influential essays by philosophers, theologians, public figures, and social scientists; Stephen King’s On Writing; and textbook selections on conventions and originality. Students will also write about originality in other media, such as music and film.

Section 04 (WF 11-12:15): L. Upton

Creative Nonfiction

Students will experiment with a broad range of techniques for writing lively, persuasive prose that tells the truth. Writing exercises, some drawn from the strategies of poets and fiction writers, will extend upon students’ analytical and imaginative capacities. Students are required to interview at least one person who has excelled in a creative endeavor and to present their findings to the class. Readings will include Writing True: The Art and Craft of Creative Nonfiction and Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris.

Section 05 (MWF 1:10-2): B. Washington

Food for Thought

This is a course about food. We’ll be looking at the so-called restaurant culture and at food writers and “foodies.” We’ll also consider the complex relation between American obesity and global hunger, not to mention mass-production and its world-wide effect on eco-systems.

Section 06 (MWF 2:10-3): P. Cefalu

Arguments in the Media: Body Image, Stereotyping, and Cultural Identity

This course is designed to teach students to read and write persuasive arguments. To this end, we will analyze not simply types of arguments – emotional appeals, factual and rhetorical polemics, ethical debates – but also effective ways in which to structure arguments and compose stylistically compelling prose. While our readings will be wide-ranging, we will focus on a series of essays, articles, and book excerpts centered on three general topics: body image, stereotyping, and the use of language in shaping cultural identity.

Section 07 (MWF 3:10-4): C. Tatu

Section 11 (TR 1:15-2:30 and

Section 12 (TR 2:45-4): K. Fennelly

The Heartbeat of America

This class will examine different kinds of work in contemporary U.S. culture. We will read and discuss narratives of men and women's working lives and explore the changing nature of work in the post-industrial United States. Students will write personal narratives, family histories, case studies, and analytical papers about the world of work. They will read and respond, both orally and in writing, to readings from a variety of genres, including oral histories, memoirs, academic essays, and scholarly writings from such fields as history, economics, and sociology.

Section 09 (TR 9:30-10:40): C. Phillips

College Writing

What’s distinctive about writing in college? What writing do you actually do in college? Why do we have writing classes at all? We’ll explore these questions and more in this course through a series of assignments that will teach you some of the moves that successful academic essays often make. This class will focus on writing as its subject, as well the skill of writing. Most of our reading will be generated by you and other members of the class, and along the way, we’ll consider how the different kinds of writing you already do at Lafayette—essays, emails, lab reports, whiteboard messages—can help you gain a new perspective on your time in college.

Section 10 (TR 11-12:15): A. Ohlin

Our Vampires, Ourselves

Dracula. Lestat. Edward Cullen. Sex. Death. Fear. Why do vampires fascinate us so much, and what do our stories about them tell us about the way we see the world? In this course, we¹ll explore the figure of the vampire in books, film and television. Students will analyze and reflect upon the enduring appeal of the vampire, while writing critical and creative work of their own.