Snow, Donald

English

University of Montana

University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Syllabi Course Syllabi Fall 9-1-2000 EVST 395.02: Nature Writing Donald Snow The University of Montana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/syllabi Let us know how access to this document benefits you. Recommended Citation Snow, Donald, "EVST 395.02: Nature Writing" (2000). Syllabi. 5075. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/syllabi/5075 This Syllabus is brought to you for free and open access by the Course Syllabi at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Syllabi by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact scholarworks@mso.umt.edu. EVST 395 (Section 2) NATURE WRITINGFall Semester 2000Don Snow, Instructor Rankin Hall 104 Office hours: 1-3 Tues. and Thurs.243-2904 549-8526 dsnow@bigsky. neiCOURSE DESCRIPTION AND REQUIREMENTSBeginning wirh Gilbert W hite’s The Natural History ofSelbome (1789), nature-writing has been a revered tradition in English and American literature. Today’s nature writers are part o f that long tradition, but in recent years, the nature-writing o f old has broadened and diversified into what may be more accurately termed “environmental writing.” Authors such as Barry Lopez, W illiam Warner, Terry Tempest Williams often write of an imperiled nature. Im portant considerations o f environmental ethics and the politics of ecology lie just beneath the surface o f many contemporary nature-writers. Yet old-fashioned literary natural history still survives: readers and writers still take pleasure in accurate, well-crafted descriptions of biota, geology, habitat, and landscape.In this course, we shall examine and participate in the tradition o f nature-writing and literary natural history. W e’ll read from some o f the classic writers in the field (Gilbert W hite, Charles Darwin, Henry David Thoreau, John Burroughs, John M uir, Rachel Carson), along with a few of the best contemporary nature-writers (Terry Tempest Williams, Ed Abbey, Annie Dillard, Wendell Berry, Richard Nelson, David Quamm en). W e’ll also resurrect some o f the stars o f the recent past -  writers who were revered a generation ago and still deserve to be read (Loren Eiseley, Joseph W ood Krutch, Mary H unter Austin). W e’ll discuss how nature-writing has mirrored the evolution o f social and cultural visions of nature, and how literary works about the natural environment have helped shape the way we try to live within instead of apart from nature.Though we’ll spend much o f our time discussing the readings, student writing will be a key and equally important component o f this course. Students will be given a menu of writing options (from journals in the nature-writing tradition, to personal essays, to critical papers addressing one or more of the writers we’ll read). Each student will write two short finished pieces in a form o f his or her choice. In addition, there will be two exams.Reading: The only required text for the course is The Norton Book o f  Nature Writing. Most of our readings will be taken from this text, but there will also be occasional handouts.The small size of this class will allow us to conduct the course as a seminar. Students are expected to have read each assignment ahead o f class and to come prepared to discuss the reading.Twenty percent o f  your grade will be based on class discussions.W riting: Using our readings as triggers and models, each student will write two pieces of moderate length (5 to 10 pages) exploring his or her engagements in various aspects of nature. As our readings will1illustrate, nature-writing spans a great range of literary approaches —  from factual descriptions of natural subjects (literary natural history) to explorations of self and place, to philosophical discussions of the proper relationship between humans and the natural world, to the “ramble” essay of a writer afield, to artful statements about environmental issues. Students will choose their own topics, in consultation with the instructor. W e will not use structured writing assignments (though I will give you a list o f ideas for writing various kinds of essays and stories), nor will we use class time for writing your two papers.W e  will try to write the finest finished pieces we can, taking our original drafts through revision based on review and commentary. Depending on time constraints and the quality o f work submitted, the instructor will select student essays to examine in class. It will be those students' responsibilities to reproduce one draft o f the discussion essay for distribution to the class, one week in advance o f discussion. We will create a timeline at the appropriate moment. The emphasis in the writing will be on quality, not quantity. Each student essay will receive commentary from the instructor, regardless of whether his/her essay is discussed in class. In some cases, one-on-one consultations may be required.Each o f  your papers will contribute 25 percent o f  your grade.Examinations: There will be two exams, a midterm and a final. These will be essay tests taken in class. Essay questions will be based on the readings.Each exam will contribute 15 percent o f  your grade.A W ord About Grading:I grade each paper on a combination o f content and form. Content is related to substance: Is the essay complete? Does it have a beginning, middle and end? Does it make use o f the stylistic elements we've been discussing in class? Is it truly reflective or just a shallow recitation of prejudices, unsupported opinions, half-baked ideas, vague scenes? Form means grammar, punctuation, syntax, organization, sentence structure and variety, physical presentation, etc.Presentation matters. Please prepare each paper in standard format: double-spaced computer- or typewriter-printed with proper margins, each page numbered, title placed at the head o f page one, a third of the way down the page. I expect you to proofread carefully and make all corrections in spelling, punctuation, grammar and typography prior to submission.COURSE SCHEDULE AND READINGS(Unless otherwise indicated, the readings below are all from The Norton Book o f  Nature Writing, edited by Robert Finch and John Elder.)I. Getting StartedModels for Writers: Six Kinds of Nature W ritingWeeks 1-2 (September 5-14) The Naturalist Afield (the excursion): Terry Tempest Williams, “In theCountry of Grasses” (pages 903-908).2The Ramble: Wendell Berry, “An Entrance into the W oods” (pages 763- 773).The Natural History Essay: William Warner, “Beautiful Swimmer” (pages 613-621). “Field N ote” (handout).The Essay of Place: Gretel Ehrlich, from The Solace o f  Open Spaces,(pages 863-868).The Trigger: Kathleen Dean Moore, “The Metolius” (handout).The Issue: David Quammen, “Animal Rights and Beyond” (pages 877- 882).II. A Brief History of Nature WritingThe Origins o f Literary Natural HistoryWeek 3 (September 19, 21) Gilbert W hite, from The Natural History and Antiquities ofSelborne (pages31-53).The Scientist and the PhilosopherWeek 4 (September 26, 28) Charles Darwin, from Voyage o f  the H.M.S. Beagle, On the Origin o f  Species,and The Descent o fM an  (pages 158-169).Henry David Thoreau, from Walden, “W alking,” The Maine Woods, and the Journals (pages 173-207).FIRST PAPER DUE, Thursday, September 28Popular Nature: The Crusade of the Two JohnsWeek 5 (October 3, 5) John Burroughs, “The Gospel of N ature” (pages 273-279)John M uir, “A W ind-Storm in the Forest” and “The W ater-Ouzel” (pages 279-298).Land Conservation and the Wilderness IdeaW eek 6 (October 10, 12) Aldo Leopold, from A  Sand County Almanac (pages 400-421).Wallace Stegner, “Glen Canyon Submersis” and “Coda: Wilderness Letter” (pages 554-569).A Confluence o f Literature and ScienceWeek 7 (October 17, 19) Rachel Carson, from The Edge o f  the Sea (pages 519-524).Lewis Thomas, “Antaeus in M anhattan,” “The W orld’s Biggest M em brane,” and “The Tucson Zoo” (pages 575-578, 581-586).M ID TE R M  EXAM, Thursday, October 19III. Major Themes and IdeasThe Green ManW eek 8 (October 24, 26) John Fowles, from The Tree (pages 657-670).Loren Eiseley, ‘‘The Judgment of the Birds” and “The Star-Thrower” (pages 524-547).Glimpses into the Indigenous MindWeeks 9-10 (10/31 - 1 1 / 9 )  Leslie Marmon Silko, "Landscape, History, and the Pueblo Imagination"(pages 882-894).N. Scott Momaday, from The Way to Rainy Mountain (pages 774-780). Richard K. Nelson, "The Gifts" (pages 792-806).Barry Lopez, from Arctic Dreams (pages 840-856).The Metaphysics of the OrdinaryWeek 11 (November 14, 16) Annie Dillard, from Pilgrim at Tinker Creek and “Total Eclipse” (pages816-839).Robert Michael Pyle, from Wintergreen (pages 869-877).The Strange Lure of the Desert Weeks 12-13 (11/21, 28, 30) Mary H unter Austin, from The Land o f  Little Rain (pages 350-356). Edward Abbey, from Desert Solitaire and "The Great American Desert" (pages 679-692).Joseph W ood Krutch, "Love in the Desert" (pages 429-442).Gary Paul Nabhan, from The Desert Smells Like Rain (pages 898-903).SECOND PAPER DUE, Thursday, November 30.Animals and Morals Week 14 (November 5, 7) Jean Henri Fabre, from The Life o f  the Grasshopper (pages 247-252). John G. Mitchell, from The H unt (pages 735-744).Sue Hubbell, from A  Country Year (pages 780-787).IV. Student WritingReading and Discussion of Student Works Week 15 (November 12, 14) To be announced.Final ExamWeek 16 (Date to be announced)FINAL EXAM4

EVST 395.02: Nature Writing

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EVST 395.02: Nature Writing

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