Wharram,

English

The Keep

Eastern Illinois University
The Keep
Fall 2011 2011
Fall 8-15-2011
ENG 3009G-003: Myth And Culture: The Truth
About Lies, Or, How The Study Of Culture Is A
Myth
Wharram
Eastern Illinois University
Follow this and additional works at: http://thekeep.eiu.edu/english_syllabi_fall2011
Part of the English Language and Literature Commons
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the 2011 at The Keep. It has been accepted for inclusion in Fall 2011 by an authorized
administrator of The Keep. For more information, please contact tabruns@eiu.edu.
Recommended Citation
Wharram, "ENG 3009G-003: Myth And Culture: The Truth About Lies, Or, How The Study Of Culture Is A Myth" (2011). Fall 2011.
91.
http://thekeep.eiu.edu/english_syllabi_fall2011/91
I 300 9b- 003 
English 3009G-003: Myth and Culture 
The Truth about Lies, or, How the Study of Culture is a Myth 
Fall 2011 I MWF 12:00-12:50 I Coleman Hall 3170 
Professor: Wharram 
Email: ccwharram@eiu.edu 
Office: 3010 Coleman, 217-581-6318 
Office Hours: MWF 9.36•11.66 .. M (::: 
Mailbox: 3155 Coleman 
[ - 2 
1-3 
"The truth begins in lies. Think about it." 
-Dr. Gregory House 
Course Description 
This class will serve as an introduction to myth, 
but not as a survey of myths from around the 
globe. There are some 6000 languages spoken on 
the earth today, each of which constitutes a 
relation between a people and their world, a 
"culture," if you will. This number, however quickly it may be decreasing, is far too 
large to imagine covering in this course. As an alternative, we will engage with the 
development of the study of myths as it arose in the course of the twentieth century. 
Myth, as an identifiable form of storytelling, was central in the development of what we 
now call "cultural studies" in the Western tradition. We will trace this development in 
the thought of Ernst Cassirer and Claude Levi-Strauss (with a smattering of Sigmund 
Freud thrown in, just to keep things interesting). We will also examine how a few 
contemporary writers incorporate the concept of myth in their works. 
The other set of texts we will trace stems from the "Western" literary influences of myths 
about cyborgs and zombies. We will think about how these myths created meaning, how 
they mean, and, perhaps, how they may come to evolve in the future. The fact that the 
meaning of myth can change over history implies that culture can define myth in much 
the same way that myth can define culture. Along the way, we will question some of our 
received notions about myth-the "myths" about myths-allowing us, I hope, to think 
about the possibilities for myth in our technology-driven universe. And sometimes we 
will reflect on why it is that we don't much think mythically anymore-or, perhaps, why 
it is that we think we don't think mythically anymore. 
Since this course centers on myth, the primary medium of communication will be speech, 
since myth, in general, implies an oral-based culture. That is, I expect that our class 
dialogue will be extensive and productive. 
Austen, Jane and Seth Grahame-Smith, Pride and 
Prejudice and Zombies. 
Cassirer, Ernst. Language and Myth. 
Damrosch, David. What is World Literature? 
Diamond, Jared. Guns, Germs, and Steel. 
Levi -Strauss. Myth and Meaning. 
S):1elley, Mary. Frankenstein. 
Venuti, Lawrence. Translation Studies Reader. 
Requirements 
Participation 15% 
Tests 20% 
(5% each for 4 Tests) 
Midterm Exam 25% 
Final Writing Project 40% 
Mary Shelley 
**ALL ASSIGNMENTS AND EXAMS MUST BE COMPLETED TO PASS THE COURSE** 
Tests (20%, 5% each for four tests) 
The tests will verify your ability to retain important facts about course material-for 
example, names of significant historical and literary figures, and dates of important 
events-through identification and short-answer questions. The questions will be of two 
types: those that ask you to demonstrate that you have retained facts that 1) one should 
know (e.g ., When did Gutenberg invent the printing press? What was the "Copernican 
Revolution"?); and 2) have been significant in our readings and/or class discussions 
(e.g., What is a "stone-chat"?) . This latter set of questions may not be important as 
"cultural capital ," but they do indicate your level of engagement with the written and oral 
aspects of the course. All tests are cumulative. 
Midterm Exam, March 4 (25%) 
The midterm will consist of an in-class exam over two class periods, which will require 
you to explicate and analyze passages from our early-semester readings. 
Class Participation (15%) 
There will be a number of required , yet ungraded assignments throughout the quarter, 
constituting a substantial portion your class-participation grade. I will expect you to come 
to class having read the material , and with questions or comments on the readings. 
While reading the course material , you should pinpoint specific moments of difficulty, 
and come to class with questions about them. If you attend class without reading the 
texts carefully and completely, you are unlikely to do well on the tests and your class-
participation grade will suffer immensely. 
Final Exam, required (5%) 
This exam will have the same format as the tests, above, and is required of all students 
in this class. 
The Remaining 35% 
Option #1: Final Exam 
You may choose to write a final exam, which will take a form similar to the midterm, 
and include essay questions asking you to draw significant connections between 
the course readings. 
Option #2: Writing Project (minimum five pages) 
Well before the end of the semester, I would like you to select a passage from one 
of the larger texts in this course on which you would consider writing a detailed 
close reading. You will thoughtfully select a brief section of the larger work-
perhaps one or two paragraphs of prose-in order to analyze closely the 
significance of your chosen passage as it aids in understanding the larger text from 
which it is taken. You will use this close reading as a jumping-off point for a larger 
examination of the text at hand in conjunction with critical enquiry into concepts of 
myth and/in culture. You may provide evidence of secondary research for this 
project. More detail is, of course, forthcoming . 
TESTS AND EXAMS: You cannot make up a test or exam after the class period in 
which it is administered. 
Academic honesty: Students are responsible for knowing Eastern Illinois University 
regulations and policies regarding academic honesty. Plagiarism will likely result in your 
failing the course and in further action by the university. Here is the English 
Department's statement on plagiarism: 
Any teacher who discovers an act of plagiarism -
'The appropriation or imitation of the language, 
ideas, and/or thoughts of another author, and 
representation of them as one's own original 
work" (Random House Dictionary of the English 
Language)- has the right and the responsibility 
to impose upon the guilty student an appropriate 
penalty, up to and including immediate 
assignments, of a grade of F for the assigned 
essay and a grade ofF for the course, and to 
report the incident to the Judicial Affairs Office. 
Paper Policies 
Jane Austen 
Papers-and all other assignments-are due at the beginning of class. Late papers will not be 
commented upon, and be marked a half grade lower for every class period late. Essays 
turned in a week past the deadline will be given a "zero," but must nevertheless be submitted in 
order to pass the course. 
Your paper should be stapled and include page numbers. Format: 12-point Times New Roman 
font, double-spaced, with one-inch margins. 
Absence Policy 
When you are absent-especially when you are frequently absent-two things happen. First, 
your participation grade drops substantially. Second, you naturally fall behind in understanding 
course material and neither the class nor the Professor can catch you up on everything missed in 
a day's class . YOU need to decide when it is absolutely necessary to miss class . Be wise. It 
bears repeating : you cannot make up missed work and late assignments will be penalized. 
Whether these are excused or unexcused absences does not 
matter for this course. Being late for class will be counted as an 
absence. 
Emailing Policy 
I want to get to know you and your work this semester. Thus I ask 
that you stop by my office during office hours (or scheduled times) 
so that we can talk. DO NOT EMAIL ME TO ASK FOR AN 
"UPDATE" ON MISSED ASSIGNMENTS, OR TO EXPLAIN AN 
ABSENCE. You should exchange telephone numbers and email 
addresses with other students in the class so that you can contact 
someone for notes, handouts, and/or other missed messages. 
Wharram I English 3009-099: Schedule of Classes-
subject to revision 
For each class period, you need to have carefully read and 
be prepared to discuss the assigned selections in their entirety. A Zombie 
WEEK ONE 
M 8/22 INTRODUCTION: "myth"; "culture" 
W 8/24 Ernst Cassirer, Myth and Language (17 -23) 
F 8/26 Ernst Cassirer, Myth and Language (23-37) 
WEEK TWO 
M 8/29 Cassirer, Myth and Language (62-73) 
W 8/31 (Test #1) 
Levi-Strauss, Myth and Meaning, 
Introduction and Chapter 1 
F 9/2 Levi-Strauss, Myth and Meaning, 
Chapters 2 and 3 
Friday 9/2-Deadline to drop course without a grade 
WEEK THREE 
M 9/5 No Class (Labor Day) 
W9/7 
F 9/9 
Levi-Strauss, Myth and Meaning (con't) 
Erdoes and Ortiz, "Rabbit Boy" (handout) 
Levi-Strauss, M+M, Chapters 4 and 5; 
Erdoes and Ortiz, "The Good Twin and 
the Evil Twin" 
Claude Levi-Strauss (on the right) 
WEEK FOUR 
M 9/12 Roman Jakobsen, "On Linguistic Aspects of Translation" (Venuti, 138-143) 
W9/14 Diamond, Guns, Germs, and Steel ("Prologue," 13-32; Chapter 3, 67-81) 
F 9/16 Diamond (can't) 
WEEK FIVE 
M 9/19 Test#2; TBA 
W9/21 TBA 
F 9/23 TBA 
WEEK SIX 
M 9/26 Mary Shelley, Frankenstein (45-62) "Introduction [1831]" (353) 
W9/28 Frankenstein (63-77); "Appendix" (264-275) 
F 9/30 Frankenstein (77 -90) 
WEEK SEVEN 
M 10/3 Frankenstein (91-115); "Appendix" (245-263) 
w 10/5 Frankenstein (117-174); 
John Milton, from Paradise Lost (293-4) 
F 10/7 Frankenstein (175-198); 
WEEK EIGHT 
M 10/10 Frankenstein (198-223); 
w 10/12 Frankenstein (223-244); 
F 10/14 No Class (Fall Break) 
WEEK NINE 
M 10/17 (review and catch-up day) 
w 10/19 MID-TERM EXAM (in-class exam) 
F 10/21 MID-TERM EXAM (in-class exam) 
WEEK TEN 
M 10/24 Austen and Grahame-Smith, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (7-47) 
w 10/26 P+P+Z(47-103) 
F 10/28 P+P+Z(103-154) 
WEEK ELEVEN 
M 10/31 
w 11/2 
p + p + z ( 1 54-194) 
p + p + z (194-265) 
F 11/4 Test #3; P + P + Z (conclusion) 
Friday 11/4-Deadline to withdraw with a "W" 
WEEK TWELVE 
M 11/7 Thousand and One Nights (TBA) 
w 11/9 Borges, "The Translations of The 1001 Nights ," (Venuti , 94-1 08) 
F 11/11 Thousand and One Nights (TBA) 
WEEK THIRTEEN 
M 11/14 Thousand and One Nights (TBA) 
w 11/16 Individual conferences 
F 11/18 Individual conferences 
WEEK FOURTEEN M 11/21- F 11/25 Thanksgiving Recess-NO CLASS 
WEEK FIFTEEN 
M 11/28 Michael Pollen, "Johnny Appleseed" (e-reserve) 
w 11/30 Damrosch, What is World Literature? (TBA) 
F 12/2 Damrosch, What is World Literature? (TBA) 
WEEK SIXTEEN 
M 12/5 Damrosch, What is World Literature? (TBA) 
w 12/7 Damrosch , What is World Literature? (TBA) 
F 12/9 Damrosch, What is World Literature? (TBA) 
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14th-12:30 -14:30 FINAL EXAM, Final Projects Due 


ENG 3009G-003: Myth And Culture: The Truth About Lies, Or, How The Study Of Culture Is A Myth

https://thekeep.eiu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1090&amp;context=english_syllabi_fall2011

ENG 3009G-003: Myth And Culture: The Truth About Lies, Or, How The Study Of Culture Is A Myth

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

The Keep